50th Vuelta a Colombia - 2.5

Colombia, June 11 - 26, 2000

Stage 11 - June 21: Palmira-Pereira, 222 km

Live report

Palmira (8:55 a.m. local time). The start of today's stage marks the half way point of the Vuelta. 1,390 kms are now behind the pedals of the surviors. Not only does the route turn back north, but it heads back up through the valley of the Cauca river to the mountains, where Palacio's domination still remains to be decided by several climbers who feel they're just now getting their mountain legs. At the start of today's stage, there was a slight misty rain, overcast skies, and a 222 km journey ahead. Most of that is flat. However, between Km 200 and 218 there is a category 3 climb of nearly 600 meters to the mountain prime and the finish line just 4 kms further.

Palmira-Pereira, Km. 36 (10 a.m. local time) Alejandro Ivan Cortes was the first one to try a break off the front, but no one chased, and quickly put up the white flag to the overtaking peloton. At the sprint prime at Km. 36 though, a group of five decides to take advantage of their lead at the sprint: Hébert Gutiérrez, Cuban Eliécer Valdés, Miguel Niño, Carlos Blanco and Cortés who found company this time. The humid heat is suffocating and the peloton does not respond following at 1'45". Palmira-Pereira Km. 129, near Roldanillo

(12:30 p.m. local time). The breakaway of five presses on taking a lead of almost 12 mins over the peloton as they sprint past the 2nd prime taken by Gutierrez. Valdes, Cortes, Nino, and Blanco follow. We're now 129 kms into the stage but nearly 100 kms remain in this the longest stage of the Vuelta. None of the "escapees" are great climbers but with such a lead they could get over the 600 meter hump first at Pereira...

Cartago, 1:10 p.m. local time. 4 hrs. 30 mins into the stage the breakaway of 5 rolls over the 3rd sprint prime, with Cuban Valdés at the lead. Gutiérrez, Niño, Cortés, and Blanco follow at each other's wheel. None of them pose a threat to the overall G.C. and the peloton lets them go with an 11 minute lead.

Cerrito, 1:30 p.m. After a category 3 climb to the mountain prime, Cuban sprinter Valdés shows that he can also climb winning the mountain prime as well. It's seems the race is in their... legs. Pereira is only 18 kms away.

Pereira, 1:50 p.m. The Cuban shows his stuff. Eliécer Valdés, a top Cuban sprinter finally redeemed the Cubans' presence on the Vuelta, winning the last sprint prime, the mountain prime, and the final sprint into Pereira. Alejandro Cortés followed at 3 sec., Carlos Blanco at 7 sec., and Miguel Niño and Hérbert Gutiérrez at 44 sec. The peloton finally woke up half way through the climb and came in at 4'55" with Raúl Montaña leading the way. No changes in the overall G.C. Riders seemed to have been saving their legs for the 125 km mountain stage tomorrow. They will climb to nearly 3300 meters before a long serpetine descent to Ibagué.

Reports by Haroldo Camacho

Results:

1. Eliécer Valdés (Cub) Cuba		     5.14.04
2. Alejandro Iván Cortés (Col)A. Antioqueño-LM	0.03
3. Carlos Blanco (Col) Ron Boyacá-Esmopar	0.07
4. Miguel Niño (Col) Selle-Italia		0.43
5. Hebert Gutiérrez (Col) A. Cristal-Chec
6. Jhon Fredy García (Col) A. Cristal-Chec	4.55
7. Raúl Montaña (Col) Selle-Italia 
8. Gregorio Ladino (Col) A. Cristal-Chec
9. Giovanni Huertas (Col) Lotería de Boyacá 
10. Federico Muñoz (Col) Ciclistas de Jesucristo

General classification after stage 11:

1. Héctor Iván Palacio (Col) 05-Orbitel     40.08.52
2. Elder Herrera (Col) 05-Orbitel		1.19
3. Duván Ramírez (Col) 05-Orbitel		1.37
4. Alexis Rojas (Col) A. Cristal-Chec		2.06
5. Uberlino Mesa (Col) Lotería de Boyacá	2.57
6. Héctor Manuel Castaño (Col) 05-Orbitel	3.48
7. Israel Ochoa (Col) A. Néctar-Aguila Roja	3.55
8. Miguel Sanabria (Col) 05-Orbitel		4.12
9. Germán Ospina (Col) A. Antioqueño-LM		4.36
10. Julio C. Aguirre (Col) 05-Orbitel		4.47