29th Vuelta Ciclista a la Región de Murcia - 2.1

Spain, March 4-8, 2009

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Stage 3 - March 6: San Pedro del Pinatar - San Pedro del Pinatar (ITT), 16km

Rabon rides into race lead

Team Columbia passed the overall leadership from sprinter Greg Henderson to its Czech rider Frantisek Rabon, following Rabon’s victory on the Vuelta Murcia's stage three on Friday. Rabon clocked in a speedy 49.78km/h average over the 16-kilometre course to win the stage ahead of his teammate, time trial World Champion Bert Grabsch by 19 seconds, with former Vuelta a España champion Denis Menchov in third.

"Right at the start of the year, the team and I had agreed I should peak for this part of the season," Rabon said. "But normally I go better in the second half of the year, so this is a really encouraging result. On top of that, 16 kilometres is a very difficult distance for a time trial. You can’t go full gas like in a shorter prologue. But you’re not trying to conserve your strength for the last few kilometres like in a full-length time trial in a major Tour, either."

"This time I got it right," he added. "Although going over the course three times in the morning with different kinds of wheels helped a lot. I tried out the three-spoke, then the full back wheel, and finally went for the low rims because it was so windy."

This is Rabon’s first ever lead in a stage race, which makes the Czech National Time Trial Champion particularly determined to stay in yellow on Saturday’s challenging trek through the mountains of Murcia. "There are two 10-kilometre climbs, but we’ve got Kanstantsin, Morris [Possoni] and Craig [Lewis] who are all good climbers here. With that kind of support I’m feeling very confident."

The Columbia-Highroad squad took over the lead in the teams classification, and still holds the points lead with Henderson. The squad also holds the top two places on general classification, with Grabsch sitting in second behind Rabon.

