Friday, March 29, 2024

La Vuelta a España 2012 – Stage 15: La Robla – Lagos de Covadonga 186.5 km

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HomeRaceRace ReviewsLa Vuelta a España 2012 - Stage 15: La Robla - Lagos...

We’ve all had them, those days when the pedals just turn and the sensations are good – Antonio Piedra (Caja Rural & Spain) had one, today in the stage from La Robla.

The 26 year-old from Seville was part of a break which went away early; originally 19 strong it split on a climb, with 10 making it all the way to the 13 kilometre slopes which lead 1135 metres up to the glacial lakes of Covadonga.

His margin at the top was 2:02 over the next best break survivor – Ruben Perez (Euskaltel) and at no time from when he made his move some 10 K out did he look anything other than smooth and composed.

La Robla
Antonio had his ‘best day on a bike – ever’.

Piedra turned pro in 2007 with Fuertevantura and then spent the next four seasons with Andalucia.

His best results up until today were a Tour of Portugal stage in 2007 and a win, this year in the Notwegian GP Rogaland.

And lest you think that was a ‘soft one,’ he beat Vuelta stage winner Simon Clarke (GreenEDGE) and Het Nieuwsblad winner, Sep Vanmarcke (Garmin) to win.

La Robla
The break stayed away and provided the winner for a change.

A Grand Tour win for a small team like Caja Rural is a big result – to win on Covadonga is immense.

The Weather Gods even smiled for Piedra – often the clouds mask the summits and the lakes are barely visible in the murk.

But today the sun shone on a landscape which could so easily be the Highlands of Scotland.

Everyone will be tired hearing about the fact that the last wolves in Europe roam these mountains – but it is a fascinating place.

The parcours passes the Basilica built to honour Our Lady of Covadonga, the patron saint of Asturias.

But before we bore you with more history, let’s talk about the GC.

Again it was Contador and his skinny Saxo-Tinkoff henchmen causing the problems for those clinging on by their fingernails.

At one stage ‘Bert’ had three team mates up the road as a ‘launch platform’ but Rodriguez is much too vigilant to let the man from Pinto get more than a few seconds before he’s on his back wheel like a ferret.

It was status quo among the ‘big three’ at the top, as they all finished on the same second.

La Robla
The top guys were pretty evenly matched today.

Contador gained the least with no seconds clawed back, but Rodriguez can cross another ‘danger’ day off the list and hard driving Valverde put 35 seconds into an increasingly tired-looking Froome.

One of the ‘anti-Bert Brigade’ wrote recently that Contador’s last Grand Tour – le Tour de France in 2011 – had been less than sparkling.

But the fact is that he dominated the Giro prior to that and it’s now impossible in these days of ultra-specific targeting of races by the ‘Bigs’ to win Grand Tours back to back.

Not even Lance attempted that – Pantani did it, but let’s not speak ill of the dead.

However, the Giro and Vuelta is possible – as Rodriguez is so ably demonstrating.

Froome rode a hard, hard Tour and it’s no shame that he’s starting to feel it, now.

La Robla
One of Bert’s many attacks.

Covadonga is a tough climb with a gradient which varies from steep ramps to big ring down hills – very hard to find a rhythm on; and whilst no big climb is a good one to have heavy legs, Covadonga is even worse than most.

But it’s a special place, other worldly and surreal with the rock jutting from the gorse like giant skeletons, the high peaks and the gleaming blue lakes, bizarre in this barren place and at such high altitude.

And you’re conscious of the past.

Although it’s hard to imagine armies deployed and butchering each other high on the rocky moors just beside the parcours, that’s exactly what happened here in 722.

The Moors (Arabs we’d say) who ruled Spain for nearly 800 years sent an army to Asturias to tame the local Christian warrior, Pelayo and his band.

Pelayo and his cristianos prayed for divine intervention the night before, to assist them in their impending battle with the fearsome Moors.

Their prayers, which took place in the cave in the rock face opposite the basilica – which is now a place of pilgrimage – were answered and the Christians scored a rare and decisive victory against the Moors.

When you’re up there the day before the race and it’s just you, the hire car, the wind and the mountain – that story doesn’t seem quite so fanciful.

Tomorrow will be third ‘death stage’ in a row – the Cuitu Negra, another mountain top finish .

