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Brown pips Henderson in Vuelta a Murcia opener
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Graeme Brown (Rabobank) took vengeance on Greg Henderson (Columbia-Highroad) on Wednesday by winning the opening stage of the Vuelta a Murcia in Spain.
Stage 1: San Pedro del Pinatar to Lorca Miercoles
192.3 km (119.5 miles)
Winner: Graeme Brown (Rabobank) in 5:06:37
Winner's average speed: 37.63 kph (23.38 mph)
Sprint leader: Graeme Brown
Mountains leader: Jose Lopez Gil
Team GC leader: Rabobank
Up Next: Stage 2 is 175.1 km (108.8 miles) from Las Torres de Cotillas to Caravaca, including the category 1 climb to Alto de San Juan, which tops out at km124.8.
The Aussie out-sprinted his Kiwi rival, who edged him in Sunday’s Clásica de Almería, to take the 192.3km stage from San Pedro del Pinatar to Lorca. Francisco Pérez (Euskaltel) crossed the line third.
The stage was marked by a three-man break that tore clear in the opening 20km. Pedro Vera (Contentpolis), Marcos García (Xacobeo) and José Antonio López Malagueta (Andalucía) quickly carved out an advantage that topped six minutes before the sprinters’ teams, led by Columbia, Saxo Bank and the Spanish national amateur team, cut the margin in half.
Strong winds shattered the group into abanicos, with Rabobank setting a brutal pace at the front to push the chase in the closing kilometers.
With just 10km to go, Rabobank had six riders in a group of about 30 riders that also included Craig Lewis (Columbia-Highroad), pre-race favorite Stefano Garzelli and two Acqua e Sapone teammates, and Julian Dean (Garmin-Slipstream).
The Murcia tour continues Thursday with stage 2, from Las Torres de Cotillas to Caravaca. The 175km route features the Cat. 1 Alto de San Juan about 50km from the finish.