Results

1 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team Columbia - High Road        19.17 (49.78 km/h)
2 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team Columbia - High Road            0.19
3 Dennis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank                           0.25
4 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank                          0.30
5 Héctor Guerra (Spa) Liberty Seguros                     0.40
6 Mathew Goss (Aus) Team Saxo Bank                        0.42
7 Gustavo César Veloso (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                  
8 Rubén Plaza (Spa) Liberty Seguros                       0.45
9 Antonio Tauler (Spa) Spanish National Team              0.47
10 Eloy Teruel (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia                0.48
11 Tom Danielson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream                  0.49
12 Tom Leezer (Ned) Rabobank                                  
13 Greg Henderson (NZl) Team Columbia - High Road         0.50
14 Craig Lewis (USA) Team Columbia - High Road                
15 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Team Saxo Bank                    0.51
16 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                  0.59
17 Luca Paolini (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                          
18 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank                          1.00
19 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Team Saxo Bank                 1.01
20 Jason McCartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank                   1.03
21 Hubb Duyn (Ned) Garmin-Slipstream                      1.04
22 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank                            1.05
23 Francisco Pérez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                 1.08
24 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                  
25 Carlos Nozal (Spa) Liberty Seguros                         
26 José Herrada López (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia         1.09
27 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank                             
28 Xavier Tondo (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur                 1.10
29 Timothy Duggan (USA) Garmin-Slipstream                 1.11
30 Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                 1.15
31 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                      
32 Jaume Rovira (Spa) Andorra - Grandvalira               1.16
33 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team Saxo Bank                   1.17
34 José Vicente García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne             1.18
35 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                  1.20
36 Sergio De Lis (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                1.21
37 David Herrero (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                    1.25
38 Dario Andriotto (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                   1.26
39 Ángel Vallejo (Spa) Andorra - Grandvalira              1.27
40 José Antonio Carrasco (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur        1.33
41 Jonathan Bellis (GBr) Team Saxo Bank                       
42 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne                      
43 Oleg Chuzhda (Ukr) Contentpolis - Murcia               1.34
44 José Joao Mendes (Por) Liberty Seguros                     
45 Egoitz García (Spa) Spanish National Team              1.35
46 Javier Benítez (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia             1.37
47 Ezequiel Mosquera (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                1.40
48 José Ruiz (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur                    1.43
49 Gert Dockx (Bel) Team Columbia - High Road             1.44
50 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                   1.45
51 Gonzalo Rabuñal (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                      
52 Alberto Losada (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                  1.46
53 Massimo Codol (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                     1.47
54 David Calatayud (Spa) Spanish National Team            1.48
55 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank                           1.49
56 Aitor Pérez Arrieta (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia            
57 Manuel Vázquez (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia                 
58 Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank                                
59 Igor Antón (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                   1.53
60 Didac Ortega (Spa) Acqua e Sapone                          
61 Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin-Slipstream                        
62 Christian Meier (Can) Garmin-Slipstream                    
63 Jason Donald (USA) Garmin-Slipstream                   1.55
64 Jorge Azanza (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                     
65 Blake Caldwell (USA) Garmin-Slipstream                 1.56
66 Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi               1.57
67 Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne               1.58
68 Manuel Ortega (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur                1.59
69 Mathieu Drujon (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne                  2.03
70 José Antonio Redondo (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur         2.08
71 Alessandro Donati (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                 2.09
72 Carlos Torrent (Spa) Andorra - Grandvalira             2.10
73 Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank                       
74 Aitor Galdós (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                     
75 Morris Possoni (Ita) Team Columbia - High Road         2.11
76 Diego Milán (Spa) Acqua e Sapone                           
77 Javier Chacón (Spa) Spanish National Team              2.16
78 Dmytro Chuzhda (Ukr) Andorra - Grandvalira                 
79 Edgar Miguel Pinto (Por) Liberty Seguros               2.18
80 Vicente García De Mateo (Spa) Andorra - Grandvalira    2.21
81 Andrés Vigil (Spa) Spanish National Team               2.22
82 Ángel Vicioso (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur                2.24
83 Carlos Castaño (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                   2.27
84 Mikel Nieve (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                  2.28
85 Aitor Aznar (Spa) Andorra - Grandvalira                2.29
86 Konstantin Siutsou (Blr) Team Columbia - High Road     2.31
87 Marcos García (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                    2.35
88 Salvador Guardiola (Spa) Spanish National Team         2.41
89 Pedro Merino (Spa) Spanish National Team               2.42
90 Juan Javier Estrada (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur              
91 Raúl García De Mateo (Spa) Andorra - Grandvalira       2.47
92 Nuno Ribeiro (Por) Liberty Seguros                     2.48
93 Lucas Euser (USA) Garmin-Slipstream                    2.49
94 Jesús Merino (Spa) Spanish National Team               2.52
95 Pedro J. Vera (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia              2.53
96 Iván Raña (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                        3.01
97 Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo Bank                       3.05
98 Manuel Cardoso (Por) Liberty Seguros                   3.08
99 José Antonio López (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur           3.22
100 Rui Sousa (Por) Liberty Seguros                       3.28
101 Claudio Casas (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia             3.29
 
Points
 
1 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team Columbia - High Road           25 pts
2 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team Columbia - High Road              20
3 Dennis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank                             16
4 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank                            14
5 Héctor Guerra (Spa) Liberty Seguros                       12
6 Mathew Goss (Aus) Team Saxo Bank                          10
7 Gustavo César Veloso (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                 9
8 Rubén Plaza (Spa) Liberty Seguros                          8
9 Antonio Tauler (Spa) Spanish National Team                 7
10 Eloy Teruel (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia                   6
11 Tom Danielson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream                     5
12 Tom Leezer (Ned) Rabobank                                 4
13 Greg Henderson (NZl) Team Columbia - High Road            3
14 Craig Lewis (USA) Team Columbia - High Road               2
15 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Team Saxo Bank                       1
 
Teams
 
1 Team Columbia - High Road                           59.00.00
2 Rabobank                                                0.35
3 Liberty Seguros                                         1.24
4 Team Saxo Bank                                          1.25
5 Garmin - Slipstream                                     1.55
6 Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                          2.09
7 Contentpolis-Ampo                                       2.22
8 Caisse d'Epargne                                        2.32
9 Euskaltel - Euskadi                                     2.35
10 Xacobeo Galicia                                        2.38
11 Spain                                                  3.01
12 Andalucia Cajasur                                      3.17
13 Andorra-Grandvalira                                    3.44
 