The description I liked best was that of; ‘a mountain with the Mur de Huy stuck on top of it‘ – ouch!

Adios, amigos.

Results - La Vuelta a España 2012 - Stage 15

Stage Result

1 Antonio Piedra Perez (Spa) Caja Rural 5:01:23
2 Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 0:02:02
3 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
4 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Caja Rural
5 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar Team 0:02:07
6 Simon Geschke (Ger) Argos-Shimano 0:02:12
7 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana Pro Team 0:02:25
8 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:03:35
9 Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol Team 0:03:49
10 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 0:06:45
11 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 0:09:25
12 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team
13 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank
14 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team 0:09:38
15 Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 0:09:48
16 Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 0:10:00
17 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
18 Winner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre – ISD
19 Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin – Sharp
20 Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
21 Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre – ISD
22 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team
23 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling
24 Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team
25 Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 0:10:04
26 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:10:08
27 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling 0:10:26
28 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 0:10:42
29 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan 0:10:55
30 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale
31 Marcos Garcia (Spa) Caja Rural 0:11:01
32 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling 0:11:11
33 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin – Sharp 0:11:31
34 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
35 Andre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Caja Rural 0:11:45
36 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
37 Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
38 Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 0:12:11
39 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:12:22
40 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:12:52
41 Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:12:54
42 Jan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan
43 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
44 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:13:16
45 Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
46 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre – ISD 0:13:34
47 Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:14:42
48 Rafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank 0:15:10
49 Sergio Carrasco Garcia (Spa) Andalucia 0:15:15
50 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre – ISD 0:15:19
51 Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
52 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank 0:15:50
53 Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank
54 Nico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
55 Hernani Broco (Por) Caja Rural
56 Tiago Machado (Por) Radioshack-Nissan
57 Yukihiro Doi (Jpn) Argos-Shimano
58 Denys Kostyuk (Ukr) Lampre – ISD
59 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin – Sharp 0:15:56
60 Martijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 0:16:31
61 Jose Vicente Toribio Alcolea (Spa) Andalucia 0:17:13
62 Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:17:22
63 Oleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr) Lampre – ISD 0:17:24
64 Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha Team 0:17:25
65 Danny Pate (USA) Sky Procycling 0:17:37
66 Javier Chacon (Spa) Andalucia 0:18:15
67 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 0:19:18
68 Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
69 Ivan Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
70 Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
71 Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
72 Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank 0:21:10
73 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:21:30
74 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos-Shimano
75 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Radioshack-Nissan
76 Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
77 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Radioshack-Nissan
78 Grégory Rast (Swi) Radioshack-Nissan
79 Koen De Kort (Ned) Argos-Shimano
80 Thierry Hupond (Fra) Argos-Shimano
81 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Big Mat
82 Benjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank
83 Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar Team
84 Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big Mat
85 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling
86 Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin – Sharp
87 Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
88 Cayetano José Sarmiento Tunarrosa (Col) Liquigas-Cannondale
89 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team
90 Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale
91 Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team
92 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team
93 Jesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) Andalucia
94 Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol Team
95 Laurent Didier (Lux) Radioshack-Nissan
96 Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel – Euskadi
97 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
98 Denis Menchov (Rus) Katusha Team
99 Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team
100 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
101 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Movistar Team
102 Javier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) Andalucia
103 Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha Team
104 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
105 Javier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Movistar Team
106 Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin – Sharp
107 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
108 Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin – Sharp
109 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:22:43
110 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
111 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha Team 0:23:23
112 Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
113 Bruno Pires (Por) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank 0:24:41
114 Gustavo Cesar Veloso (Spa) Andalucia 0:24:58
115 Adrian Palomares Villaplana (Spa) Andalucia
116 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:25:40
117 Leonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
118 William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 0:26:22
119 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin – Sharp
120 Gianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
121 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica – GreenEdge
122 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling
123 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
124 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
125 Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
126 Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica – GreenEdge
127 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
128 Matti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling Team
129 Nicki Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank
130 Ben Swift (GBr) Sky Procycling
131 Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica – GreenEdge
132 Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
133 Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Procycling
134 Frederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
135 Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
136 Fredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro Team
137 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale
138 Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale
139 Aitor Galdos Alonso (Spa) Caja Rural
140 Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team
141 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
142 Javier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja Rural
143 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha Team
144 Alexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos-Shimano
145 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin – Sharp
146 David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
147 Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
148 Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar Team
149 Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha Team
150 Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Caja Rural
151 Egor Silin (Rus) Astana Pro Team
152 Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha Team
153 Davide Vigano (Ita) Lampre – ISD
154 Florent Barle (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
155 Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
156 Travis Meyer (Aus) Orica – GreenEdge
157 Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
158 Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
159 Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Andalucia
160 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank
161 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
162 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team
163 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
164 Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
165 Tiziano Dall’antonia (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
166 Danail Andonov Petrov (Bul) Caja Rural
167 Stephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing Team
168 Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre – ISD
169 Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin – Sharp
170 Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
171 Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica – GreenEdge
172 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica – GreenEdge
173 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
174 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-Nissan
175 John Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-Shimano
176 Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
177 Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
178 Julian Dean (NZl) Orica – GreenEdge
179 Cheng Ji (Chn) Argos-Shimano 0:28:02
180 Joost Van Leijen (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team 0:28:39
181 Allan Davis (Aus) Orica – GreenEdge 0:29:47
182 Daniel Teklehaymanot (Eri) Orica – GreenEdge
183 Pablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) Andalucia

