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Tour of Virginia - NE
USA, April 24-29, 2007
Main Page Results Overall standings Previous Stage Next Stage
Stage 3 - April 25: Bedford to Covington Road Race, 177km
Zapata climbs to decisive stage 3 win
Peloton fights war of attrition in the mountains
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Columbian climber Javier Zapata (CAICO) crushed the mountains to win Tour of Virginia's 107 mile (177 km) Stage 3 in 4:33:21 (unofficial time - ed.). An enthusiastic crowd of several hundred people gathered along the blocks of Main Street to cheer on the Zapata as he finished alone and nearly a minute ahead of second placed Alejandro Borrajo (Rite Aid Pro Cycling).
The stage began at noon amidst the serene and solemn National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, a community that proportionately suffered the nation's severest loss during the Allied Armed Forces invasion of Normandy during World War II. It was a prescient backdrop; temperatures that climbed into the mid-80s, two category three mountains, and one excruciatingly long category-1 climb steadily exacted a D-Day-like toll on the peloton.
After the dust settled, 22 riders failed to meet the time requirements and more of the exhausted abandoned the race on their own. After three stages, 116 riders remain from an yesterday's Stage 1 starting field of almost 180 cyclists.
A 20-rider breakaway formed about halfway through the stage, including Zapata and his climbing specialist teammates in search of King of the Mountain points.
Aggressive racing eventually sliced the breakaway to about 10 riders. But it was Zapata who left the rest gasping on the 7 mile (11.2 km) long, category 1 Warm Springs Mountain near the end of the stage. He never looked back. Zapata's stage win put him atop the general classification and in the leader's jersey for the first time this week. After a two-stage GC reign, Russ Langley (Battley Harley-Davidson/Hudson Trail) fell to 81st in the GC.
Zapata described the stage as harder than almost anything he was used to racing in his South American homeland and comparable to tough European races. "I had cramps the last 10km," Zapata admitted. "But I hope that tomorrow I'll be ready to fight another day."
Zapata's manager Romero Jorge confirmed that his team hopes to defend Zapata's GC lead for the rest of the week. "Our goal is to hold on to that jersey.".
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Yesterday's stage 2 criterium winner, Alejandro Borrajo (Ride Aid Pro Cycling) of Argentina, placed second. Borrajo pipped third placed Christopher Jones (VMG Racing) at the line by a mere second.
"The Columbians attacked too much on the hills," Jones said referring to Zapata and CAICO. "That was easily the hardest climb I've ever done," he said. But evidently, the suffering was not terrible enough prevent taking in some scenery. "There was a beautiful waterfall as we came into town," said Jones.
Ryan Baumann (Abd Cycling Team) of Wisconsin finished 22nd to take control of the Under-23 Jersey. Baumann, a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, looked surprisingly fresh despite the grueling afternoon of racing in the Allegheny Mountains. "I was actually coming over to the finish area to see how I stood in the GC when they called my name over the speaker for the U-23," said a surprised Baumann. "On the last climb, things broke apart. I was just trying to survive."
Considered a favorite from the start of the Tour, Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada missed the podiums again. Mark Walters of Ontario, Canada, was their best placed rider in 15th. "The climb was a bit steep for me, especially with the Columbians up there," said Walters, a five-time Canadian National Championship title winner. "I'mm not used to the heat, either," he added. Still, Walters indicated that he laid off a bit. "I'm not going to expend my energy when our GC guys are back," said Walters.
Canada-based Team RACE rider Buck Miller finished 50th and expressed dismay shared by many further back in the peloton.
"I missed a pretty important split and then went into hibernation," said Miller. Miller, a Tour of Virginia veteran, said the Warm Springs Mountain was the race's toughest climb so far and the event's NRC status has attracted stronger riders.
Covington city manager, Claire Collins, presented the podium ceremony. She congratulated the winners and expressed her community's pleasure in hosting a Tour of Virginia stage for the first time.
Stage four will take riders from Douthat State Park to Waynesboro on Thursday.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Jason O. Watson/www.jasonowatson.com
- An early three man attack gets some space on the field as the race approaches Natural Bridge.
- The peloton approaches the first of two feed zones.
- Javier Zapata (CAICO) is the first to summit the final climb of the day -- the effort leads to the stage victory.
- The peloton's leader reaches for a drink on a warm and sunny day in Virginia.