General classification after stage 3
 
1 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team Columbia - High Road      7.33.21
2 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team Columbia - High Road            0.19
3 Dennis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank                           0.25
4 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank                          0.30
5 Mathew Goss (Aus) Team Saxo Bank                        0.42
6 Rubén Plaza (Spa) Liberty Seguros                       0.45
7 Eloy Teruel (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia                 0.48
8 Tom Danielson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream                   0.49
9 Tom Leezer (Ned) Rabobank                                   
10 Greg Henderson (NZl) Team Columbia - High Road         0.50
11 Craig Lewis (USA) Team Columbia - High Road                
12 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                  0.59
13 Luca Paolini (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                          
14 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank                          1.00
15 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Team Saxo Bank                 1.01
16 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Team Saxo Bank                    1.02
17 Hubb Duyn (Ned) Garmin-Slipstream                      1.04
18 Francisco Pérez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                 1.08
19 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                  
20 Carlos Nozal (Spa) Liberty Seguros                         
21 José Herrada López (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia         1.09
22 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank                             
23 Xavier Tondo (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur                 1.10
24 Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                 1.15
25 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                      
26 Jaume Rovira (Spa) Andorra - Grandvalira               1.16
27 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team Saxo Bank                   1.17
28 José Vicente García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne             1.18
29 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                  1.20
30 Sergio De Lis (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                1.21
31 David Herrero (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                    1.25
32 Dario Andriotto (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                   1.26
33 Ángel Vallejo (Spa) Andorra - Grandvalira              1.27
34 José Antonio Carrasco (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur        1.33
35 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne                      
36 Ezequiel Mosquera (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                1.40
37 Gert Dockx (Bel) Team Columbia - High Road             1.44
38 Gonzalo Rabuñal (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                  1.45
39 Massimo Codol (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                     1.47
40 David Calatayud (Spa) Spanish National Team            1.48
41 Aitor Pérez Arrieta (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia        1.49
42 Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank                                
43 Didac Ortega (Spa) Acqua e Sapone                      1.53
44 Jorge Azanza (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                 1.55
45 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                   1.58
46 Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne                   
47 Mathieu Drujon (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne                  2.03
48 Diego Milán (Spa) Acqua e Sapone                       2.11
49 Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin-Slipstream                    2.14
50 Edgar Miguel Pinto (Por) Liberty Seguros               2.18
51 Carlos Castaño (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                   2.27
52 Héctor Guerra (Spa) Liberty Seguros                    2.29
53 Konstantin Siutsou (Blr) Team Columbia - High Road     2.31
54 Gustavo César Veloso (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                 
55 Ángel Vicioso (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur                2.35
56 Antonio Tauler (Spa) Spanish National Team             2.36
57 Pedro Merino (Spa) Spanish National Team               2.42
58 Lucas Euser (USA) Garmin-Slipstream                    2.49
59 Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank                   2.52
60 Marcos García (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                    2.56
61 Timothy Duggan (USA) Garmin-Slipstream                 3.00
62 Pedro J. Vera (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia              3.14
63 Oleg Chuzhda (Ukr) Contentpolis - Murcia               3.23
64 José Joao Mendes (Por) Liberty Seguros                     
65 Egoitz García (Spa) Spanish National Team              3.24
66 Javier Benítez (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia             3.26
67 José Ruiz (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur                    3.32
68 Alberto Losada (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                  3.35
69 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank                           3.38
70 Manuel Vázquez (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia                 
71 Igor Antón (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                   3.42
72 Christian Meier (Can) Garmin-Slipstream                    
73 José Antonio López (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur           3.43
74 Jason Donald (USA) Garmin-Slipstream                   3.44
75 Blake Caldwell (USA) Garmin-Slipstream                 3.45
76 Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi               3.46
77 José Antonio Redondo (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur         3.57
78 Carlos Torrent (Spa) Andorra - Grandvalira             3.59
79 Aitor Galdós (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                     
80 Morris Possoni (Ita) Team Columbia - High Road         4.00
81 Javier Chacón (Spa) Spanish National Team              4.05
82 Dmytro Chuzhda (Ukr) Andorra - Grandvalira                 
83 Vicente García De Mateo (Spa) Andorra - Grandvalira    4.10
84 Mikel Nieve (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                  4.17
85 Salvador Guardiola (Spa) Spanish National Team         4.30
86 Juan Javier Estrada (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur          4.31
87 Raúl García De Mateo (Spa) Andorra - Grandvalira       4.36
88 Nuno Ribeiro (Por) Liberty Seguros                     4.37
89 Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo Bank                       4.54
90 Manuel Cardoso (Por) Liberty Seguros                   4.57
91 Rui Sousa (Por) Liberty Seguros                        5.17
92 Jason McCartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank                   5.20
93 Jonathan Bellis (GBr) Team Saxo Bank                   5.50
94 Manuel Ortega (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur                6.16
95 Alessandro Donati (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                 6.26
96 Andrés Vigil (Spa) Spanish National Team               6.39
97 Aitor Aznar (Spa) Andorra - Grandvalira                6.46
98 Jesús Merino (Spa) Spanish National Team               7.09
99 Iván Raña (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                        7.18
100 Claudio Casas (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia             7.46
101 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank                          11.48
 
