Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol 2015 – Stage 5 [FULL STAGE]

February 22, 2015

Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol 2015 – Stage 5 – Montilla – Alhaurín de la Torre : 170,9 km

First run in 1925, but then with a 30 year gap before its next edition in the mid 1950s, this year’s six-stage, five-day Vuelta a Andalucia has three main difficulties. First is a short, highly technical time trial on the second sector of the opening split stage on Wednesday, February 18, followed by two challenging first category summit finishes, the 16.7 kilometre Alto de Hazallanas on Friday’s stage three and the Alto de Allanadas on stage four.

Juan José Lobato (Movistar) continued his fine start to the new season as he scorched to stage victory on the closing day of the Vuelta a Andalucia, while Chris Froome (Team Sky) safely negotiated the technical finale at Alhaurín de la Torre to seal the overall win, two seconds clear of his great rival Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo).

When the lurid yellow jerseys of Tinkoff-Saxo swarmed towards the front of the peloton in the closing kilometres, Contador seemed poised to attempt one of his famous ambushes in a bid to reverse his defeat to Froome atop the Alto de Allanadas the previous day.

In the event, however, Froome seemed as comfortable as it was possible to be in such nervous circumstances and he avoided any late surprises. He kept Contador within sight through the procession of roundabouts and road furniture on the run-in and stayed close, too, when the road kicked upwards in the final 1500 metres. For good measure, he finished the stage three places ahead of Contador in sixth.

The fireworks in the finale were instead provided by the irrepressible Lobato, who landed his second stage win of the race in the most emphatic of fashions by claiming the scalp of John Degenkolb (Giant-Alpecin) and underscoring his status as a dark horse contender for Milan-San Remo.

With 1200 metres remaining, just as the road began to ramp up towards the line, the young Belgian talent Edward Theuns (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) zipped off the front of the peloton with a canny finisseur’s move, and he stoutly defended his advantage deep into the final 500 metres of the stage.

Rather than stand on ceremony, however, Lobato took matters in hand with almost 400 metres remaining, as he ripped clear of the bunch and set off in pursuit of Theuns. He swooped upon the youngster shortly before the crown of the final bend and then swept right by him to open a decisive lead.

Behind, Degenkolb was the only man with the wherewithal to come close to Lobato but he had simply left himself with far too much ground to make up. He finished in second place, but the gap was such that the timekeepers judged he had crossed the line with a deficit of one second to Lobato.

“You can never say you took an easy win, but to be honest, my team-mates made things quite easier for me this team,” Lobato said. “Especially since they started to push, as well Javi as José, to keep things calmed down into the bunch and not to let the break go away much, and into the final kilometers, with Gorka keeping me in good position.

“There was some crosswind in the finale and, together with all nerves up and the fight for position… it all made the finish quite difficult. Still, I was telling Gorka to keep going until where he could, to stay calm, because I would look for my distance and give it the final shot.”

Sylvain Chavanel – hoping for a better spring in his second year at IAM Cycling – showed encouraging signs by taking third place on the stage, two seconds back, while Grega Bole (CCC Sprandi) beat stage 1 winner Pim Lighthart (Lotto Soudal) to fourth.

The stage had been animated by a seven-man break featuring Johnny Hoogerland (Roompot), Peio Bilbao (Caja Rural-RGA), Songezo Jim, Merhawi Kudus (MTN-Qhuebeka), Rodolfo Torres (Colombia), Maciej Paterski (CCC Sprandi) and Victor Martin (Burgos BH), but they were tightly-controlled by a peloton where Movistar and Giant-Alpecin were eager to ensure a bunch finish.

Paterski was the final survivor of that move but despite his late defiance, he was swept up with seven kilometres remaining as Tinkoff-Saxo surged to the front of the peloton. It briefly appeared as though Froome’s red jersey was under threat, but in truth, the terrain and the speed of the bunch were hardly conducive to late attacks.

Froome still needed to be wise to splits in the peloton, however, and he safely navigated the potentially perilous finale – and helped himself to sixth place on the stage in the process – to ensure the overall win by two seconds.

“It wasn’t as easy as I’d imagined and the racing was full on today. It was windy, but I’m really happy with how the guys performed out there – they supported me all the way through and I’m delighted to get this win for them,” Froome told his team website.

