With Zarate win, Kelme regains control of Pays Basque
The troubled Kelme team hopes winning will help erase the bad memories of the past few weeks. The Spanish team brushed off recent doping allegations by ex-rider Jesus Manzano and won Wednesday’s third stage of the Tour of the Basque Country and bounced back into the overall lead. First-year pro Carlos Zarate held on during an epic solo move to win his first pro victory while Alejandro Valverde, winner of the opening stage, shot ahead of the peloton to claim second and recapture the overall lead. “I still can’t believe I won,” said Zarate, who held a nearly two-minute lead over the Category
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By Andrew Hood
Photo: AFP
The troubled Kelme team hopes winning will help erase the bad memories of the past few weeks.
The Spanish team brushed off recent doping allegations by ex-rider Jesus Manzano and won Wednesday’s third stage of the Tour of the Basque Country and bounced back into the overall lead.
First-year pro Carlos Zarate held on during an epic solo move to win his first pro victory while Alejandro Valverde, winner of the opening stage, shot ahead of the peloton to claim second and recapture the overall lead.
“I still can’t believe I won,” said Zarate, who held a nearly two-minute lead over the Category 3 Zaldiaran climb just 10km from the finish in Vitoria. The 23-year-old slipped across the tape nursing a 21-second lead.
“It’s hard to win in a solo move, but I had good sensations,” Zarate said. “When I had a gap, I rode as smooth as possible then rode myself into the ground in the final kilometers to maintain it. It’s a great day for me.”
It was a better day for Kelme, which has been dogged by doping allegations since Manzano went public with his charges of organized doping within the team. Kelme has been taking some punches over the melodramatic allegations and likely lost its chance to race in this year’s Tour de France.
Team manager Vicente Belda said in an interview with the Spanish daily MARCA that the team “will prove its innocence.”
“When you realize he was motivated by revenge and money, then he loses all credibility,” Belda said of Manzano. “If he wanted to make these declarations, he should have done it when he was still riding and took it to the courts or the cycling federation.”
Valverde said the team is regaining its confidence after suffering through Setmana Catalana when the Manzano story broke.
“We’re all working hard and this helps recapture the morale for winning,” Valverde said. “It’s always good to be the leader, but there’s still two days left. We have hope.”
Racers faced cold rain for the start and immediately hit a long Cat. 1 climb when several riders went on the attack. Team CSC’s Jens Voigt held out as the leader until Zarate shot past him with about 30km to go.
Saeco, Gerolsteiner and Quick Step helped drive the group home and nearly caught the young rider. The chase lost some of its momentum with about three kilometers to go when a race motorcycle took a wrong right turn when the course went straight, sending several riders the wrong way.
American Bobby Julich (CSC) launched a counter-attack with just under 3km to go, but was gobbled up with just under 1km to go. Julich, who’s having a fine spring season, sits eight seconds out of the lead.
The five-day, six-stage race continues Thursday with the 182-kilometer fourth stage from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Lekuberri. The rolling stage hits several climb before the decisive Category 1 climb at Alto de Azpiroz just three kilometers before a downhill run to the finish line in Lekuberri.
Results
44th Vuelta al Pais Vasco