Points classification
 
1 Greg Henderson (NZl) Team Columbia - High Road            45 pts
2 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                     36
3 Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank                               35
4 Tom Leezer (Ned) Rabobank                                 24
5 Mathew Goss (Aus) Team Saxo Bank                          22
6 David Calatayud (Spa) Spanish National Team               20
7 Mathieu Drujon (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne                     16
8 Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin-Slipstream                       16
9 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                     13
10 Luca Paolini (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                        10
11 Manuel Cardoso (Por) Liberty Seguros                      9
12 Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                    8
13 David Herrero (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                       7
14 Pedro J. Vera (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia                 6
15 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team Saxo Bank                      5
16 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank                             5
17 Hubb Duyn (Ned) Garmin-Slipstream                         4
18 Egoitz García (Spa) Spanish National Team                 4
19 Rubén Plaza (Spa) Liberty Seguros                         3
20 José Antonio López (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur              3
21 Aitor Galdós (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                    3
22 Aitor Pérez Arrieta (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia           2
23 Francisco Pérez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                    2
24 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team Columbia - High Road              1
25 Craig Lewis (USA) Team Columbia - High Road               1
26 José Herrada López (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia            1
27 Marcos García (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                       1
 
Sprint classification
 
1 Pedro J. Vera (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia                  6 pts
2 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) Acqua e Sapone                      4
3 Manuel Cardoso (Por) Liberty Seguros                       3
4 José Antonio López (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur               3
5 Marcos García (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                        1
6 José Herrada López (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia             1
 
Mountains classification
 
1 José Antonio López (Spa) Andalucia - Cajasur               3 pts
2 Pedro J. Vera (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia                  2
3 Marcos García (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                        1
 
Murcian rider classification
 
1 David Calatayud (Spa) Spanish National Team          7.14.04
2 Francisco Pérez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                      
3 Eloy Teruel (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia                     
4 Pedro J. Vera (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia               0.21
5 Salvador Guardiola (Spa) Spanish National Team          1.49
6 Javier Chacón (Spa) Spanish National Team                   
7 Claudio Casas (Spa) Contentpolis - Murcia               4.17
 
Teams classification
 
1 Team Columbia - High Road                           22.41.12
2 Rabobank                                                0.35
3 Liberty Seguros                                         1.24
4 Team Saxo Bank                                          1.25
5 Garmin - Slipstream                                     1.55
6 Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                          2.09
7 Contentpolis-Ampo                                       2.22
8 Caisse d'Epargne                                        2.32
9 Euskaltel - Euskadi                                     2.35
10 Xacobeo Galicia                                        2.38
11 Andalucia Cajasur                                      3.28
12 Spain                                                  4.50
13 Andorra-Grandvalira                                    5.33