Vuelta a Táchira

Venuzuela, January 15-26, 2000

Stage 7 - January 21st: Zea - La Grita, 125.2 km

Vásquez leads

Noel Vásquez, Lotería del Táchira, took second in stage seven today in the Vuelta a Tachira and in doing so, took the lead in the race during the mountainous seventh stage. Another Venezuelan, Carlos Maya, was the only one who could follow young Vásquez to the finish in La Grita after 125.2 kms, and Maya was the stage winner.

The first part of the stage was flat and three Mexicans were allowed to take the first sprint at 42 kms in the following order: Víctor Tapia, Antonio Aldape and Florencio Ramos. Adalpe soon attacked and got compatrion Pastor Linasres with him. They were later joined by Iytalian Alesio Girelli, Spaniard Germán Nieto, Bolivian Carlos Vargas, and Venezuelans Robinson Merchán, Manuel Guevara and Julio César Blanco with "Lotterist" Merchán winning the sprint at 71 kms.

The group was caught soon after and a new attack was launched by Colombian Raul Savedra, Mexican Florencio Ramos and Venezuelans Jose Robles and Tomy Alcedo with Robles taking the next sprint at 88 kms. The quartet stayed together and had a 35 second gap when they struck the first mountain, category 2, at 105 kms. On the climb they were soon caught when Colombians and Venezuelans attacked. Carlos Maya won the mountain prize. In the finish Maya was first ahead of compatriots Vásquez and Merchán.

Results

1 Carlos Maya (Ven)                  3.07.49
2 Noel Vásquez (Ven)            
3 Robinson Merchán (Ven)        	1.11
4 Aldrin Salamanca (Ven)       		1.33
5 Omar Pumar (Ven)             		1.35
6 Alvaro Lozano (Col)            
7 Raúl Gómez (Col)              	1.55
8 César Salazar (Ven)         		1.58
9 Julio Rangel (Col)           		2.01
10 Néstor Gelvez (Ven)          	2.17

General classification after stage 7:

1 Noel Vásquez (Ven)         	    25.46.16
2 Carlos Maya (Ven)            		1.10
3 Robinson Merchán (Ven)        	1.14
4 José Chacón (Ven)             	2.02
5 Aldrin Salamanca (Ven)        	2.32