News & Reviews

The Catalan rider from FUJI-SERVETTO performed well in today’s first point-to-point stage of the Vuelta a Andalucia; chased down by the peloton wih 7 km’s left after breaking apart at the 50-km mark. Teammate Benitez is in the lead at the Intermediate Sprint competition

Catalan rider Josep Jufre Pou from FUJI-SERVETTO has been one of the strongest riders in the first point-to-point stage of the 55th Vuelta a Andalucia, raced over a 169-km route from La Guardia to Humilladero. The race came into a mass sprint, where Italian Danilo Napolitano (Katusha) proved to be the strongest. Jufre tried to avoid a bunch arrival from happening at the end with his move during the climb towards the Alto de Iznajar, just over 50 kilometers to the finish line. Jufre went faster and faster to bring down the 2-minutes between the four escapers of today: Luis Angel Maté (Diquigiovanni), Dionisio Galparsoro (Contentpolis), Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel) and Clément Lhotellerie (Vacansoleil), all of which broke from the control of the bunch at the 20th kilometer.

The rider from FUJI-SERVETTO reached the quartet upfront with less than 40 kilometers left, and helped with massive force to increase the gap, up to a 3-minute break at the 30-km mark; however, the work done by the sprinters’ teams made it impossible for Jufre.

The breakway was neutralized with 7 kms remaining, just before the Intermediate Sprint at Molina, where local rider Alberto Benitez Roman (FUJI-SERVETTO) came in first place and will now wear white int. sprints leader’s jersey.

A roundabout in the last kilometer of the stage broke the peloton and left a 3-second gap between the fastest riders and the rest of the bunch, with Joost Posthuma (Rabobank) taking advantage of the cut to get the leader’s jersey out of Tondo’s (Andalucia) hands.  Del Nero (16th) is still the best placed rider from FUJI-SERVETTO. The third stage of the Andalusian stagerace will be covered tomorrow, over a 164-km route from Vegas del Genil to good old Córdoba.
 

RESULTS:
55th VUELTA A ANDALUCÍA

2nd stage:
1. Danilo Napolitano (Katusha) 4.31.45
2. Tom Veelers (Rabobank) s.t.
3. Jurgen Roelandts (Silence-Lotto) s.t.
…
17. Ricardo Serrano (FUJI-SERVETTO) 0.03
18. David de la Fuente (FUJI-SERVETTO) s.t.
23. Jesús del Nero (FUJI-SERVETTO) s.t.
38. Alberto Benítez (FUJI-SERVETTO) s.t.
41. Eros Capecchi (FUJI-SERVETTO) s.t.
58. Beñat Intxausti (FUJI-SERVETTO) s.t.
72. Josep Jufre (FUJI-SERVETTO) 0.28

General Classification:
1. Joost Posthuma (Rabobank) 4.40.17
2. Xavier Tondo (Andalucía) 0.02
3. Jurgen Roelandts (Silence-Lotto) 0.04
…
16. Jesús del Nero (FUJI-SERVETTO) 0.17
26. Beñat Intxausti (FUJI-SERVETTO) 0.23
60. Alberto Benítez (FUJI-SERVETTO) 0.44
61. Josep Jufre (FUJI-SERVETTO) 0.47
66. Eros Capecchi (FUJI-SERVETTO) 0.55
69. David de la Fuente (FUJI-SERVETTO) 1.11
71. Ricardo Serrano (FUJI-SERVETTO) 1.16