Results - Preliminary
1 Javier Zapata (Caico) 4.33.21
2 Alejandro Borrajo (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 0.51
3 Christopher Jones (VMG Racing)
4 Dominique Perras (KBS/Medifast) 0.52
6 Dan Bowman (KBS/Medifast) 0.54
5 Andrew Guptil (Colavita-Sutter Home)
7 Predrag Prokic (AEG-Toshiba-Jet Network)
8 Alejandro Cortes (Caico)
9 Mike Olheiser (Memphis Motorwerks/Carve)
10 Daniel Vaillancourt (Colavita-Sutter Home) 0.55
11 Rytlewski Jake (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 2.36
12 Mark Hardman (UVA)
13 Eddy Hilger (Priority Health/Bissell)
14 Matt White (Firodifrutta Cycling Team)
15 Alex Hagman (AEG-Toshiba-Jet Network)
16 Mark Walters (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada)
17 John Delong (Alliance Environmental) 5.22
18 Dan Timmerman (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada) 5.23
19 Andrew Boone (Kenda/Raleigh Racing)
20 Rudolph Napolitano (Rock Racing) 5.24
21 Todd Henriksen (AEG-Toshiba-Jet Network)
22 Boyd Johnson (Alliance Environmental)
23 Ryan Baumann (Abd Cycling Team)
24 Dan Cassidy (CCB/Volkswagen)
25 Nick Waite (KBS/Medifast) 5.25
26 Aliaksahav Bieliakowski (CCB/Volkswagen)
27 Jorge Alvarado (Kahala-La Grange)
28 Adam Switters (Rock Racing) 8.41
29 Kevin Soller (VMG Racing)
30 Toby Marzot (Firodifrutta Cycling Team) 8.42
31 Keck Baker (Siegler/Axley Cycling Team)
32 Jame Carney (Alliance Environmental)
33 Ken Johnson (Battley Harley-Davidson/Hudson Trail) 9.37
34 Gavi Epstein (CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25) 9.38
35 Joe Whitman (Alliance Environmental)
36 Mike Stoop (Siegler/Axley Cycling Team) 9.39
37 Pete Whitlock (Siegler/Axley Cycling Team) 9.45
38 Ben Raby (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada) 9.46
39 Fabio Calabria (Team Type 1 Monitored By Freestyle)
40 Jeff Buckles (Skinny Js)
42 Marcos Rios (Kahala-La Grange) 9.47
41 David Duncan (Time Factory Development Squad)
43 Dustin Macbernie (Team Race)
44 Jeremiah Bishop (Skinny Js)
45 Michael Dietrich (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada)
46 Jorge Martinez (Caico) 9.49
47 Phil Gaimon (CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25) 10.42
48 Bain Foote (Memphis Motorwerks/Carve) 12.14
49 Andrew Adams (Kenda/Raleigh Racing) 12.16
50 Winston David (AEG-Toshiba-Jet Network) 12.17
51 Buck Miller (Team Race) 12.19
52 Kayle Leogrande (Rock Racing) 12.34
53 Brian Buchholz (UVA)
54 Scott Weiss (AEG-Toshiba-Jet Network)
55 John Loehner (CRCA/Empire Cycling Team)
56 Hayden Brooks (Firodifrutta Cycling Team)
57 Steve Howard (Priority Health/Bissell)
58 Mike Miller (Alliance Environmental) 12.35
59 Eugene Boronow (GS Mengoni)
60 Alexander Gonzalez (Caico)
61 Morgan Schmitt (Priority Health/Bissell)
62 Justin Spinelli (KBS/Medifast) 12.36
63 Ian Ayers (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)
64 Norton Mike (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 14.27
65 Nick Friesen (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Lsv Amateur Cycling)
66 Sergio Hernandez (Rock Racing)
67 Chris Monteleon (Time Factory Development Squad) 16.50
68 Jonathan Swain (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Lsv Amateur Cycling) 17.44
69 Jared Bunde (GS Mengoni)
70 Carlos Mayoral (Kahala-La Grange) 17.50
71 Adrian Gerrits (Kahala-La Grange)
72 Jesse Anthony (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada) 17.51
73 Scott Stewart (VMG Racing)
74 Chris Ernst (Alliance Environmental)
75 Agustin Font (Caico)
76 Eudaldo Asencio (Caico) 17.52