“It couldn’t have gone any better for us out here, and this win’s special as it’s my first race of the season. That said, I still have a lot to build on as we head towards the Tour de France. I want to stay on this path, staying healthy and injury-free, and gradually building my form.”

After Contador’s seeming knock-out blow atop the Hazallanas on Friday, Froome responded in kind on the summit finish on Saturday to take the verdict at this Vuelta a Andalucia. But as both men now regroup, they will be keenly aware that this is merely a sparring session in the grand scheme of things. They will renew hostilities at Tirreno-Adriatico in March, the next high-profile weigh-in ahead of the prize fight in France in July.

Results :
1 Juan Jose Lobato (Esp) Movistar Team 3:48:56
2 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:00:01
3 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling 0:00:02
4 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto – Soudal
5 Grega Bole (Cze) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
6 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky
7 Moreno Hofland (Ned) Team Lotto NL – Jumbo
8 Jan Bakelants (Bel) Ag2r La Mondiale
9 Alberto Contador Velasco (Esp) Tinkoff – Saxo
10 Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
11 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
12 Jerome Pineau (Fra) IAM Cycling
13 Bob Jungels (Lux) Trek Factory Racing
14 Romain Bardet (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale
15 Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar
16 Benat Intxausti Elorriagai (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:08
17 Luis Miguel Mate (Esp) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
18 Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:00:10
19 Sébastien Reichenbach (Sui) IAM Cycling 0:00:12
20 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Team Sky
21 Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Tinkoff – Saxo 0:00:14
22 Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:15
23 Yannick Eijssen (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
24 Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Esp) Team Sky
25 Serguei Firsanov (Rus) RusVelo
26 Gorka Izagirre (Esp) Movistar Team
27 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Lotto NL – Jumbo 0:00:18
28 Jerome Coppel (Fra) IAM Cycling
29 Sergio Pardilla Bellon (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
30 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto – Soudal
31 Nicholas Roche (Irl) Team Sky 0:00:22
32 Fabio Silvestre (Por) Trek Factory Racing
33 Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez (Col) Colombia 0:00:24
34 David Arroyo Duran (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
35 Edward Fabián Díaz Cárdenas (Col) Colombia
36 Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 0:00:29
37 Tyler Farrar (USA) MTN – Qhubeka
38 Andrei Solomennikov (Rus) RusVelo 0:00:36
39 Oliver Naesen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
40 Huub Duyn (Ned) Team Roompot
41 Alexander Foliforov (Rus) RusVelo
42 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto – Soudal 0:00:39
43 Adrian Honkisz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
44 Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Team Roompot
45 Francis De Greef (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
46 Kenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJ 0:00:42
47 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar 0:00:45
48 Merhawi Kudus (Eri) MTN – Qhubeka
49 Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ
50 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Esp) Trek Factory Racing
51 Marcel Wyss (Sui) IAM Cycling
52 Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:00:48
53 Juan Pablo Valencia (Col) Colombia 0:00:54
54 Alex Norberto Cano Ardila (Col) Colombia
55 Jay Thomson (Rsa) MTN – Qhubeka 0:00:56
56 Amaury Capiot (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
57 Maxime Mederel (Fra) Team Europcar 0:00:57
58 Romain Sicard (Fra) Team Europcar
59 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto – Soudal 0:00:58
60 Ibai Salas (Esp) Burgos-BH
61 Johan Vansummeren (Bel) Ag2r La Mondiale
62 David Belda Garcia (Esp) Burgos-BH
63 Daniele Ratto (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
64 Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto – Soudal
65 Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Team Roompot 0:01:00
66 Sylwester Szmyd (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice 0:01:04
67 Jesus Del Pino Corrochano (Esp) Burgos-BH 0:01:08
68 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team Roompot
69 Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team Lotto NL – Jumbo 0:01:12
70 Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin
71 Johannes Frohlinger (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin
72 Carlos Quintero (Col) Colombia
73 Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar 0:01:21
74 Marc De Maar (Aho) Team Roompot 0:01:24
75 Artem Ovechkin (Rus) RusVelo 0:01:25
76 Reinier Honig (Ned) Team Roompot 0:01:28
77 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek Factory Racing 0:01:32
78 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 0:01:37
79 Sander Helven (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:01:43
80 Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits 0:01:44
81 Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
82 Gert Joeaar (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
83 Matthew Brammeier (Irl) MTN – Qhubeka
84 Branislau Samoilau (Blr) CCC Sprandi Polkowice 0:01:51
85 Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
86 Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
87 Tom Leezer (Ned) Team Lotto NL – Jumbo
88 Jose Herrada (Esp) Movistar Team
89 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 0:01:55
90 Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits 0:01:58
91 Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
92 Daan Olivier (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
93 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Team Lotto NL – Jumbo
94 Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ 0:02:02
95 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Tinkoff – Saxo 0:02:04
96 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff – Saxo
97 Javier Moreno (Esp) Movistar Team 0:02:36
98 Sebastien Minard (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale
99 Christophe Riblon (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale
100 Cedric Pineau (Fra) FDJ
101 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Team Europcar
102 Jean-Christophe Péraud (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale
103 Jim Songezo (Rsa) MTN – Qhubeka
104 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Movistar Team 0:02:38
105 Ivan Basso (Ita) Tinkoff – Saxo
106 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto – Soudal
107 Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Esp) Tinkoff – Saxo
108 Sergio Paulinho (Ita) Tinkoff – Saxo
109 Nick Dougall (Aus) MTN – Qhubeka
110 Victor Martin (Esp) Burgos-BH
111 Rodolfo Andres Torres Agudelo (Col) Colombia 0:03:35
112 Peio Bilbao (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
113 Eduard Prades Reverte (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
114 Roman Kustadinchev (Rus) RusVelo
115 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Esp) Team Sky
116 Sjoerd Van Ginneken (Ned) Team Roompot 0:04:18
117 Hugh Carthy (GBr) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:06:40
DNF Pirmin Lang (Sui) IAM Cycling
DNF Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin
DNF Laurens ten Dam (Ned) Team Lotto NL – Jumbo
DNF Francesco Lasca (Ita) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
DNF Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ
DNF Marco Minnaard (Ned) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
DNF Lucas Euser (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
DNF Igor Merino (Esp) Burgos-BH
DNS Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team Lotto NL – Jumbo
DNS Jesse Sergent (NZl) Trek Factory Racing

