December 20, 2009 (Esparza, Costa Rica) – Costa Rican Fabricio Quirós of Team BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS- won today’s 140 kilometers fifth stage and recovered the yellow jersey at the 45th Vuelta Ciclista Internacional a Costa Rica, which joined the communities of Liberia, Guanacaste, and Esparza, in the province of Puntarenas. Quirós took back the leadership after having worn the gold sweater over the first two days of the race. The 19 years old rider from Cartago got the day’s 140km stage on a time of 3 hours, 28 minutes and 9 seconds, while two Colombian, Julián Rodas and William Valencia of Team Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia, finished second and third, at 3 and 13 seconds.

Former leader, Gregory Brenes, came in with the same difference of 13 seconds, which left him in the second place of the general classification, 4 seconds behind his teammate Quirós.

The course was a sum of two parts. First, the 70 men peloton completed a 5 laps circuit in Liberia that paced up the rhythm since the very beginning. This caused several incidents, including little crashes end mechanic issues.

The bad luck touched the Canadian Team TDQ-GTH, whose sprints’leader Jean-Michel Lachance felt down on a curve and was left back by the rest of the peloton. He was forced to complete the circuit before going out for the line course to Esparza. Lachance and his technical crew considered it too difficult to catch the group by himself and decided to abandon La Vuelta.

And hard it would have been… The main group had to deal with several attacks of the Colombian and local competitors speeding up the race on the descents and the flat segments. The stage quickly got to the final kilometers with a bunch of the favorites in the front. The winner Fabricio Quirós jumped out with only 500 meters to go and crossed the finish line in the first place. In fact, his team dominates the GC so far with Quirós, Gregory Brenes, Federico Ramírez and Alexander Sánchez making 1 to 4.

The 6th stage of the tour -the “leg-breaker” of La Vuelta because of its multiple ups and downs- is going to take place this Monday with a 139,4 kilometers course that will begging and finish in Santa Ana, but visiting some West Valley places like Belén, Palmares, San Ramón, Grecia, Naranjo, Valverde Vega and Alajuela.

Results

1. Fabricio Quiros (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 3:28:09
2. Julian Rodas (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 0:03
3. William Valencia (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 0:13
4. Janier Acevedo (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
5. Pablo Araya (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
6. Henry Raabe (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue
7. Juan Rojas (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
8. Marconi Duran (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue
9. Federico Ramirez (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade
10. Gregori Brenes (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade
11. Nicolas Castro (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
12. Jose Bonilla (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue
13. Carlos Pulgarin (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
14. Alexander Sanchez (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade
15. Mynor Lopez (Gua) Guatemala National Team
16. Jesus Castaño (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
17. Allan Morales (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade
18. Alexis Castro (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
19. Paulo Vargas (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
20. Steven Villalobos (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
21. Jose Montero (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 0:21
22. Salas Marco (Crc) Grupo Ice 0:37
23. Josue Gonzalez (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:45
24. Carlos Hernandez (Gua) Guatemala National Team 0:56
25. Marco Salas (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
26. Cory Wallace (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH
27. Enrique Artavia (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue
28. Roman Villalobos (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
29. Alfredo Flores (Gua) Guatemala National Team
30. Eddier Godinez (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade
31. Diego Flores (Gua) Guatemala National Team 1:12
32. Erick Perez (Gua) Guatemala National Team
33. Guillermo Gonzalez (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade
34. Moises Hernandez (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 1:19
35. Allan Cordero (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 1:33
36. Luis Rojas (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 1:37
37. Juan Solis (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue
38. Gilbert Tencio (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 1:41
39. Cesar Rojas (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 2:02
40. Marvin Guzman (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 2:27
41. Alfredo Sanchez (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec
42. Marco Guillen (Crc) Grupo Ice 2:44
43. Daniel Rodriguez (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec
44. Hersson Jimenez (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
45. Eduardo Garita (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 3:06
46. Dion Beukeboom (Ned) Amsterdam Team
47. Jan Lof (Ned) Amsterdam Team
48. Lars Van Devall (Ned) Amsterdam Team
49. Johan Barahona (Crc) Grupo Ice 3:12
50. Cody Canning (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 3:51
51. Niels Lommers (Ned) Amsterdam Team 4:30
52. Mariano Herrera (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 5:31
53. Pablo Leiva (Crc) Grupo Ice 0:11:34
54. Dirk Van Der Craats (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:11:38
55. Daniel Korevaar (Ned) Amsterdam Team
56. Alejandro Padilla (Gua) Guatemala National Team
57. Luis Alvarez (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec
58. Giel Nijs (Ned) Amsterdam Team
59. Vicent Veilleuz (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH
60. Jonathan Camacho (Crc) Grupo Ice
61. Noe Alvarez (Gua) Guatemala National Team
62. Esteban Castro (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec
63. Renan Gonzalez (Crc) Grupo Ice
64. Randall Aguilar (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec
65. David Vargas (Crc) Grupo Ice 0:11:57
66. Charles Thibault (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:13:33
67. Jeroen Kers (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:18:54
68. Douglas Offer (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue
69. Miguel Rojas (Crc) Grupo Ice 0:19:53
DNF Jean-Michel Lachance (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 3:51