77 Jonathan Cantwell (Kahala-La Grange)
78 Philllip Cortes (Calyon/Litespeed Pro Cycling Team) 22.29
79 Ian Birlem (Battley Harley-Davidson/Hudson Trail) 23.13
80 Mason Haymes (Siegler/Axley Cycling Team) 23.14
81 Yagor Buben (CCB/Volkswagen) 23.29
82 Karl Rahn (CRCA/Empire Cycling Team) 23.30
83 Jake Hollenbach (CCB/Volkswagen)
84 Tony Hall (Siegler/Axley Cycling Team) 24.31
85 Greg Reain (Calyon/Litespeed Pro Cycling Team)
86 Phillip Robb (Siegler/Axley Cycling Team) 26.13
87 Ryan Belliveau (Calyon/Litespeed Pro Cycling Team)
89 Tom Soladay (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Lsv Amateur Cycling) 29.14
88 Andy Cornelison (CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25)
90 Glenn Murray (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Lsv Amateur Cycling)
91 Peter Knoop (Memphis Motorwerks/Carve)
93 Peter Hufanagel (Colavita-Sutter Home) 29.15
95 Evan Fader (Battley Harley-Davidson/Hudson Trail)
94 Kincaid Stephan (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)
97 Eric Boily (Eva-Devinci)
96 Brian Butts (Battley Harley-Davidson/Hudson Trail)
98 Paul Koehn (Memphis Motorwerks/Carve)
100 Spencer Beamer (VMG Racing)
99 Joao Correia (Priority Health/Bissell)
101 Joel Dion-Poitras (Eva-Devinci)
103 Matthew Guse (Calyon/Litespeed Pro Cycling Team)
102 Stuart Lamp (Memphis Motorwerks/Carve)
104 Jason Baer (Kenda/Raleigh Racing) 29.16
105 Jason Beerman (Kenda/Raleigh Racing)
106 Ben King (Morepartnerincome.Com Development Team)
107 Matt Winstead (Morepartnerincome.Com Development Team)
108 Michael Sherry (CRCA/Empire Cycling Team)
109 Chirs Rozdilsky (Firodifrutta Cycling Team)
110 Lisban Quintero (CRCA/Empire Cycling Team) 29.17
111 Christopher Stockberger (VMG Racing)
112 Erik Lyman (Calyon/Litespeed Pro Cycling Team)
113 Russ Langley (Battley Harley-Davidson/Hudson Trail) 29.18
114 Jeremiah Wiscovitch (Rock Racing)
115 Joshua Dillon (Firodifrutta Cycling Team) 29.19
116 Corey Burns (Firodifrutta Cycling Team)
117 Ryan Roth (KBS/Medifast) 29.20
118 Chris Kuhl (CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25)
DNF Skyler Bishop (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada)
DNF Jonny Sundt (KBS/Medifast)
DNF Lang Reynolds (Priority Health/Bissell)
DNF Steve Howard (Priority Health/Bissell)
DNF Dewald Ryan (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)
DNF Daniel Holloway (VMG Racing)
DNF Mike Ebert (Abd Cycling Team)
DNF Alex Sharon (Abd Cycling Team)
DNF Brett Stewart (Abd Cycling Team)
DNF Shawn Forsythe (Time Factory Development Squad)
DNF Jared Gruber (Time Factory Development Squad)
DNF Shawn Forsythe (Time Factory Development Squad)
DNF Tiago DePaula (Time Factory Development Squad)
DNF J.P. Partland (Skinny Js)
DNF Jay Hewitt (Skinny Js)
DNF Charlie Gorman (Skinny Js)
DNF Andrew Hunt (Team Race)
DNF Mark Pozniak (Team Race)
DNF Eric Robertson (Team Race)
DNF Adam Thuss (Team Race)
DNF Sean Barrie (Battley Harley-Davidson/Hudson Trail)
DNF Mat Stephens (Capri Foundation/CSH)
DNF Carson Worts (Capri Foundation/CSH)
DNF Ed Burress (Capri Foundation/CSH)
DNF Travis Livermon (Capri Foundation/CSH)
DNF Robert Mcconville (Capri Foundation/CSH)
DNF Lucas Livermon (Capri Foundation/CSH)
DNF Will Dugan (CCB/Volkswagen)
DNF Amos Brumble (CCB/Volkswagen)
DNF Daniel Zmolik (CRCA/Empire Cycling Team)
DNF Robbie Giannini (CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25)
DNF Guy East (CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25)
DNF Charles Thibault (Eva-Devinci)
DNF Mathieu Roy (Eva-Devinci)
