Cruz rides to podium spot in Tour of Murcia opener.
Team Nuremberg's Werner Riebenbauer won the 147km first stage of the Tour of Murcia on March 7, while American Antonio Cruz (US Postal) grabbed third, and Argentina's Martin Garridoa (Realx-Fuenlabrada) finished second in the mass sprint. Lance Armstrong, Jan Ullrich and Marco Pantini, had an easy ride, finishing in the main bunch on the route between Murcia and Aguilas, in the southeast of Spain.. The sprint finish brought about a huge fall of riders, with Lotto's Tayeb Braikia the main victim. Breikia, 27, and winner of Saturday's Classique d'Almeria, suffered facial injuries and
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By VeloNews Interactive Wire ServicesCopyright AFP 2001
Cruz had the legs to hang on in today’s mass sprint in Spain.
Photo: Graham Watson/Courtesy US Postal Service
Team Nuremberg’s Werner Riebenbauer won the 147km first stage of the Tour of Murcia on March 7, while American Antonio Cruz (US Postal) grabbed third, and Argentina’s Martin Garridoa (Realx-Fuenlabrada) finished second in the mass sprint.
Lance Armstrong, Jan Ullrich and Marco Pantini, had an easy ride, finishing in the main bunch on the route between Murcia and Aguilas, in the southeast of Spain..
The sprint finish brought about a huge fall of riders, with Lotto’s Tayeb Braikia the main victim. Breikia, 27, and winner of Saturday’s Classique d’Almeria, suffered facial injuries and a fractured right collarbone
An early break rode to a 5:30 lead, but were chased down before the mass sprint in Aguilas. Thursday’s stage covers 162.3km between Ceuti and Jumila.
Copyright AFP 2001
Results
TOUR DE MURCIA, Spain. March 7-11.
Stage 1, Murcia to Aguilas.
1. Werner Ribenbauer (A), 146.9 km in 3:29:08
2. Martin Garrido (Arg)
3. Antonio Cruz (USA)
4. Orlando Rodrigues (Por)
5. Addy Engels (Nl)
6. Eleuterio Anguita (Sp)
7. Jurgen Van Roosbroeck (Bel)
8. Aitor Gonzalez (Sp)
9. Sergio Villamil (Sp)
10. Igor Flores (Sp), all s.t..
Others
13. Marco Pantani (Ita)
55. Jan Ullrich (G)
57. Stefano Garzelli (Ita)
63. Lance Armstrong (USA)
99. Roberto Heras (Sp)
116. Fernando Escartin (Sp), all s.t.
Overall
1. Werner Riebenbauer (Aut/Nuremberg) 3:28:58.
2. Martin Garrido (Arg), at 0:04
3. Antonio Cruz (USA), at 0:06.
4. Aitor Gonzalez (Sp), at 0:07.
5. Oscar Laguna (Sp), at 0:08
6. Francisco Cabello (Sp), at 0:09
7. Orlando Rodrigues (Por), at 0:10
8. Addy Engels (Nl)
9. Eleuterio Anguita (Sp)
10. Jurgen Van Roosbroeck (Bel), all s.t.
Others:
15. Marco Pantani (Ita)
56. Jan Ullrich (G)
58. Stefano Garzelli (Ita)
64. Lance Armstrong (USA)
100. Roberto Heras (Sp), all s.t.
116. Fernando Escartin (Sp), at 8:37.