Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez wins third stage and Nikita Novikov takes overall lead in 2011 Tour of Slovakia
D`Angelo Antenucci-Nippo team’s Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez won the third stage of 2011 Tour of Slovakia on June 6. Nikita Novikov of Itera-Katusha took an overall leader's jersey.
The race started in Rajec and ended at Liptovsky Mikulas. The 26-year-old Miguel took a total of 3 hours, 18 minutes and 48 seconds to cover a distance of 138.4 kilometres.
After winning the stage Chavez said, "I am very tired. I had no idea that we could tighten our test up to a successful conclusion. In the release, we worked with Bulgacom, Rus Bachin the long rode. Later, we got rid of him. I went out to the onset, it was
important that I was in the last corner first.”
Brian Bulgac of the Omega Pharma-Lotto-Davo team was the runner-up with two seconds behind Miguel. Mykhaylo Kononenko of the Kolss Cycling team was in third spot with the difference of 43 seconds.
The stage was affected by the weather conditions especially downhill mountain was extremely unsafe for the peloton. The group of four riders including, Chavez, Marek Canecky, Brian Bulgac and Yevgeny Bachin escaped from the race.
Trio gained advantage of four-minutes over the peloton, but after a few kilometres, Marek Canecky of the Slovakia National team was caught and grabbed the 27th spot.
Marek Canecky told the media, "Too bad I lost the opportunity to fight on for stage win. Even such as cycling. Vrícko I know, I tried to start. Today surprised all weather, at the end of Katyusha Russians helped the Croats."
In the final kilometre, the other three riders were gained an advantage of two minutes, but Chavez was in good form and crossed the finish-line ahead of the other riders.
Itera-Katusha team’s Nikita Novikov took lead in overall classification with a timing of 11 hours, 10 minutes and 47 seconds. Tomislav Danculovic of Loborika Favorit was runner-up with 10 seconds behind Nikita.
Kristijan Durasek finished third with a difference of 14 seconds, while the stage winner Chavez was in fourth place.
The fourth stage will start in L. Mikuláš and end in Tatralandia. All the riders will cover the distance of 160.8 kilometres.
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