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Bettini wins stage 2; Hushovd leads Vuelta
This year’s Vuelta a España has attracted a world-class lineup of sprinters, but one rider looking ahead to next month’s world championships surprised the favorites in Sunday’s heated charge into Córdoba.
Paolo Bettini (Quick Step-Innergetic) sprang past front-runners Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto) and Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) to win the 176km second stage, marked by an early unsuccessful breakaway and glaring heat.
"I am not a pure sprinter and I don’t plan to make a sprint until I know the legs feel good," said Bettini, who grabbed his second career Vuelta stage. "I am here at this Vuelta to prepare for the world championships. This victory is a big boost to my morale looking ahead to next month."
Most sprinters weren’t counting on the Cricket to be among the top challengers in a field that also included Erik Zabel and Alessandro Petacchi (Milram). New race leader Hushovd said Bettini caught them by surprise.
"I didn’t expect Bettini could win the stage. I just wanted to sit on Milram’s wheel because they had a strong lead-out team," said Hushovd, who claimed the overall leader’s jersey.
"Robbie and I did a sprint against each other. I beat (McEwen), which was good, but Bettini surprised us when he came through in the last few meters."
Overnight leader Carlos Sastre (CSC) didn’t challenge the sprint — he punctured with about 2km to go and finished 176th at 58 seconds back. He was awarded the same time as the main pack because his mishap took place within 3km of the finish.
An early start
The day’s racing started unusually early by Vuelta standards, where 2 p.m. starts aren’t uncommon. Organizers bumped up the program to 10 a.m. to avoid conflict with a scheduled broadcast of a Formula 1 race Sunday afternoon. World champion Fernando Alonso has drawn record viewers to the international auto-racing circuit at the expense of cycling in Spain.
The stage left the sunny confines of Spain’s Costa del Sol and hit two Cat. 3 climbs in the opening 30km as the route climbed as high as 780 meters.
An early breakaway leapt clear and Spanish rider Mario de Sarraga (Relax-Gam) grabbed points to earn the best climber’s jersey. Despite opening up more than 13 minutes on the bunch, de Sarraga had no false hopes of holding on for the overall victory.
"With Milram and Davitamon-Lotto working behind, I knew there was no chance," he said. "It was only to try to grab the mountain points. I’ve been on the podium already in my first Vuelta, so I am satisfied."
Temperatures rose into the 90s as the course pushed north past olive groves and sun-baked fields toward Córdoba. Discovery Channel’s Benoit Joachim and Thierry Marichal (Cofidis) tried to sneak away in the final 40km, but the peloton swept them up and prepared for a mass gallop.
A world’s-worthy win
Milram took its responsibility to set up the sprint, and the fight was on for the wheel. Petacchi, who has already admitted he’s not in top shape to fight for a sprint, let Zabel take over as the point man for the team.
Hushovd was on Zabel’s wheel and came around the veteran German to go mano a mano against McEwen. Both took a long sprint and the Norwegian edged out his Aussie rival — but no one was watching Bettini. The Italian national champion swept off McEwen’s wheel to upset the favorites in a victory that boosts his confidence ahead of next month’s world championships in Austria.
“It’s very important for the morale and motivation looking ahead to the world championships,” said Bettini, who insisted that his win shouldn’t come as a complete surprise.
"I have won sprints before in my career and have beaten all these top sprinters one-on-one before," he said. "This is a great pleasure because I am not a sprint specialist. I felt good during the race and when the speed kicked in, I thought I would give it a try."
Hushovd, meanwhile, picked up the jersey based on time bonuses. Starting the day 13 seconds back, he took back four seconds on the road (twice second in two intermediate sprints) and then took 12 seconds for second place to move two seconds ahead of Bettini in the GC.
"I would have preferred to take the stage win because I am a sprinter and the most important thing for me is to win stages," Hushovd said. "I am really happy to have the jersey. I had it in the Tour and now I have it in another big stage race. I am sure I will have more opportunities to win a stage in this Vuelta."
Despite the heat and strong crosswinds coming into Córdoba, the overall favorites had no serious problems staying in the main bunch. Walter Beneteau (Bouygues Telecom) crashed hard at 47km but was able to finish.
The Vuelta’s unusual beginning – with the race’s latest start Saturday followed by the earliest on Sunday — continues Monday with the longest stage at 219km. The stage pushes northwest across the barren wasteland from Córdoba to Almendralejo. The stage opens with two Cat. 3 climbs in the opening 30km before settling into a long, undulating push to the small city that literally translates into "The Distant Almond.
After more than five and a half hours in the saddle, the only thing that will seem distant for the peloton will be the showers and a cold beer.
Top 10
1. Paolo Bettini (I), Quick Step-Innergetic, 4:19:31
2. Thor Hushovd (Nor), Crédit Agricole, same time
3. Luca Paolini (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, s.t.
4. Robbie Mcewen (Aus), Davitamon-Lotto, s.t.
5. Uros Murn (Slo), Phonak, s.t.
6. Francisco José Ventoso (Sp), Saunier Duval, s.t.
7. Inaki Isasi (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, s.t.
8. Bernhard Eisel (A), Française des Jeux, s.t.
9. Jean-Patrick Nazon (F), Ag2r Prevoyance, s.t.
10. Erik Zabel (G), Milram, s.t.
Overall, after stage 2
1. Thor Hushovd (Nor), Credit Agricole, 4:27:00
2. Paolo Bettini (I), Quick Step-Innergetic
3. Stuart O'Grady (Aus), CSC
4. Lars Ytting Bak (Dk), CSC
5. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor), CSC
6. Nicki Sorensen (Dk), CSC
7. Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe), CSC
8. Iñigo Cuesta (Sp), CSC
9. Volodymir Gustov (Ukr), CSC
10. Carlos Sastre (Sp), CSC
FULLRESULTS
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