General Classification

1 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team 58:17:21
2 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank 0:00:22
3 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 0:01:41
4 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:02:16
5 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team 0:04:51
6 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:05:42
7 Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin – Sharp 0:06:48
8 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:07:17
9 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 0:07:21
10 Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 0:07:39
11 Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 0:09:01
12 Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre – ISD 0:09:23
13 Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 0:10:21
14 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan 0:10:56
15 Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team 0:11:03
16 Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 0:11:08
17 Winner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre – ISD 0:11:09
18 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:11:24
19 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:13:23
20 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 0:14:19
21 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling 0:14:27
22 Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:15:52
23 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:16:44
24 Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:17:33
25 Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 0:18:42
26 Andre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Caja Rural 0:18:55
27 Marcos Garcia (Spa) Caja Rural 0:19:29
28 Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 0:19:43
29 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 0:20:12
30 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana Pro Team 0:21:06
31 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 0:22:21
32 Jan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan 0:22:52
33 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 0:23:40
34 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin – Sharp 0:24:33
35 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling 0:26:16
36 Ivan Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 0:33:17
37 Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha Team 0:38:00
38 Rafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank 0:39:51
39 Tiago Machado (Por) Radioshack-Nissan 0:41:56
40 Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 0:42:14
41 Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 0:44:09
42 Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:46:29
43 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:46:55
44 Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel – Euskadi 0:48:26
45 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:50:35
46 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:50:54
47 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre – ISD 0:53:03
48 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank 0:53:14
49 Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:53:15
50 Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:53:44
51 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team 0:55:26
52 Hernani Broco (Por) Caja Rural 0:55:35
53 Cayetano José Sarmiento Tunarrosa (Col) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:56:22
54 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team 1:00:14
55 Laurent Didier (Lux) Radioshack-Nissan 1:01:27
56 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin – Sharp 1:02:17
57 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team 1:02:43
58 Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 1:02:56
59 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 1:03:47
60 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar Team 1:04:01
61 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Caja Rural 1:04:41
62 Denys Kostyuk (Ukr) Lampre – ISD 1:04:44
63 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 1:05:19
64 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Movistar Team 1:06:26
65 Fredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro Team 1:08:25
66 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre – ISD 1:09:33
67 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team 1:09:36
68 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling 1:09:48
69 Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol Team 1:11:03
70 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 1:11:04
71 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 1:11:12
72 Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank 1:11:22
73 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 1:11:46
74 Denis Menchov (Rus) Katusha Team 1:12:43
75 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Radioshack-Nissan 1:13:09
76 Javier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Movistar Team 1:14:12
77 Gianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 1:16:00
78 Simon Geschke (Ger) Argos-Shimano 1:19:51
79 Koen De Kort (Ned) Argos-Shimano 1:20:26
80 Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica – GreenEdge 1:20:59
81 Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 1:21:52
82 Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin – Sharp 1:22:56
83 Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank 1:22:58
84 Antonio Piedra Perez (Spa) Caja Rural 1:23:11
85 Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale 1:23:22
86 Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi 1:24:23
87 Martijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 1:25:32
88 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos-Shimano 1:25:57
89 Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 1:26:00
90 Nico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 1:26:50
91 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Radioshack-Nissan 1:27:11
92 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team 1:27:37
93 Sergio Carrasco Garcia (Spa) Andalucia 1:29:32
