Vainsteins nabs stage 3 in Catalonia
World champion Romans Vainsteins (Domo-Farm Frites) won the third stage of the Tour of Catalonia in a sprint finish at the end of a 148.6km day between Blanes and L’Hospitalet de Llobregat on Saturday, while ONCE’s Santos Gonzalez took the leader’s white jersey from teammate Marcos Serrano. Finishing 22nd on the stage, Gonzalez was credited with the same overall time as Serrano at the end of the day, but took the race lead by virtue of his standing in the overall points classification. Meanwhile, Spaniards Roberto Heras (U.S. Postal Service) and José Maria Jimenez (iBanesto.com) were caught
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By VeloNews Interactive wire services, Copyright 2001 AFP
World champion Romans Vainsteins (Domo-Farm Frites) won the third stage of the Tour of Catalonia in a sprint finish at the end of a 148.6km day between Blanes and L’Hospitalet de Llobregat on Saturday, while ONCE’s Santos Gonzalez took the leader’s white jersey from teammate Marcos Serrano.
Finishing 22nd on the stage, Gonzalez was credited with the same overall time as Serrano at the end of the day, but took the race lead by virtue of his standing in the overall points classification. Meanwhile, Spaniards Roberto Heras (U.S. Postal Service) and José Maria Jimenez (iBanesto.com) were caught in the second half of a split in the peloton, conceding 13 seconds and 26 seconds, respectively, to the race leader.
With Vainsteins’ Domo-Farm Frites team and the Credit Agricole squad combining to chase down early breakaways Carlos Guillamon, German Nieto and Juan Carlos Vicario, the peloton hit the final kilometers intact, setting up the sprint in which Vainsteins beat out Germany’s Sven Teutenberg (Festina) and Denmark’s Lars Michaelsen (Coast) for the stage win.
Sunday’s stage 4 will feature 115.8km around Barcelona, including two Cat. 2 climbs and three Cat. 3 climbs along the way.
Results
Tour of Catalonia, Stage 3. June 23
1. Romans Vainsteins (Lat), Domo-Farm Frites, 148.6km en 3:40:05 (40.102 kph)
2. Sven Teutenberg (G), Festina
3. Lars Michaelsen (Dk), Coast
4. David Fernandez (Sp), Relax-Fuenlabrada
5. Miguel Angel Perdiguero (Sp)
6. Gabriele Missaglia (I), Lampre-Daikin
7. Fabiano Fontanelli (I), Mercatone Uno
8. Aitor Gonzalez (Sp), Kelme-Costa Blanca
9. Stuart O’Grady (Aus), Credit Agricole
10. Gianpaolo Mondini (I), Mercatone Uno
Others
14. Andreas Kloden (G), Telekom
16. Santiago Botero (Col), Kelme-Costa Blanca
27. Fernando Escartin (Sp), Coast
35. Bobby Julich (USA), Credit Agricole
38. Marcos Serrano (Sp), ONCE
44. Pavel Tonkov (Rus), Mercury-Viatel
48. Jorg Jaksche (G), ONCE
51. Joseba Beloki (Sp), ONCE
56. Ivan Parra (Col), ONCE at 0:13
59. Roberto Heras (Sp), U.S. Postal Service, s.t.
68. Jose-Maria Jimenez (Sp), iBanesto.com, at 0:26.
General classification
1. Santos Gonzalez (Sp) ONCE, 8:52:09.
2. Serrano, s.t.
3. Igor Gonzalez (Sp), ONCE, at 0:05.
4. Beloki, at 0:09.
5. Jaksche (G), s.t.
6. Teutenberg, at 0:44.
7. Jaime Hernandez (Sp), Festina, at 0:47.
8. Aitor Gonzalez, at 0:50.
9. Casero, at 0:52.
10. Botero, at 0:53.
11. Oscar Sevilla (Sp), Kelme, s.t.
Others
24. Kloeden, at 1:17.
25. Julich, at 1:18.
28. Vainsteins, at 1:26.
35. Jimenez, at 1:33.
43. Escartin, at 1:40.
47. Parra, at 1:43.
62. Heras, at 2:00.
79. Tonkov, at 3:00.
80. Ivan Gotti (I), at 3:01.