Competitions

"Vuelta al Paìs Vasco": Rodriguez won the first stage

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Parent Category: Competitions

Category: Race 2011

Published on Monday, 04 April 2011 19:50

Written by Luca Salvatelli

Joaquim Rodriguez won the "Vuelta al Pais Vasco" first stage, a 151,2 kilometres long stage from Zumarraga to Zumarraga. Purito made a counter-attack on the Horner's breakaway in Alto de La Antigua, a short climbing with a strong maximum pendence of 20% which was just 3 kilometres far from the finishing line, then he regulated in a four-men sprint the Olympic champion Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel), Andreas Kloden and Chris Horen, both from RadioShack. The brilliant Team Katusha's performance was completed by Danilo Di Luca (9th) and Alexander Kolobnev (12th). It's the first victory in this season for the UCI World Individual Ranking 2010 leader, and the third for the Russian team.

"I was so happy with this victory - said Rodriguez - so much that, when I reached the finishing line, I'd almost cried for joy. In the first part of my season I had some health troubles (a cyst in the head of his thighbone, editor's note) and I had some more difficulties in finding the right push on the pedal. Now, I hope I left behind all these troubles and I will be able to work and train in the best way for my next goals. I admit I was very nervous because until now in this 2011 I've never been able to be between the best riders in every race I took part to. But I have to thank all the team, from Tchmil downwards, for always having told me to stay quiet because our principal goal this year will be Giro d'Italia: so there still was plenty of time. Instead, I needed an indication from myself and that's the reason why I told to my teammates that, if we all were inside the group in Alto de la Antigua, I could have tried to attack. Well, I have to say that everything was perfect and now I feel calmer and more confident for the rest of the season".