Francesco Gavazzi takes 18th stage as Cobo Acebo retains leader jersey in Vuelta A Espana
Lampre-ISD team’s Francesco Gavazzi proved the quickest and most attentive of an 11-man breakaway by taking the 18th stage of Vuelta a Espana 2011 on Thursday, September 8. Juan Jose Cobo Acebo retained his overall leader’s jersey.
The race started in Solares and ended in Noja. In the final two kilometres, the 27-year-old Italian out-sprinted Quick Step rider Kristof Vandewalle after the pair had cleared from their escapees. Gavazzi took advantage and covered the distance of 169.7
kilometres in 4 hours, 24 minutes and 42 seconds.
After winning the stage, Gavazzi said, "I dedicate this victory to my team-mate Alessandro Spezialetti who had to quit the Vuelta because of a broken collarbone. We're friends and we've had fun together until he crashed. Maybe I'm lucky in this part of the
world. I've won here in Cantabria.”
After 10 kilometres to go, the group of 17 cyclists worked well together in the front of the peloton including the double stage winner Rodriguez. The breakaway cyclists gained a lead of 12 minutes while the two cyclists, Matteo Montaguti and Nico Sijmens
tried to take a lead from David Moncoutie in the king competition.
Sergio Paulinho of Radioshack launched a solo attack to take a lead of 50 seconds and got away but it he dropped 35 seconds after 12 kilometres to go. The chasers worked well together and coordinated their efforts but Vandewalle attacked and followed Gavazzi
as the Italian increased his pace and cross the finish line ahead of the other cyclists.
Juan Jose Cobo Acebo took the overall standing with a timing of 74 hours, 4 minutes and 5 seconds. Christopher Froome of Procycling was runner-up with 13 seconds.
Acebo said, "There was no danger. Everything went well. We’ve controlled the first part of the stage with two riders from Geox-TMC at the front of the bunch."
Procycling’s Wiggins was in third place with a difference of 1 minute and 14 seconds ahead of Mollema and Menchov.
The next stage will run in Noja and end in Bilbao as all the cyclists will cover the distance of 157.9 kilometres.
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