Stetina rides strongly on final climb but beaten in sprint, Gaimon defends well and keeps lead
Just as Phil Gaimon did on stage one for Garmin Sharp, the Colombian rider Julian Arredondo rewarded the team which gave him his first WorldTour contract by taking an early victory in the Tour de San Luis.
The Trek Factory Racing competitor broke clear with Peter Stetina (BMC Racing Team) on the final climb of Mirador del Potrero, then outsprinted the American in the gallop to the line.
Tour de France Nairo Quintana (Movistar) showed that he is recovering from food poisoning by netting third on the 170.6 kilometre climb, three seconds back, while Stetina’s team-mate Darwin Atapuma Hurtado, Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale) and Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Trek Factory Racing) were next home.
Overnight leader Gaimon defended his position at the top of the leaderboard with a solid fifteenth place, nineteen seconds behind Arredondo.
His performance saw him end the day one minute 47 seconds ahead of closest rival Marc De Maar (Team UnitedHealthcare), while Christian Meier (Orica Greenedge) is now third overall, three minutes 56 seconds in arrears. Stetina and Arredondo are both four minutes sixteen seconds back in fourth and fifth overall.
“I cannot believe what just happened,” said a delighted Arredondo. “I thank God for this victory. In the last months I trained hard and was very focused on winning for the team, to thank them for their trust in me. I like very hot circumstances a lot, just as I like short and explosive climbs. I didn’t realize how strong I was. You have no reference in the winter and there are many WorldTour teams here.”
Stetina initiated the attack, going early on the climb. Arredondo bridged across but then sat on. The American explained how things played out, and why he decided to keep going at the front.
“It was a really bad headwind on the climb, so no one was moving that much,” the new BMC Racing Team signing said. “I looked at Darwin [Atapuma] and he nodded that he was good, so I decided to attack first. I thought it would either break it up or he could come up to me because in the headwind everyone was having such a draft on the climb.”
However Arredondo, rather than Atapuma, followed.
“He wasn’t interested in working,” Stetina continued. “It was a good tactical move on his part. I wanted to keep the pace high if the pace got hard behind.”
Atapuma was regarded before the race as one of the probable leaders for the team. He said that he was fine that Stetina got a chance to go for the win.
“Everything was like the plan we did in the morning with our sport director,” he said. “For sure it was a pity that Peter did not win the stage because we worked at the best together for this goal. But on the other hand, I’m sure that we are on the way to getting good results soon.”
Early on, the Argentinians Cristian Martinez and Jorge Giacinti of team San Luis Somos Todos attacked, along with Sebastian Trillini of Seleccion Argentina, Sebastian Tolosa of Buenos Aires La Provincia and the Chilean Jonathan Guzman of Seleccion de Chile.
They rode hard to build a lead of approximately four minutes. Martinez beat Giacinti and Tolosa to take the category three climb of La Florida (km. 68.4), while Tolosa took the first intermediate sprint at El Durazno (km 83.1) ahead of Guzman and Giacinti.
He was also first to the line at Villa De La Quebrada (km 132.1), edging out Giacinti and Guzman.
Despite their efforts to stay clear, everything was back together by the time the riders reached the final climb. Stetina made his move early, but Arredondo won the battle of wins and with it, the stage.
“I’m happy, it was a tough stage but I was able to win,” he said afterwards. “I want to thank my team for the great work they did today and send a hello to my people in Colombia.”
The BMC Racing Team Sport Director Jackson Stewart said that starting the stage, the main goal was to protect Atapuma, the designated leader. However there was scope for other targets too. “The guys had freedom to try something and Stetina did. It just didn’t pay off for him,” he stated. “It was a great ride, but I think he’s going to be hitting his head for not making the other guy work because he pulled him to the line.”
Stetina is now up to second overall, yet he said that today’s uphill finish at Juana Koslay would see Atapuma be the protected rider. “I think Darwin is still the team leader and he has shown he is climbing better on the longer five to ten kilometer climbs,” he stated. “But it’s better that we have two cards to play instead of one now.”
As for Gaimon, he knows that he still has a very sizeable buffer over his rivals, and thus a strong chance of taking the final overall victory on Sunday. Until then, though, he and his Garmin-Sharp team need to monitor the key rivals and limit any losses.
