50th Vuelta a Colombia - 2.5

Colombia, June 11 - 26, 2000

Stage 3 - June 13: Puerto Giraldo-Sincelejo, 174 km

Live report

10:15 a.m. (Colombia time). Pinzon presses the issue. Jaime Pinzon (Col., Cicl. de Jesucristo, 8th G.C.)who yesterday broke away early, today once again tested the peloton at the first sprint prime at km 34, of this nearly 175 km stage. Behind Pinzon followed Oscar Alarcon, Javier Amaya, and Giovanni Huertas. Will they turn the momentum into a breakaway? Is this a message to the Latvian Nauduzs that his time is up? If so, it didn't work yesterday.

The tropical sun now beats down at nearly 31 degrees centigrade. The riders now turn away from the Caribbean with its occasional ocean breezes into the stifling, humid inland basin. The silhoutte of a couple of rolling hills in the distance announces the change of topography. A time bonus prime follows next at km. 70...

10:50 a.m. (Colombia time). Camargo, a new soloist. Jairo Camargo pushed past the leaders to win the time bonus prime at km. 74 with a 1'30" lead over Carlos Balbino Jaramillo (son of the ex-panamerican champ in individual pursuit Balbino Jaramillo). At 5'46" Oscar Alarcon and other four riders in a breakaway sprint past the bonus line. The peloton is at 8'30". Camargo is the temporary candidate for the tri-colored leader's jersey (yellow, blue, and red stripes, the color of the Colombian flag).

11:45 a.m. (Colombia time). Crowds greet Camargo at km. 100. At the picturesque town of El Carmen de Bolivar the crowds greeted Camargo as he won the stage's third prime. Camargo, notwithstanding his visible fatigue, has increased his lead over Jaramillo to 4'28", held off Alarcon's breakaway of five at 5'30". Nauduzs is with the peloton back at 9'. A group of riders heads to the front of the peloton and steps up the pace. The finish line is another 74 kms. away. The heat is on in more ways than one.

2:30 p.m. (Colombia time). Nauduzs' pedals on fire. Four and a half hours in incredible heat and humidity race leader Nauduzs almost literally pedalled through fire to victory catching Camargo et. al. and sprinting for his third victory in this year's 50th Vuelta a Colombia. Cuban Giosvanni Gutierrez and Colombian Jhon Fredy Garcia could only watch at the Latvian sprinted away in the final meters. Nauduzs' third consecutive victory in the Vuelta is a feat that equals only that of the Colombian legends Ramon Hoyos Vallejo and Cochise Rodriguez years ago. The Colombian climbers however, set their sights on the distant Andes with a "let's wait and see" look on their faces.

Reports courtesy of Haroldo Camacho

Results:

1. Andris Nauduzas (Lat) Aguardiente Nectar-Selle Italia    3.40.30 (47.6 km/h)
2. Giosvanni Gutierrez (Cub) Cuba
3. Jhon Freddy García (Col) Aguardiente Cristal-Chec
4. Marlon Perez (Col) Aguardiente Antioqueño-LM
5. Javier Zapata (Col) 05-Orbitel

General classification after stage 3:

1. Andris Nauduzas (Lat) Aguardiente Nectar-Selle Italia    10.37.53
2. Jhon Freddy García (Col) Aguardiente Cristal-Chec		0.15
3. Marlon Perez (Col) Aguardiente Antioqueño-LM			0.24
4. Giosvanni Gutiérrez (Cub) Cuba				0.24
5. Pedro Pablo Pérez (Cub) Cuba					0.26