GC after Stage 5

1. Fabricio Quiros (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 15:55:53
2. Gregori Brenes (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 0:04
3. Federico Ramirez (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 0:05
4. Alexander Sanchez (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade
5. Henry Raabe (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:08
6. Jose Bonilla (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:09
7. Marconi Duran (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue
8. Allan Morales (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade
9. Janier Acevedo (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 0:14
10. William Valencia (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 0:15
11. Julian Rodas (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 0:18
12. Juan Rojas (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea
13. Pablo Araya (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 0:19
14. Jesus Castaño (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
15. Nicolas Castro (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia
16. Alexis Castro (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 0:20
17. Paulo Vargas (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 0:23
18. Steven Villalobos (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 0:24
19. Carlos Pulgarin (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 0:33
20. Marco Salas (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 1:11
21. Salas Marco (Crc) Grupo Ice 1:19
22. Jose Montero (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 1:27
23. Josue Gonzalez (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 2:05
24. Cesar Rojas (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 2:16
25. Guillermo Gonzalez (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 2:24
26. Juan Solis (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 2:25
27. Eddier Godinez (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 2:39
28. Enrique Artavia (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 2:42
29. Mynor Lopez (Gua) Guatemala National Team 3:19
30. Diego Flores (Gua) Guatemala National Team 3:52
31. Cory Wallace (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 3:56
32. Roman Villalobos (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 3:57
33. Carlos Hernandez (Gua) Guatemala National Team 4:42
34. Erick Perez (Gua) Guatemala National Team 4:51
35. Allan Cordero (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 5:21
36. Luis Rojas (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 5:29
37. Gilbert Tencio (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 7:43
38. Mariano Herrera (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 8:28
39. Moises Hernandez (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 8:30
40. Johan Barahona (Crc) Grupo Ice 9:22
41. Daniel Rodriguez (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 9:44
42. Hersson Jimenez (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 9:46
43. Marvin Guzman (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:19
44. Esteban Castro (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 0:14:15
45. Alfredo Flores (Gua) Guatemala National Team 0:16:25
46. Noe Alvarez (Gua) Guatemala National Team 0:16:33
47. Jonathan Camacho (Crc) Grupo Ice 0:17:22
48. Daniel Korevaar (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:19:09
49. Randall Aguilar (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 0:19:10
50. Jan Lof (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:20:44
51. Dion Beukeboom (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:21:08
52. Lars Van Devall (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:21:38
53. Renan Gonzalez (Crc) Grupo Ice 0:22:38
54. Douglas Offer (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:22:43
55. Alfredo Sanchez (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 0:25:45
56. Vicent Veilleuz (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:26:03
57. Cody Canning (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:26:55
58. Marco Guillen (Crc) Grupo Ice 0:27:12
59. Eduardo Garita (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 0:28:07
60. Charles Thibault (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 0:33:20
61. Miguel Rojas (Crc) Grupo Ice 0:33:36
62. Giel Nijs (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:33:49
63. Niels Lommers (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:34:19
64. Jeroen Kers (Ned) Amsterdam Team 0:36:11
65. Alejandro Padilla (Gua) Guatemala National Team 0:41:16
66. Pablo Leiva (Crc) Grupo Ice 0:44:06
67. David Vargas (Crc) Grupo Ice 0:47:37
68. Luis Alvarez (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 0:50:47
69. Dirk Van Der Craats (Ned) Amsterdam Team 1:08:35

Sprint Classification

1. Marco Guillen (Crc) Grupo Ice 14 pts
2. Eduardo Garita (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 13
3. Jan Lof (Ned) Amsterdam Team 8
4. Giel Nijs (Ned) Amsterdam Team 5
5. Charles Thibault (Can) Tour D’Quebec-GTH 5
6. Juan Solis (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 5
7. Douglas Offer (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 5
8. Hersson Jimenez (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 5
9. Luis Rojas (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 4
10. Alfredo Sanchez (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 3
11. Esteban Castro (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 3
12. Mariano Herrera (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 3
13. Paulo Vargas (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 2
14. Jonathan Camacho (Crc) Grupo Ice 1
15. Alejandro Padilla (Gua) Guatemala National Team 1

Mountain Classification

1. Jan Lof (Ned) Amsterdam Team 6 pts
2. Giel Nijs (Ned) Amsterdam Team 6
3. Alfredo Sanchez (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 4
4. Hersson Jimenez (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 4
5. Luis Rojas (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 2
6. Marconi Duran (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 2
7. Alejandro Padilla (Gua) Guatemala National Team 2
8. Pablo Araya (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 2
9. Eduardo Garita (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 1

Points Classification

1. Henry Raabe (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 49 pts
2. William Valencia (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 40
3. Fabricio Quiros (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 35
4. Esteban Castro (Crc) Bufete Guzmán & Álvarez – Exceltec 34
5. Juan Rojas (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 29
6. Gregori Brenes (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 29
7. Janier Acevedo (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 28
8. Carlos Pulgarin (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 26
9. Steven Villalobos (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 25
10. Julian Rodas (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 20
11. Federico Ramirez (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 20
12. Paulo Vargas (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 20
13. Jeroen Kers (Ned) Amsterdam Team 16
14. Douglas Offer (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 15
15. Jose Bonilla (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 13
16. Pablo Araya (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 13
17. Marco Salas (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 11
18. Alexander Sanchez (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 11
19. Marconi Duran (Crc) Citibank-Economy Rent A Car-Blue 9
20. Nicolas Castro (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 7
21. Niels Lommers (Ned) Amsterdam Team 6
22. Jesus Castaño (Col) Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 6
23. Allan Morales (Crc) BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS-Powerade 4
24. Mariano Herrera (Crc) Plycem-JPS-Orbea 3
25. Mynor Lopez (Gua) Guatemala National Team 1

Team Classification

1. BCR-Pizza-Hut-KHS-Powerade 47:22:44
2. Greatwall-Indeportes Antioquia 0:13
3. Citibank-Economy-Rent-A-Car-Blue 0:17
4. Plycem-JPS-Orbea 0:27
5. Guatemala National Team 6:16
6. Grupo ICE 0:11:44
7. Bufete-Guzmán-&-Álvarez-Exceltec 0:11:56
8. Amsterdam Team 0:26:10
9. Tour D’Quebec GTH 0:26:52