Igor Hernandez wins 19th stage as Cobo Acebo retains lead in Vuelta A Espana 2011 – Cycling Update
Euskaltel-Euskadi team’s Igor Anton Hernandez won the 19th stage of Vuelta a Espana 2011 on Friday, September 9. For the first time in 33 years of the Vuelta a Espana’s return to Basque Country in the last 100 kilometres.
The race started in Noja and ended in Bilbao. The 28-year-old Basque professional cyclist took a total of 3 hours, 53 minutes and 34 seconds to cover the distance of 157.9 kilometres.
Anton was part of the four-man break alongside his team-mate Gorka Verdugo, Marzio Bruseghin (Movistar) and Alexsandr Dyanchenko (Astana). In the last climb, Anton and Brusenghin showed a tremendous effort while the other two cyclists were dropped on the
final circuit.
Anton tried to make the difference uphill and showed his good abilities by setting a high tempo. Froome and the Kenyan-born rider launched an attack while Cobo was alert to the mover. Both of them crossed the Mikel Nieve. However, he crossed the finish line
ahead of the other cyclists without any difficulty.
Anton said, "Just being in the break today in front of these fans and my family would have been worth the effort, even if I hadn't won, I felt goose bumps when we entered the Basque Country."
Marzio Bruseghin of Movistar team was in second place with 41 seconds down to the Spaniard. Dominik Nerz of Liquigas-Cannondale finished third with a difference of 1 minute and 30 seconds.
Anton further added, "It was a difficult Vuelta for me from the beginning, and really at La Covatilla, I had to give up on the general classification, I was in a hole, physically and psychologically, but maybe I've learned from this Vuelta than the last
one."
Recently, Anton took the 14th stage of Giro d’ltalia and he also grabbed overall third place in Vuelta A Castilla y Leon. He also secured fifth place in La Fleche Wallonne.
Geox-TMC team’s Cobo Acebo took the overall lead with a timing of 77 hours, 59 minutes and 12 seconds. Christopher Froome was in second spot with 13 seconds and Wiggins secured third with 1 minute and 41 seconds behind Acebo.
The next stage will run in Bilbao and end in Vitoria as all the cyclists will cover the distance of 187 kilometres.
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