Oscar Sevilla wins ninth stage and Sergio Luis Henao takes overall lead in 2011 Vuelta a Colombia
Gobernacion De Antioquia-Indeportes Antioquia team’s Oscar Sevilla won the ninth stage of 2011 Vuelta a Colombia on Wednesday, June 22. Sergio Luis Henao took the overall leader’s yellow jersey.
The race started in Socorro and ended in Bucaramanga. The 34-year-old Sevilla took a total of 3 hours, 6 minutes and 27 seconds to cover the distance of 130 kilometres.
After winning the stage, the Spanish said, "Every day we must be careful. I felt good, I've recovered and in two days everything has been fantastic. Earn again and this room tell me I'm better. Now, career changes, then have to defend a lead with Henao."
His team-mate, Sergio Luis Henao, was the runner-up with 1 minute and 3 seconds behind Oscar. Walter Pedraza of Epm-Une was in the third spot, while Victor Nino of Empresa De Energia Boyaca Ebsa finished in the fourth spot with a difference of 1 minute and
4 seconds.
Emp-Une team’s Freddy Piamonte was in good form, but he failed to maintain his pace and grabbed the 11th spot with 1 minute and 40 seconds.
A group of four riders made their first breakaway, which included Jorge Humberto Martinez, Hernan Dario Munoz, Luis Mertinez and Julian Rodas. All of them worked together and gained advantages over the peloton, but Jorge Humberto maintained his pace and
won the first sprint of the stage.
After few kilometres from the start of the race, Luis Mertinez and Julian Rodas launched attacked, but Julian was caught by the peloton and Luis took the second sprint. In the last three miles all riders worked hard, but Oscar controlled his pace and managed
to cross the finish line first, ahead of Walter and Sergio Luis.
Oscar said, "The Vuelta is hard and we all passed bill, but there is also room for recovery and I felt better after a bad day in Ibague."
Walter won the overall mountain classification, ahead of Luis Fernando and Jefferson Vargas won the overall sprint, ahead of Jorge Humberto and Julian Rodas.
Sergio Luis Henao took the overall lead with a timing of 35 hours, 5 minutes and 7 seconds. Walter Pedraza was the runner-up with 1 seconds and Felix Rafael Cardenas finished third with a difference of nine seconds behind Colombian.
The next stage will start in Bucaramanga and end in Barrancabermeja. All the riders will cover the distance of 205 kilometres.
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