Stage 3
1. Carlos Zarate (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 4:30.52
2. Alejandro Valverde (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 0:21
3. Pedro Horrillo (Sp), Quick Step-Davitamon, at 0:21
4. Matthias Kessler (G), T-Mobile, at 0:21
5. Beat Zberg (Swi), Gerolsteiner, at 0:21
6. Jorge Ferrio Luque (Sp), Paternina – Costa De Almeria, at 0:21
7. Ricardo Serrano (Sp), Cafes Baque, at 0:21
8. Angel Vicioso (Sp), Liberty-Seguras, at 0:21
9. Tyler Hamilton (USA), Phonak, at 0:21
10. Fco. Jose Ventoso (Sp), Saunier Duval, at 0:21
11. Jose Gutierrez Palacios (Sp), Illes Balears-Banesto, at 0:21
12. Daniele Righi (I), Lampre, at 0:21
13. Samuel Sanchez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0:21
14. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (N), CSC, at 0:21
15. Danilo Di Luca (I), Saeco, at 0:21
16. Davide Rebellin (I), Gerolsteiner, at 0:21
17. Michael Barry (Can), U.S. Postal Service, at 0:21
18. J.miguel Elias (Sp), Relax Bodysol, at 0:21
19. Aitor Osa (Sp), Illes Balears-Banesto, at 0:21
20. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kz), T-Mobile, at 0:21
21. Mauricio Ardila (Col), Chocolade Jacques, at 0:21
22. David Etxebarria (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0:21
23. Bobby Julich (USA), CSC, at 0:21
24. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (B), U.S. Postal Service, at 0:21
25. Marco Serrano Rodriguez (Sp), Liberty-Seguras, at 0:21
26. Dimitri Fofonov (Kz), Cofidis, at 0:21
27. Francisco Gutierrez (Sp), Cafes Baque, at 0:21
28. Grischa Niermann (G), Rabobank, at 0:21
29. Alexandre Moos (Swi), Phonak, at 0:21
30. Dario Cioni (I), Fassa Bortolo, at 0:21
31. Mauro Facci (I), Fassa Bortolo, at 0:21
32. Peio Arreitunandia (Sp), Cafes Baque, at 0:21
33. Manuel Beltran (Sp), U.S. Postal Service, at 0:21
34. Kbigniew Piatek (Pol), Chocolade Jacques, at 0:21
35. Denis Menchov (Rus), Illes Balears-Banesto, at 0:21
36. F.javie Vila Errandonea (Sp), Lampre, at 0:21
37. Juan Manuel Garate (Sp), Lampre, at 0:21
38. Jose Luis Arrieta (Sp), Illes Balears-Banesto, at 0:21
39. Patrik Sinkewitz (G), Quick Step-Davitamon, at 0:21
40. Oscar Pereiro (Sp), Phonak, at 0:21
41. Jerome Pineau (F), Brioches La Boulangere, at 0:21
42. Francisco Lara (Sp), Paternina – Costa De Almeria, at 0:21
43. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Rabobank, at 0:21
44. Ivan Basso (I), CSC, at 0:21
45. Damiano Cunego (I), Saeco, at 0:21
46. Jurgen Van De Waqlle (B), Chocolade Jacques, at 0:21
47. Aitor Gonzalez Jimenez (Sp), Fassa Bortolo, at 0:21
48. Daniel Schnider (Swi), Phonak, at 0:21
49. Alessandro Spezialetti (I), Saeco, at 0:21
50. Javier Pascual (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 0:21
51. Sylvain Chavanel (F), Brioches La Boulangere, at 0:21
52. Andreas Kloden (G), T-Mobile, at 0:21
53. Thorwald Veneberg (Nl), Rabobank, at 0:21
54. Georg Totschnig (A), Gerolsteiner, at 0:21
55. Iban Mayo (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0:21
56. Leonardo Bertagnolli (I), Saeco, at 0:21
57. Massimo Codol (I), Fassa Bortolo, at 0:21
58. Niels Scheuneman (Nl), Relax Bodysol, at 0:21
59. David De La Fuente (Sp), Saunier Duval, at 0:21
60. Floyd Landis (USA), U.S. Postal Service, at 0:21
61. Victor Hugo Pena (Col), U.S. Postal Service, at 0:21
62. Jose Azevedo (Por), U.S. Postal Service, at 0:21
63. Christian Werner (G), T-Mobile, at 0:21
64. Peter Luttenberger (A), CSC, at 0:21
65. Richard Virenque (F), Quick Step-Davitamon, at 0:21
66. Kevin De Weert (B), Rabobank, at 0:21
67. Inigo Cuesta (Sp), Cofidis, at 0:21
68. Juan Miguel Mercado (Sp), Quick Step-Davitamon, at 0:21
69. Daniel Atienza (Sp), Cofidis, at 0:21