94 Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 1:29:53
95 Gustavo Cesar Veloso (Spa) Andalucia
96 Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 1:32:13
97 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1:32:16
98 Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team 1:34:36
99 Leonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 1:35:22
100 Grégory Rast (Swi) Radioshack-Nissan 1:35:48
101 Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica – GreenEdge 1:36:00
102 Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha Team 1:37:32
103 Benjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank 1:38:43
104 Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 1:39:24
105 Egor Silin (Rus) Astana Pro Team 1:39:48
106 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica – GreenEdge 1:40:15
107 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Big Mat 1:40:36
108 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling 1:41:43
109 Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 1:41:55
110 Bruno Pires (Por) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank 1:41:59
111 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 1:42:17
112 Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team 1:42:20
113 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 1:42:41
114 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 1:43:00
115 Javier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) Andalucia 1:43:05
116 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha Team 1:43:48
117 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 1:43:49
118 Yukihiro Doi (Jpn) Argos-Shimano 1:44:29
119 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 1:44:49
120 Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 1:46:03
121 David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 1:46:17
122 Adrian Palomares Villaplana (Spa) Andalucia 1:48:25
123 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha Team 1:48:54
124 Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team 1:49:04
125 Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 1:49:31
126 Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha Team 1:50:03
127 Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 1:50:06
128 Thierry Hupond (Fra) Argos-Shimano 1:50:09
129 Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin – Sharp 1:50:25
130 Alexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos-Shimano 1:50:32
131 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank 1:52:17
132 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin – Sharp 1:52:23
133 Jose Vicente Toribio Alcolea (Spa) Andalucia 1:53:03
134 Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 1:53:24
135 Florent Barle (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 1:53:54
136 Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol Team 1:54:17
137 John Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-Shimano 1:54:18
138 Jesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) Andalucia 1:54:39
139 Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Procycling 1:55:53
140 Oleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr) Lampre – ISD 1:56:41
141 Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 1:57:41
142 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
143 William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 1:58:40
144 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-Nissan 1:58:57
145 Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin – Sharp 1:58:58
146 Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big Mat 1:59:43
147 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 1:59:47
148 Davide Vigano (Ita) Lampre – ISD 2:00:02
149 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 2:00:31
150 Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 2:01:11
151 Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 2:01:29
152 Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar Team 2:03:02
153 Tiziano Dall’antonia (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 2:03:51
154 Javier Chacon (Spa) Andalucia 2:03:52
155 Danny Pate (USA) Sky Procycling 2:04:11
156 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 2:04:15
157 Stephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing Team 2:06:25
158 Travis Meyer (Aus) Orica – GreenEdge 2:06:56
159 Daniel Teklehaymanot (Eri) Orica – GreenEdge 2:07:28
160 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 2:07:48
161 Ben Swift (GBr) Sky Procycling 2:08:01
162 Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 2:08:44
163 Frederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 2:12:22
164 Nicki Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank – Tinkoff Bank 2:13:33
165 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin – Sharp 2:13:54
166 Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Caja Rural 2:14:48
167 Matti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling Team 2:15:04
168 Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin – Sharp 2:15:05
169 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica – GreenEdge 2:17:14
170 Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar Team 2:17:26
171 Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre – ISD 2:18:21
172 Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 2:19:13
173 Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica – GreenEdge 2:19:14
174 Julian Dean (NZl) Orica – GreenEdge 2:22:47
175 Danail Andonov Petrov (Bul) Caja Rural 2:25:19
176 Javier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja Rural 2:28:38
177 Allan Davis (Aus) Orica – GreenEdge 2:30:00
178 Aitor Galdos Alonso (Spa) Caja Rural 2:33:27
179 Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha Team 2:37:17
180 Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Andalucia 2:44:59
181 Pablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) Andalucia 2:45:23
182 Cheng Ji (Chn) Argos-Shimano 2:48:40
183 Joost Van Leijen (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team 3:22:31
Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

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