Final General Classification :
1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 21:21:14
2 Alberto Contador Velasco (Esp) Tinkoff – Saxo 0:00:02
3 Benat Intxausti Elorriagai (Spa) Movistar Team 0:02:38
4 Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Esp) Team Sky 0:03:05
5 Romain Bardet (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale 0:03:13
6 Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Team Sky 0:04:03
7 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Esp) Team Sky 0:05:10
8 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Team Sky 0:05:17
9 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling 0:05:30
10 Bob Jungels (Lux) Trek Factory Racing 0:05:50
11 Sergio Pardilla Bellon (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:06:00
12 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto – Soudal 0:06:58
13 Nicholas Roche (Irl) Team Sky 0:07:16
14 Jerome Coppel (Fra) IAM Cycling 0:07:44
15 Alexander Foliforov (Rus) RusVelo 0:07:51
16 Gorka Izagirre (Esp) Movistar Team
17 Sébastien Reichenbach (Sui) IAM Cycling 0:08:30
18 Luis Miguel Mate (Esp) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits 0:08:44
19 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Lotto NL – Jumbo 0:08:48
20 Merhawi Kudus (Eri) MTN – Qhubeka 0:09:39
21 Edward Fabián Díaz Cárdenas (Col) Colombia 0:09:44
22 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto – Soudal 0:09:46
23 Cyril Gautierl (Fra) Team Europcar 0:10:03
24 Javier Moreno (Esp) Movistar Team 0:10:44
25 Yannick Eijssen (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 0:10:48
26 Victor Martin (Esp) Burgos-BH 0:11:05
27 Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Team Roompot 0:11:13
28 Ivan Basso (Ita) Tinkoff – Saxo 0:11:55
29 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar 0:12:25
30 Jose Herrada (Esp) Movistar Team 0:12:28
31 Sylwester Szmyd (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice 0:12:53
32 David Belda Garcia (Esp) Burgos-BH 0:13:18
33 Francis De Greef (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 0:14:07
34 Nicholas Roche (Irl) Team Sky 0:15:06
35 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Esp) Trek Factory Racing 0:15:38
36 Rodolfo Andres Torres Agudelo (Col) Colombia 0:15:53
37 Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice 0:16:00
38 Alex Norberto Cano Ardila (Col) Colombia 0:16:05
39 Jan Bakelants (Bel) Ag2r La Mondiale 0:16:53
40 Kenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJ 0:19:04
41 David Arroyo Duran (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:19:21
42 Huub Duyn (Ned) Team Roompot 0:19:52
43 Marcel Wyss (Sui) IAM Cycling 0:20:33
44 Maxime Mederel (Fra) Team Europcar 0:21:33
45 Romain Sicard (Fra) Team Europcar 0:22:05
46 Carlos Quintero (Col) Colombia 0:22:30
47 Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ 0:22:55
48 Jesus Del Pino Corrochano (Esp) Burgos-BH 0:23:10
49 Tom Leezer (Ned) Team Lotto NL – Jumbo 0:23:23
50 Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 0:23:52
51 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 0:24:05
52 Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits 0:25:39
53 Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto – Soudal 0:25:45
54 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto – Soudal 0:26:10
55 Daniele Ratto (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 0:27:15
56 Jerome Pineau (Fra) IAM Cycling 0:28:01
57 Oliver Naesen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:28:35
58 Jean-Christophe Péraud (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale 0:28:47
59 Cedric Pineau (Fra) FDJ 0:28:51
60 Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:29:03