70. Roberto Heras (Sp), Liberty-Seguras, at 0:21
71. Bingen Fernandez (Sp), Cofidis, at 0:21
72. David Lopez (Sp), Cafes Baque, at 0:21
73. Frederic Bessy (F), Cofidis, at 0:21
74. Gonzalo Bayarri (Sp), Phonak, at 0:21
75. Niki Aebersold (Swi), Phonak, at 0:21
76. Giampaolo Caruso (I), Liberty-Seguras, at 0:21
77. Gianni Faresin (I), Gerolsteiner, at 0:21
78. Koldo Gil Perez (Sp), Liberty-Seguras, at 0:21
79. Marc Lotz (Nl), Rabobank, at 0:21
80. Jose Julia (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 0:21
81. Francisco Palacio (Sp), Cafes Baque, at 0:21
82. Alberto Martinez (Sp), Relax Bodysol, at 0:21
83. Johann Tschopp (Swi), Phonak, at 0:21
84. Carlos Garcia (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 0:21
85. Manuel Calvente (Sp), CSC, at 0:21
86. Carlos Sastre Candil (Sp), CSC, at 0:21
87. Marzio Bruseghin (I), Fassa Bortolo, at 0:21
88. Haimar Zubeldia (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0:21
89. Sven Montgomery (Swi), Gerolsteiner, at 0:21
90. Xabier Zandio (Sp), Illes Balears-Banesto, at 0:21
91. Jokin Ormaetxea (Sp), Paternina – Costa De Almeria, at 0:21
92. Efrain Gutierrez (Sp), Cafes Baque, at 0:21
93. Bram Tankink (Nl), Quick Step-Davitamon, at 0:21
94. Laurent Dufaux (Swi), Quick Step-Davitamon, at 0:21
95. Marco Pinotti (I), Lampre, at 0:21
96. Michael Rogers (Aus), Quick Step-Davitamon, at 0:21
97. Unai Yus Kerejeta (Sp), Brioches La Boulangere, at 0:21
98. Jon Odriozola (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 0:21
99. Giuseppe Guerini (I), T-Mobile, at 0:21
100. Vicente Garcia Acosta (Sp), Illes Balears-Banesto, at 0:21
101. Igor Glz. De Galdeano (Sp), Liberty-Seguras, at 0:21
102. Iker Flores (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0:21
103. Gorka Beloki (Sp), Brioches La Boulangere, at 0:21
104. Constantino Zaballa (Sp), Saunier Duval, at 4:08
105. Cadel Evans (Aus), T-Mobile, at 4:08
106. Wladimir Belli (I), Lampre, at 4:08
107. J.jose Cobo Acebo (Sp), Saunier Duval, at 4:08
108. Jurgen Van Goolen (B), Quick Step-Davitamon, at 4:08
109. Alex Zuelle (Swi), Phonak, at 4:08
110. Benjamin Noval (Sp), U.S. Postal Service, at 4:08
111. Iker Camano (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 5:57
112. Gorka Gonzalez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 5:57
113. Isidro Nozal Vega (Sp), Liberty-Seguras, at 6:14
114. Adolfo Garcia (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 6:14
115. Evgueni Petrov (Rus), Saeco, at 6:14
116. Anthony Charteau (F), Brioches La Boulangere, at 6:14
117. Unai Etxebarria (VE), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 6:14
118. Marius Sabaliauskas (LT), Saeco, at 8:05
119. Eddy Mazzoleni (I), Saeco, at 8:05
120. Julian Sanchez Pimienta (Sp), Fassa Bortolo, at 8:05
121. Michele Scotto (I), Lampre, at 9:34
122. Nicki Sorensen (DE), CSC, at 9:34
123. Jens Voigt (G), CSC, at 9:34
124. Ivan Mayoz (Sp), Relax Bodysol, at 9:34
125. Felix Cardenas (Col), Cafes Baque, at 13:52
126. David Navas Chica (Sp), Illes Balears-Banesto, at 17:32
127. Jon Del Rio (Sp), Paternina – Costa De Almeria, at 17:32
128. Denys Kostyuk (Ukr), Chocolade Jacques, at 17:32
129. Jonathan Gonzalez (Sp), Paternina – Costa De Almeria, at 17:32
130. Mariano Piccoli (I), Lampre, at 17:32
131. Simone Bertoletti (I), Lampre, at 17:32
132. Ronald Mutsaars (Nl), Rabobank, at 17:32
133. David Latasa (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 17:32
134. Fabian Wegmann (G), Gerolsteiner, at 17:32
135. Luis Perez (Sp), Relax Bodysol, at 17:32
136. David Herrero (Sp), Paternina – Costa De Almeria, at 17:32
137. Alvaro Glz. De Galdeano (Sp), Liberty-Seguras, at 17:32