Tour de San Luis, Argentina (2.1)
Stage 2, La Punta to Mirador del Potrero:
1, Julian David Arredondo Moreno (Trek Factory Racing) 170.6 kilometres in 4 hours 13 mins 21 secs
2, Peter Stetina (BMC Racing Team)
3, Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Movistar Team) at 3 secs
4, Darwin Atapuma Hurtado (BMC Racing Team)
5, Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale) at 5 secs
6, Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Trek Factory Racing)
7, Ivan Santaromita (Orica Greenedge)
8, Damiano Caruso (Cannondale) at 8 secs
9, Miguel Angel Rubiano (Team Colombia)
10, Eduardo Sepulveda (Bretagne – Seche Environnement)
11, Thomas Danielson (Garmin Sharp)
12, Enzo Moyano (San Luis Somos Todos) at 11 secs
13, Lucas Euser (Team UnitedHealthcare)
14, Isaac Bolivar (Team UnitedHealthcare)
15, Phillip Gaimon (Garmin Sharp) at 19 secs
16, Mikel Landa Meana (Astana Pro Team)
17, Christian Meier (Orica Greenedge) at mins 23 secs
18, Adam Yates (Orica Greenedge) at 31 secs
19, Robert Squire (Jamis-Hagens Berman)
20, Florian Guillou (Bretagne – Seche Environnement)
21, Winner Anacona Gomez (Lampre-Merida) at 34 secs
22, Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto Belisol) at 39 secs
23, Dominik Nerz (BMC Racing Team)
24, Gianfranco Zilioli (Androni Giocattoli) at 44 secs
25, Marc De Maar (Team UnitedHealthcare) at 49 secs
26, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Pro Team) at 54 secs
27, Sergio Godoy (San Luis Somos Todos)
28, Lawrence Warbasse (BMC Racing Team)
29, Emanuele Sella (Androni Giocattoli) at 59 secs
30, Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Merida) at 1 min 1 secs
31, Patrick Facchini (Androni Giocattoli) at 1 min 7 secs
32, Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Movistar Team) at 1 min 17 secs
33, Gianluca Brambilla (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team) at 1 min 18 secs
34, Caio Godoy (Clube Dataro de Ciclismo-Bottecchia) at 1 min 20 secs
35, Alcides Vieira (Clube Dataro de Ciclismo-Bottecchia) at 1 min 31 secs
36, Alberto Losada Alguacil (Team Katusha) at 1 min 33 secs
37, Juan Pablo Valencia (Team Colombia) at 1 min 46 secs
38, Alfredo Lucero (San Luis Somos Todos) at 1 min 49 secs
39, Clement Koretzky (Bretagne – Seche Environnement) at 2 mins 3 secs
40, Cleberson Weber (Clube Dataro de Ciclismo-Bottecchia) at 2 mins 12 secs
41, Michele Scarponi (Astana Pro Team) at 2 mins 19 secs
42, Danilo Hondo (Trek Factory Racing) at 2 mins 38 secs
43, Jean-Marc Bideau (Bretagne – Seche Environnement)
44, David Lozano (Team Novo Nordisk)
45, Fabricio Ferrari (Uruguay)
46, Juan I. Curuchet (Argentina) at 2 mins 42 secs
47, Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team)
48, Daniel Diaz (San Luis Somos Todos)
49, Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (Movistar Team)
50, Daniel Jaramillo (Jamis-Hagens Berman)
King of the mountains:
Category three climb of La Florida (km. 68.4)
1, Cristian Martinez (San Luis Somos Todos) 3 pts
2, Jorge Giacinti (San Luis Somos Todos) 2
3, Sebastian Tolosa (Buenos Aires Provincia) 1
Category one climb of Mirador Del Potrero (km. 170.6):
1, Julian David Arredondo Moreno (Trek Factory Racing) 10 pts
2, Peter Stetina (BMC Racing Team) 8
3, Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Movistar Team) 6
4, Darwin Atapuma Hurtado (BMC Racing Team) 4
5, Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale) 2
6, Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Trek Factory Racing) 1
Intermediate sprints:
El Durazno (km 83.1):
1, Sebastian Tolosa (Buenos Aires Provincia) 3 pts
2, Jonathan Guzman (Chile) 2
3, Jorge Giacinti (San Luis Somos Todos) 1
