Vuelta a Táchira

Venuzuela, January 15-26, 2000

Stage 3, January 17 - Bolivia City - San Rafael de El Piñal, 191 km

The Venezuelan Caesar Salazar, of the Táchira Lottery team dominated the final one hundred meters of the pack to win the third stage of 35th Vuelta a Táchira. His compatriot Tonny Linares remained the leader in the general classification by two seconds over Jose Chacón. Linares, who is just 21 years old also holds the lead in the sprints and U-23 categories.

28 year old Salazar won the 1997 edition, covered the 191 kilometer distance between Bolivia City and San Rafael de Piñal in 4:46.28. After a breakway was caught in the final phases of the stage, Salazar demonstrated his sprinting prowess to win the stage by one second over Italian Alessio Girelli, of Selle Italia.

Results

1 César Salazar (Ven)      4.46.28
2 Alessio Girelli (Ita)       0.01
3 David Fernández (Spa)
4 Freddy Segura (Ven)
5 Rubén Marín (Col)
6 Freddy González (Col)
7 Nacor Burgos (Spa) 
8 Víctor Tapia (Mex) 
9 Eduardo Graciano (Mex)
10 Martín Garrido (Spa)         

General classification after stage 3:

1 Tony Linares (Ven)       11.18.24
2 José Chacón (Ven)            0.02
3 Martín Garrido (Spa)         0.06
4 Eduardo Graciano  (Mex)      0.08
5 César Salazar (Ven)          0.10
6 David Fernández (Spa) 
7 Arlex Méndez (Ven)           0.13
8 John Navas (Ven)             0.15
9 Rubén Marín (Col)
10 Freddy González (Col)