138. Gilberto Simoni (I), Saeco, at 17:32
139. Florent Brard (F), Chocolade Jacques, at 17:32
140. Cezary Zamana (Pol), Chocolade Jacques, at 17:32
Overall after three stages
1. Alejandro Valverde (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 12:43.50
2. Danilo Di Luca (I), Saeco
3. Davide Rebellin (I), Gerolsteiner
4. Jorge Ferrio Luque (Sp), Paternina – Costa De Almeria
5. Samuel Sanchez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi
6. Aitor Osa (Sp), Illes Balears-Banesto
7. Angel Vicioso (Sp), Liberty-Seguras
8. David Etxebarria (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi
9. Denis Menchov (Rus), Illes Balears-Banesto
10. Marcos Serrano Rodriguez (Sp), Liberty-Seguras
11. Damiano Cunego (I), Saeco
12. Manuel Beltran (Sp), U.S. Postal Service
13. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Rabobank
14. Jose Azevedo (Por), U.S. Postal Service
15. Ivan Basso (I), CSC
16. Iban Mayo (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi
17. Floyd Landis (USA), U.S. Postal Service
18. Roberto Heras (Sp), Liberty-Seguras
19. Inigo Cuesta (Sp), Cofidis
20. Koldo Gil Perez (Sp), Liberty-Seguras
21. Tyler Hamilton (USA), Phonak, at 0:08
22. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kz), T-Mobile, at 0:08
23. Matthias Kessler (G), T-Mobile, at 0:08
24. Mauricio Ardila (Col), Chocolade Jacques, at 0:08
25. Bobby Julich (USA), CSC, at 0:08
26. Patrik Sinkewitz (G), Quick Step-Davitamon, at 0:08
27. Alexandre Moos (Swi), Phonak, at 0:08
28. F.javier Vila Errandonea (Sp), Lampre, at 0:08
29. Oscar Pereiro (Sp), Phonak, at 0:08
30. Juan Manuel Garate (Sp), Lampre, at 0:08
31. Francisco Lara (Sp), Paternina – Costa De Almeria, at 0:08
32. Georg Totschnig (A), Gerolsteiner, at 0:08
33. Javier Pascual (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 0:08
34. Juan Miguel Mercado (Sp), Quick Step-Davitamon, at 0:08
35. Peter Luttenberger (A), CSC, at 0:08
36. Andreas Kloden (G), T-Mobile, at 0:08
37. Leonardo Bertagnolli (I), Saeco, at 0:08
38. Daniel Atienza (Sp), Cofidis, at 0:08
39. David Lopez (Sp), Cafes Baque, at 0:10
40. Daniele Righi (I), Lampre, at 1:06
41. Sven Montgomery (Swi), Gerolsteiner, at 1:08
42. Beat Zberg (Swi), Gerolsteiner, at 1:11
43. Sylvain Chavanel (F), Brioches La Boulangere, at 1:11
44. Peio Arreitunandia (Sp), Cafes Baque, at 1:11
45. Bingen Fernandez (Sp), Cofidis, at 1:11
46. Manuel Calvente (Sp), CSC, at 1:37
47. Massimo Codol (I), Fassa Bortolo, at 1:41
48. Xabier Zandio (Sp), Illes Balears-Banesto, at 2:17
49. Frederic Bessy (F), Cofidis, at 2:19
50. J.miguel Elias (Sp), Relax Bodysol, at 2:35
51. Ricardo Serrano (Sp), BAQ
52. Michael Barry (Can), U.S. Postal Service
53. Jose Luis Arrieta (Sp), Illes Balears-Banesto
54. Daniel Schnider (Swi), Phonak
55. Jurgen Van De Waqlle (B), Chocolade Jacques
56. Laurent Dufaux (Swi), Quick Step-Davitamon
57. Bram Tankink (Nl), Quick Step-Davitamon
58. Gianni Faresin (I), Gerolsteiner, at 2:49
59. Jose Gutierrez Palacios (Sp), Illes Balears-Banesto, at 2:56
60. Pedro Horrillo (Sp), Quick Step-Davitamon
61. Unai Yus Kerejeta (Sp), Brioches La Boulangere, at 3:21
62. Kbigniew Piatek (Pol), Chocolade Jacques, at 3:51
63. Thorwald Veneberg (Nl), Rabobank, at 3:51
64. Christian Werner (G), T-Mobile, at 3:51
65. Richard Virenque (F), Quick Step-Davitamon, at 3:51
66. Niels Scheuneman (Nl), Relax Bodysol, at 3:51
67. Marzio Bruseghin (I), Fassa Bortolo, at 5:01
68. Cadel Evans (Aus), T-Mobile, at 5:24
69. Dario Cioni (I), Fassa Bortolo
70. Marc Lotz (Nl), Rabobank
71. Niki Aebersold (Swi), Phonak
72. Mauro Facci (I), Fassa Bortolo, at 6:33
73. Constantino Zaballa (Sp), Saunier Duval, at 7:08
74. Benjamin Noval (Sp), U.S. Postal Service, at 7:08
75. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (B), U.S. Postal Service, at 7:11
76. Grischa Niermann (G), Rabobank, at 7:11
77. Dimitri Fofonov (Kz), Cofidis, at 7:11
78. Giuseppe Guerini (I), T-Mobile, at 7:11
79. Evgueni Petrov (Rus), Saeco
80. Alessandro Spezialetti (I), Saeco, at 9:53
81. Jokin Ormaetxea (Sp), Paternina – Costa De Almeria, at 9:53
82. Gonzalo Bayarri (Sp), Phonak, at 10:23
83. Jurgen Van Goolen (B), Quick Step-Davitamon, at 10:58
84. Jerome Pineau (F), Brioches La Boulangere, at 10:59
85. Aitor Gonzalez Jimenez (Sp), Fassa Bortolo, at 10:59
86. Carlos Garcia (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 11:45
87. Iker Camano (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 12:25
88. Alberto Martinez (Sp), Relax Bodysol, at 12:51
89. Giampaolo Caruso (I), Liberty-Seguras, at 13:26
90. Igor Glz. De Galdeano (Sp), Liberty-Seguras, at 13:26
91. Francisco Palacio (Sp), Cafes Baque, at 13:55
92. Victor Hugo Pena (Col), U.S. Postal Service, at 14:19
93. Carlos Zarate (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 14:43
94. Alex Zülle (Swi), Phonak, at 14:46
95. Francisco Gutierrez (Sp), Cafes Baque, at 15:16
96. Kevin De Weert (B), Rabobank, at 16:46
97. Carlos Sastre Candil (Sp), CSC, at 16:46
98. David De La Fuente (Sp), Saunier Duval, at 16:46
99. Haimar Zubeldia (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 16:46
100. Jon Odriozola (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 16:46
101. Jose Julia (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 16:46
102. Michael Rogers (Aus), Quick Step-Davitamon, at 16:46
103. Anthony Charteau (F), Brioches La Boulangere, at 17:06
104. J.jose Cobo Acebo (Sp), Saunier Duval, at 17:13
105. Jonathan Gonzalez (Sp), Paternina – Costa De Almeria, at 18:19
106. Iker Flores (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 19:02
107. Isidro Nozal Vega (Sp), Liberty-Seguras, at 19:19
108. Florent Brard (F), Chocolade Jacques, at 19:51
109. Eddy Mazzoleni (I), Saeco, at 19:57
110. Efrain Gutierrez (Sp), Cafes Baque, at 19:58
111. Fabian Wegmann (G), Gerolsteiner, at 20:32
112. Fco. Jose Ventoso (Sp), Saunier Duval, at 21:29
113. Marco Pinotti (I), Lampre, at 21:29
114. Vicente Garcia Acosta (Sp), Illes Balears-Banesto, at 21:29
115. David Herrero (Sp), Paternina – Costa De Almeria, at 21:31
116. Michele Scotto (I), Lampre, at 22:09
117. Nicki Sorensen (DE), CSC, at 22:09
118. Gilberto Simoni (I), Saeco, at 22:11
119. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (NO), CSC, at 23:05
120. Julian Sanchez Pimienta (Sp), Fassa Bortolo, at 23:07
121. Felix Cardenas (Col), BAQ
122. Gorka Gonzalez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 24:15
123. Marius Sabaliauskas (LT), Saeco
124. Luis Perez (Sp), Relax Bodysol, at 24:58
125. Wladimir Belli (I), Lampre, at 25:16
126. Johann Tschopp (Swi), Phonak, at 25:32
127. Adolfo Garcia (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 25:51
128. Jens Voigt (G), CSC, at 25:59
129. Gorka Beloki (Sp), Brioches La Boulangere, at 26:06
130. Unai Etxebarria (VE), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 27:22
131. Ivan Mayoz (Sp), Relax Bodysol, at 30:42
132. Jon Del Rio (Sp), Paternina – Costa De Almeria, at 33:57
133. David Navas Chica (Sp), Illes Balears-Banesto, at 33:57
134. Simone Bertoletti (I), Lampre, at 33:57
135. Mariano Piccoli (I), Lampre, at 34:07
136. Ronald Mutsaars (Nl), Rabobank
137. Alvaro Glz. De Galdeano (Sp), Liberty-Seguras, at 37:09
138. Denys Kostyuk (Ukr), Chocolade Jacques, at 42:43
139. Cezary Zamana (Pol), Chocolade Jacques, at 42:43
140. David Latasa (Sp), Kelme – Costa Blanca, at 47:43