DNF Raphael Tremblay (Eva-Devinci)
DNF Alberto Blanco (GS Mengoni)
DNF Martin Lechowicz (GS Mengoni)
DNF Franklin Burgos (GS Mengoni)
DNF Kiel Casari (GS Mengoni)
DNF Harrison Tripp (Kahala-La Grange)
DNF Ralph Muoio (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Lsv Amateur Cycling)
DNF Curtis Winsor (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Lsv Amateur Cycling)
DNF Benjamin Peters (Kenda/Raleigh Racing)
DNF Sam Silvey (Morepartnerincome.Com Development Team)
DNF Nate Brown (Morepartnerincome.Com Development Team)
DNF Aj Meyer (Morepartnerincome.Com Development Team)
DNF Owen Nielsen (Morepartnerincome.Com Development Team)
DNF Mariano Friedick (Rock Racing)
DNF Phil Southerland (Team Type 1 Monitored By Freestyle)
DNF Alex Bowden (Team Type 1 Monitored By Freestyle)
DNF Robert Schrank (Team Type 1 Monitored By Freestyle)
DNF Andrew Mead (Team Type 1 Monitored By Freestyle)
DNF Nathan Bartels (Team Type 1 Monitored By Freestyle)
DNF Stephen Delisle (UVA)
DNF Reid Beloni (UVA)
DNF Christopher Wilson (UVA)
DNF Michael Esbach (UVA)
General Classification after stage 3
1 Javier Zapata (Caico) 5.31.13
2 Alejandro Borrajo (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 0.52
3 Dan Bowman (KBS/Medifast) 1.07
4 Christopher Jones (VMG Racing) 1.11
5 Dominique Perras (KBS/Medifast) 1.13
6 Mike Olheiser (Memphis Motorwerks/Carve) 1.23
7 Predrag Prokic (AEG-Toshiba-Jet Network) 1.28
8 Alejandro Cortes (Caico) 1.31
9 Daniel Vaillancourt (Colavita-Sutter Home) 1.44
10 Andrew Guptil (Colavita-Sutter Home) 2.01
11 Eddy Hilger (Priority Health/Bissell) 2.41
12 Rytlewski Jake (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 2.45
13 Matt White (Firodifrutta Cycling Team) 2.46
14 Mark Hardman (UVA) 2.54
15 Alex Hagman (AEG-Toshiba-Jet Network) 2.56
16 Mark Walters (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada) 3.03
17 Dan Timmerman (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada) 5.30
18 Andrew Boone (Kenda/Raleigh Racing) 5.33
19 Ryan Baumann (Abd Cycling Team) 5.38
20 Dan Cassidy (CCB/Volkswagen) 5.49
21 Todd Henriksen (AEG-Toshiba-Jet Network) 5.50
22 John Delong (Alliance Environmental) 5.53
23 Aliaksahav Bieliakowski (CCB/Volkswagen) 6.06
24 Boyd Johnson (Alliance Environmental) 6.09
25 Nick Waite (KBS/Medifast) 6.10
26 Jorge Alvarado (Kahala-La Grange) 6.13
27 Adam Switters (Rock Racing) 8.55
28 Kevin Soller (VMG Racing) 9.00
29 Keck Baker (Siegler/Axley Cycling Team) 9.07
30 Jame Carney (Alliance Environmental) 9.16
31 Toby Marzot (Firodifrutta Cycling Team) 9.22
32 Ken Johnson (Battley Harley-Davidson/Hudson Trail) 9.55
33 Mike Stoop (Siegler/Axley Cycling Team) 10.09
34 Joe Whitman (Alliance Environmental)
35 Michael Dietrich (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada) 10.12
36 Gavi Epstein (CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25) 10.14
37 Dustin Macbernie (Team Race) 10.20
38 Marcos Rios (Kahala-La Grange) 10.21
39 Ben Raby (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada) 10.22
40 David Duncan (Time Factory Development Squad) 10.23
41 Jeff Buckles (Skinny Js) 10.34
42 Jorge Martinez (Caico) 10.37
43 Rudolph Napolitano (Rock Racing) 10.44
44 Fabio Calabria (Team Type 1 Monitored By Freestyle) 10.57
45 Jeremiah Bishop (Skinny Js) 10.58
46 Phil Gaimon (CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25) 11.05
47 Pete Whitlock (Siegler/Axley Cycling Team) 11.40
48 Winston David (AEG-Toshiba-Jet Network) 12.23
49 Brian Buchholz (UVA) 12.41
50 Justin Spinelli (KBS/Medifast) 12.46
