Volta a Catalunya

Stage 5:  Ascó to Cabacés, 181.2km/113mi

By Cathy Mehl

The Queen stage at the Volta a Catalunya took place on Friday with team rider Andreas Klöden attacking from the pack in an attempt to chase down David Malacarne of Quick Step.  Not able to reach Italian rider,  Klodi took second place on the stage at 36-seconds behind the Italian winner.  Just behind Klöden was Luis Leon Sanchez of Caisse d’Epargne.  Teammate Jani Brajkovic held on for the 11-th spot.  Joaquim Rodriquez (Katusha) held on to his race lead for another stage.  With only two sprint stages remaining to ride and ten-seconds in hand, the Spanish rider looks good to secure the final victory barring an unforeseen circumstance on the road.   Andreas’ and Jani’s good rides gave Team RadioShack the Teams win for the day and moved Brajkovic into 9-th overall.

After the race Andreas said, "It was a tough day but I still felt good at the end and wanted to try something. After a hard week of racing and some bad luck,  second is not so bad. I can feel my form coming along now,"  which of course bodes well for The Shack.

Stage 5 presented the most challenging profile of the race with four climbs to tackle on the day.   Warm weather near 24C/75F greeted the peloton of 161 riders. A break of four built an advantage of almost seven minutes before the first climb of Coll de Grau.  Included in the front group were Malacarne along with Andres Sergio de Lis of Euskaltel-Euskadi.  No one in the breakaway was a challenge to the overall lead of Rodriquez and the escapees were allowed a wide berth on the stage as the gap pushed out to more than ten minutes by the second climb of Atl de Porrera at km 104.

On the third climb at 128km the gap was still over ten minutes and a concerned Liquigas team put men on the front of the main field to help work to bring the leaders back.   Malacarne attacked his group at 20km to go and crested solo on the Alt de la Figuera.   A mad chase ensued behind but a determined Malacarne held his position and took the victory.

It’s a busy weekend of racing for Team RadioShack.  Catalunya continues on Saturday and Sunday, along with Criterium International on those same days PLUS E3-Prijs Harelbeke on Saturday and Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday in Belgium.

The Shack’s Jason McCartney did not participate in today’s stage.  After his accident on stage two, his body did not recover 100% and he’s had difficulty pushing the pedals with his left leg.  Bike racing is never easy – get better soon, JMac.

Beyond the Finish Line:  If you enjoy wine and find yourself in Cabacés, Spain, take time to visit “Celler Mas de les Vinyes.”  Here you will find lush vines growing Grenache, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Wine was traditionally sold to the village co-operative until the 2000 harvest when the wine was at produced on the property under their own brand.  Beautiful surroundings and the fruit of the vine = a great day in Catalunya.

Top Ten Results

1        Davide Malacarne (Ita) Quick Step  4:50:03        

2        Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack   0:00:36        

3        Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne    0:00:37        

4        Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - Transitions                     

5        Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne            

6        Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana   0:00:40        

7        Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha               

8        Frank Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank                  

9        Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions                    

10      Eros Capecchi (Ita) Footon-Servetto

Team RadioShack on Stage 5

11      Jani Brajkovic (Slo)

26      Levi Leipheimer (USA)

28      Haimar Zubeldia (Spa)

128    Bjørn Selander (USA 0:16:30

158    Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu)

DNS Jason McCartney (USA)

General Classification after Stage 5

1        Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha    18:38:57      

2        Xavier Tondo (Spa) Cervelo Test Team     0:00:10        

3        Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne 0:00:43        

4        Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne    0:00:45        

5        Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale      0:01:20        

6        Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions                    

7        Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - Transitions          0:01:21        

8        Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas-Doimo    0:01:22        

9        Jani Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack       0:01:25        

10      Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Française Des Jeux        0:01:26

Team RadioShack on General Classification

21      Levi Leipheimer (USA) 0:02:00

24      Andreas Klöden (Ger) 0:02:16         

69      Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) 0:20:05 

143       Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) 0:56:40