Tour of Murcia

Stage 4:  Alhama de Murcia to Alhama de Murcia, ITT, 22km/13.6mi

By Cathy Mehl

 

Saturday’s Stage 4 in the Tour of Murcia put every rider against the clock in the individual time trial.  It was cold and windy but the rain held off during the stage making for a dry out-and-back course in Alhama de Murcia.  Team RadioShack’s Andreas Klöden started 5^th from the end and challenged for the win but it was Frantisek Rabon’s time of 25:10 that held firm for the victory.  The Czech time trial specialist blazed the course and took the stage win by 23 seconds over Denis Menchov (Rabobank) with Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) another 15 seconds behind for third, earning the race leader’s jersey in the effort.  Klodi took 4^th for the best performance by a Team RadioShack rider. A solid margin of 38-seconds over Menchov on GC should seal the win for Rabon on Sunday’s final stage.

“I can’t complain,” said Klöden after the race.  “I hoped for top three and I got 4^th so that’s ok.  Nobody thought that Rabon would be so strong.  And don’t forget that I was sick last week with a stomach problem, so I’m happy.”

An early best time belonged to Robert Bengsche of the German National Team with a time of 27:09.  But the favorites were scheduled to start much later and it was the time of Patrick Gretsch (HTC-Columbia) at 26:13 that set the bar, making it clear that those who came in under 26-minutes would land on the podium.

Lance Armstrong started 86^th of the 103 riders on the stage.  It was his first time trial test of the season and he slotted into 8^th on the day at 1:18 off Rabon’s pace.  After the race he noted that it was a tough time trial since it was out and back: “Pedaling 99% of the time.  You forget how corners help in recovery!”  He also noted that Rabon’s effort was particularly impressive given whom he beat: “Putting serious time into Menchov, Wiggins and Klodi ain’t easy my friends!”  

Team Director Johan Bruyneel commented on Lance’s ride, saying, “We knew that we would not be competing for the classification.  The result is normal:  not good, not bad.  We have to analyze the results but we don’t complain.  The Tour Down Under was a long time ago, so this is really Lance’s ‘first race’ again.”

Regarding the performances of the team riders, Bruyneel continued with, “The Team was good in Murcia.  Today we had two riders in the top 10.  Yesterday we had 4.  We’ve missed a bit of competition rhythm compared guys who raced Besseges, Tour of the Meditterean, Qatar and Oman.  You feel the difference.”

The Tour of Mucia ends on Sunday with a final 121km stage from Redyser to Murcia. 

Top Ten Results

 

1        Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team HTC - Columbia    0:25:10        

2        Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank      0:00:33        

3        Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky    0:00:48        

4        Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack   0:00:52        

5        Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia      0:01:03        

6        Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team     0:01:10        

7        Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank          0:01:17        

8        Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack         0:01:18        

9        Josep Jufre (Spa) Astana        0:01:21        

10      David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Transitions      0:01:23

 

Team RadioShack on Stage 4

 

13      Daryl Impey (RSA)  0:01:39

33      Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) 0:02:25

37      José Luis Rubiera (Spa) 0:02:37

73      Jason Mccartney (USA) 0:03:58

83      Gregory Rast (Swi) 0:04:18   

 

General Classification after Stage 4

 

1        Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team HTC - Columbia    13:17:49      

2        Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank      0:00:38        

3        Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky    0:00:53        

4        Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack   0:00:57        

5        Josep Jufre (Spa) Astana        0:01:21        

6        Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank          0:01:23        

7        Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack                    

8        David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Transitions      0:01:41        

9        Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team     0:01:42        

10      Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice         0:01:59      

 

Team RadioShack on General Classification   

16      Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) 0:02:30

20      José Luis Rubiera (Spa) 0:02:42

45      Daryl Impey (RSA) 0:13:16

51      Gregory Rast (Swi) 0:16:00

64      Jason Mccartney (USA) 0:27:56

 

Photos courtesy of Graham Watson