51 Kayle Leogrande (Rock Racing) 12.50
52 Steve Howard (Priority Health/Bissell) 12.51
53 Buck Miller (Team Race) 12.58
54 Scott Weiss (AEG-Toshiba-Jet Network) 13.01
55 Hayden Brooks (Firodifrutta Cycling Team)
56 Morgan Schmitt (Priority Health/Bissell) 13.04
57 Ian Ayers (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 13.06
58 John Loehner (CRCA/Empire Cycling Team) 13.10
59 Bain Foote (Memphis Motorwerks/Carve) 13.21
60 Mike Miller (Alliance Environmental) 13.24
61 Eugene Boronow (GS Mengoni) 13.43
62 Alexander Gonzalez (Caico) 13.52
63 Sergio Hernandez (Rock Racing) 14.48
64 Norton Mike (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 14.53
65 Nick Friesen (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Lsv Amateur Cycling) 15.26
66 Chris Monteleon (Time Factory Development Squad) 17.31
67 Andrew Adams (Kenda/Raleigh Racing) 17.37
68 Jesse Anthony (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada) 18.10
69 Adrian Gerrits (Kahala-La Grange) 18.20
70 Scott Stewart (VMG Racing)
71 Chris Ernst (Alliance Environmental) 18.29
72 Carlos Mayoral (Kahala-La Grange) 18.31
73 Jonathan Cantwell (Kahala-La Grange) 18.36
74 Jonathan Swain (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Lsv Amateur Cycling) 18.41
75 Agustin Font (Caico) 18.47
76 Eudaldo Asencio (Caico) 18.50
77 Philllip Cortes (Calyon/Litespeed Pro Cycling Team) 22.45
78 Jared Bunde (GS Mengoni) 23.18
79 Jake Hollenbach (CCB/Volkswagen) 24.10
80 Ian Birlem (Battley Harley-Davidson/Hudson Trail) 24.37
81 Greg Reain (Calyon/Litespeed Pro Cycling Team) 24.53
82 Tony Hall (Siegler/Axley Cycling Team) 26.36
83 Ryan Belliveau (Calyon/Litespeed Pro Cycling Team) 26.57
84 Mason Haymes (Siegler/Axley Cycling Team) 28.35
85 Yagor Buben (CCB/Volkswagen) 29.10
86 Russ Langley (Battley Harley-Davidson/Hudson Trail) 29.21
87 Corey Burns (Firodifrutta Cycling Team) 29.28
88 Karl Rahn (CRCA/Empire Cycling Team)
89 Ryan Roth (KBS/Medifast) 29.29
90 Joshua Dillon (Firodifrutta Cycling Team) 29.30
91 Matt Winstead (Morepartnerincome.Com Development Team) 29.36
92 Ben King (Morepartnerincome.Com Development Team) 29.37
93 Eric Boily (Eva-Devinci) 29.38
94 Lisban Quintero (CRCA/Empire Cycling Team) 29.40
95 Tom Soladay (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Lsv Amateur Cycling)
96 Jason Beerman (Kenda/Raleigh Racing)
97 Spencer Beamer (VMG Racing) 29.41
98 Christopher Stockberger (VMG Racing) 29.43
99 Chris Kuhl (CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25) 29.44
100 Joel Dion-Poitras (Eva-Devinci) 29.49
101 Joao Correia (Priority Health/Bissell) 29.51
102 Chirs Rozdilsky (Firodifrutta Cycling Team)
103 Evan Fader (Battley Harley-Davidson/Hudson Trail) 29.52
104 Kincaid Stephan (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 29.56
105 Jeremiah Wiscovitch (Rock Racing) 30.10
106 Glenn Murray (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Lsv Amateur Cycling) 30.21
107 Matthew Guse (Calyon/Litespeed Pro Cycling Team) 30.23
108 Brian Butts (Battley Harley-Davidson/Hudson Trail) 30.24
109 Jason Baer (Kenda/Raleigh Racing) 30.36
110 Andy Cornelison (CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25) 30.48
111 Erik Lyman (Calyon/Litespeed Pro Cycling Team) 30.53
112 Peter Hufanagel (Colavita-Sutter Home) 31.09
113 Michael Sherry (CRCA/Empire Cycling Team) 31.14
114 Phillip Robb (Siegler/Axley Cycling Team) 32.06
115 Paul Koehn (Memphis Motorwerks/Carve) 35.03
116 Stuart Lamp (Memphis Motorwerks/Carve) 35.17
117 Peter Knoop (Memphis Motorwerks/Carve) 35.21