61 Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ 0:31:35
62 Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:32:08
63 Branislau Samoilau (Blr) CCC Sprandi Polkowice 0:33:00
64 Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Esp) Tinkoff – Saxo 0:33:23
65 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto – Soudal 0:33:28
66 Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Team Roompot 0:33:45
67 Daan Olivier (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
68 Grega Bole (Cze) CCC Sprandi Polkowice 0:35:01
69 Sebastien Minard (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale 0:35:03
70 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Team Europcar 0:35:04
71 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:35:08
72 Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Tinkoff – Saxo 0:36:25
73 Tyler Farrar (USA) MTN – Qhubeka 0:37:12
74 Juan Jose Lobato (Esp) Movistar Team 0:37:16
75 Moreno Hofland (Ned) Team Lotto NL – Jumbo 0:38:03
76 Marc De Maar (Aho) Team Roompot 0:38:17
77 Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez (Col) Colombia 0:38:32
78 Fabio Silvestre (Por) Trek Factory Racing 0:39:04
79 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Team Lotto NL – Jumbo 0:39:11
80 Andrei Solomennikov (Rus) RusVelo 0:39:12
81 Hugh Carthy (GBr) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:39:20
82 Johannes Frohlinger (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:39:24
83 Ibai Salas (Esp) Burgos-BH 0:39:41
84 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Movistar Team 0:40:22
85 Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:40:32
86 Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:40:35
87 Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 0:40:43
88 Juan Pablo Valencia (Col) Colombia 0:40:56
89 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 0:41:29
90 Eduard Prades Reverte (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:41:34
91 Amaury Capiot (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:41:38
92 Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:41:42
93 Sergio Paulinho (Ita) Tinkoff – Saxo 0:41:51
94 Artem Ovechkin (Rus) RusVelo 0:42:08
95 Johan Vansummeren (Bel) Ag2r La Mondiale 0:42:48
96 Gert Joeaar (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits 0:42:49
97 Jay Thomson (Rsa) MTN – Qhubeka 0:42:53
98 Reinier Honig (Ned) Team Roompot 0:43:24
99 Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits 0:43:38
100 Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar 0:44:25
101 Sjoerd Van Ginneken (Ned) Team Roompot 0:44:47
102 Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team Lotto NL – Jumbo 0:45:02
103 Christophe Riblon (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale 0:45:39
104 Matthew Brammeier (Irl) MTN – Qhubeka 0:46:12
105 Adrian Honkisz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice 0:47:29
106 Peio Bilbao (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:48:11
107 Roman Kustadinchev (Rus) RusVelo 0:48:28
108 Jim Songezo (Rsa) MTN – Qhubeka 0:48:32
109 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto – Soudal 0:48:46
110 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Esp) Team Sky 0:49:13
111 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 0:50:40
112 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek Factory Racing 0:51:28
113 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Tinkoff – Saxo 0:51:53
114 Sander Helven (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:52:24
115 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team Roompot 0:52:45
116 Nick Dougall (Aus) MTN – Qhubeka 0:52:53
117 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff – Saxo 0:55:51