Rein Taaramae wins 14th stage as Bradley Wiggins takes overall lead in Vuelta A Espana 2011
Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne team’s Rein Taaramae showed a tremendous performance in the fourteen stage of Vuelta A Espana 2011 on Saturday, September 3. Bradley Wiggins retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey.
The race started in Astorga and ended in La Farrapona, Lagos de Somiedo. The 24-year-old, Estonian road bicycle racer held his pace in the early breakaway and took a total of 4 hours, 39 minutes and 1 second to cover the distance of 173.2 kilometres.
Juan Jose Cobo Acebo of Geox-TMC was runner-up with 25 seconds and David De La Fuente Rasilla finished third just 29 seconds down to Rein.
Taaramae told the media, “I intended to remain quiet but on the last attack, I followed the move and I thought that the peloton would follow as well. I looked behind and we were eighteen riders.”
Rein took a part in the 17 man break and the leader gained a lead of eight minutes over the peloton. Sep Vanmarcke of Garmin-Cervelo and Karsten Kroon of BMC crashed over a barrier. In the Cat 1 San Lorenzo Taaramae increased his pace and launched an attack
but was quickly joined by David de la Fuente.
In the final kilometres, Cobo tried his best to catch Rein but failed as he crossed the finish line without any difficulty.
He further explained, “Until 5km to go with De La Fuente, I thought we’d be caught, I was afraid of him, so I attacked with 2km to go. I don’t know if he waited for Cobo or if he cracked but at that stage, I was sure to be the winner.”
Procycling team’s Wiggins took the overall lead with the timing of 55 hours, 54 minutes and 45 seconds while Christopher Froome was runner-up with 7 seconds down to Wiggins.
Bauke Mollema of Rabobank finished third with difference of 36 seconds ahead of Juan Jose Cobo.
The next stage will start in Avilés and end in Anglirú and all the cyclists will cover the distance of 144 kilometres.
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