BiciRace.com :: 2006 Vuelta a Andalucía

2006 Vuelta a Andalucía, Stage 2

Vuelta a Andalucía, Spain

Stage 2, La Guardia de Jaén (Jaén) – Jaén, 157.2K

13 February

Lloret Opens Pro Account in Andalucía

Manuel Lloret (Comunidad Valenciana) has opened his account as a professional cyclist by winning the second stage of the Vuelta a Andalucía. The 24 year-old from Alicante, in his second year as a professional took out the sprint from a fast charging Santos Gonzalez (3 Molinos Resort) at 4 seconds.

The riders were treated to sunny blue skies as they headed out of the starting gate in Guardía de Jaen destined for the finish in Jaen. The parcours would take in 157.2 kilometers as well as four category 4 climbs spaced out throughout the course. On paper, the final climb fell at the 144 kilometer marker which would give the peloton ample time to hunt down any escapees before the mad dash into Jaen.

But it was not to be. Barely out of the neutral zone Lloret and Antón Luengo (Euskaltel-Euskadi) saw some freedom and went for it. Shortly thereafter, Santos Gonzalez (3 Molinos Resort) and Manuel "Triki" Beltrán joined the two and made it a foursome. Communication of tactics would be no problem as all four riders hail from the same country: Spain.

The first climb of the day fell at kilometer 8.5 and it was Lloret, Beltrán and Gonzalez heading affairs. Behind them at 20 seconds were seven more riders trying to bridge the gap. The gap back to the charging peloton was about 30 seconds. At about the 15 kilometer marker a group of 9 riders formed and began working extremely well together, eventually amassing an advantage 7'30" by the midway point of the stage.

Manuel Lloret, being the wise professional that he is, evidently didn't fancy his chances in a sprint so he decided to fly the coup along with Santos Gonzalez. Assuming the two made it to the finale alone, he would have only Santos Gonzalez to dispose of instead of eight other riders. The only thing standing in their way was the final category 4 climb at the 144 kilometer marker.

Lloret and Gonzalez took full advantage of the duel going on between the García Quesada brothers back in the peloton. The two brothers are sitting first and third on the GC and their teams were watching each other like hawks which helped to ensure that the two escapees would be granted a little more freedom by the peloton.

Santos Gonzalez made a jump in the final sprint attempting to catch Lloret napping. His timing was all wrong though and Lloret came around him with enough of a cushion to throw up his arms in a well earned victory salute.

Stay tuned to BiciRace.com for more action from the south of Spain in the Vuelta a Andalucía.
- Paco

Results: 3:48'19"
1 Manuel Lloret (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana
2 Santos Gonzalez (Spa) 3 Molinos Resort 0.04
3 Manuel Calvente (Spa) Agritubel 1.28
4 Jesús Del Nero (Spa) 3 Molinos Resort
5 José Luis Martínez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 1.30
6 José Almagro Valero (Spa) Relax-GAM
7 Manuel Beltrán (Spa) Discovery Channel 1.32
8 Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Unibet.com 1.33
9 Anton Luengo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.35
10 Marco Velo (Ita) Milram 5.29
11 Rodrigo García (Spa) Kaiku
12 Carlos García Quesada (Spa) Unibet.com
13 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Milram
14 Serge Baguet (Bel) Quick-Step
15 Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Unibet.com
16 Iñaki Flores Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
17 Jorge Azanza (Spa) Kaiku
18 Ángel Gómez Gómez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
19 Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Saunier Duval-Prodir
20 Roger Hammond (GBr) Discovery Channel
...

GC:
1 Carlos García Quesada (Spa) Unibet.com 8'18".04
2 Rodrigo García (Spa) Kaiku
3 Adolfo García Quesada (Spa) Andalucia-Paul Versan
4 Iñaki Flores Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0.11
5 Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Unibet.com
6 Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Saunier Duval-Prodir
7 José Bonilla (CRi) Comunidad Valenciana
8 Manuel Lloret (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 25.50
9 Santos Gonzalez (Spa) 3 Molinos Resort 25.54
10 Jesús Del Nero (Spa) 3 Molinos Resort 27.18
11 Manuel Calvente (Spa) Agritubel 27.18
12 José Almagro Valero (Spa) Relax-GAM 27.20
13 José Luis Martínez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana
14 Manuel Beltrán (Spa) Discovery Channel 27.22
15 Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Unibet.com 27.23
16 Anton Luengo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 27.25
17 Serge Baguet (Bel) Quick-Step 31.19
18 Jon Bru (Spa) Kaiku
19 Benoît Joachim (Lux) Discovery Channel
20 Marco Velo (Ita) Milram
...