Villa De La Quebrada (km 132.1):
1, Sebastian Tolosa (Buenos Aires Provincia) 3 pts
2, Jorge Giacinti (San Luis Somos Todos) 2
3, Jonathan Guzman (Chile) 1
Teams:
1, BMC Racing Team, 12 hours 40 mins 45 secs
2, Orica GreenEdge, at 17 secs
3, UnitedHealthcare, at 29 secs
4, Bretagne – Seche Environnement, at 2 mins
5, Trek Factory Racing, at 2 mins 1 secs
6, Androni Giocattoli, at 2 mins 8 secs
7, San Luis Somos Todos, at 2 mins 12 secs
8, Astana, at 2 mins 50 secs
9, Movistar Team, at 3 mins 20 secs
10, Clube Dataro de Ciclismo-Bottecchia, at 4 mins 21 secs
11, Team Colombia, at 4 mins 24 secs
12, Lampre-Merida, at 4 mins 41 secs
13, Garmin Sharp, at 7 mins 11 secs
14, Lotto Belisol, at 9 mins 5 secs
15, Jamis-Hagens Berman, at 9 mins 9 secs
16, Argentina, at 10 mins 5 secs
17, AG2R La Mondiale, at 10 mins 41 secs
18, Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team, at 10 mins 44 secs
19, Team Novo Nordisk, at 11 mins 23 secs
20, Team Katusha, at 11 mins 26 secs
21, Cannondale, at 11 mins 46 secs
22, Uruguay, at 11 mins 53 secs
23, Chile, at 14 mins 57 secs
24, Buenos Aires Provincia, at 17 mins 29 secs
25, Cuba, at 32 mins 23 secs
Overall classification:
1, Phillip Gaimon (Garmin Sharp) 8 hours 20 mins 34 secs
2, Marc De Maar (Team UnitedHealthcare) at 1 min 47 secs
3, Christian Meier (Orica Greenedge) at 3 mins 56 secs
4, Peter Stetina (BMC Racing Team) at 4 mins 16 secs
5, Julian David Arredondo Moreno (Trek Factory Racing)
6, Darwin Atapuma Hurtado (BMC Racing Team) at 4 mins 19 secs
7, Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Movistar Team)
8, Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Trek Factory Racing) at 4 mins 21 secs
9, Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale)
10, Ivan Santaromita (Orica Greenedge)
11, Thomas Danielson (Garmin Sharp) at 4 mins 24 secs
12, Damiano Caruso (Cannondale)
13, Miguel Angel Rubiano (Team Colombia)
14, Eduardo Sepulveda (Bretagne – Seche Environnement)
15, Enzo Moyano (San Luis Somos Todos) at 4 mins 27 secs
16, Isaac Bolivar (Team UnitedHealthcare)
17, Lucas Euser (Team UnitedHealthcare)
18, Florian Guillou (Bretagne – Seche Environnement) at 4 mins 47 secs
19, Adam Yates (Orica Greenedge)
20, Robert Squire (Jamis-Hagens Berman)
21, Winner Anacona Gomez (Lampre-Merida) at 4 mins 50 secs
22, Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto Belisol) at 4 mins 55 secs
23, Dominik Nerz (BMC Racing Team)
24, Gianfranco Zilioli (Androni Giocattoli) at 5 mins 0 secs
25, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Pro Team) at 5 mins 10 secs
26, Lawrence Warbasse (BMC Racing Team)
27, Sergio Godoy (San Luis Somos Todos)
28, Emanuele Sella (Androni Giocattoli) at 5 mins 15 secs
29, Mikel Landa Meana (Astana Pro Team)
30, Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Merida) at 5 mins 17 secs
31, Patrick Facchini (Androni Giocattoli) at 5 mins 23 secs
32, Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Movistar Team) at 5 mins 33 secs
33, Gianluca Brambilla (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team) at 5 mins 34 secs
34, Caio Godoy (Clube Dataro de Ciclismo-Bottecchia) at 5 mins 36 secs
35, Alcides Vieira (Clube Dataro de Ciclismo-Bottecchia) at 5 mins 47 secs
36, Alberto Losada Alguacil (Team Katusha) at 5 mins 49 secs
37, Juan Pablo Valencia (Team Colombia) at 6 mins 2 secs
38, Alfredo Lucero (San Luis Somos Todos) at 6 mins 5 secs
39, Clement Koretzky (Bretagne – Seche Environnement) at 6 mins 19 secs
40, Cleberson Weber (Clube Dataro de Ciclismo-Bottecchia) at 6 mins 28 secs
41, Michele Scarponi (Astana Pro Team) at 6 mins 35 secs
42, Danilo Hondo (Trek Factory Racing) at 6 mins 54 secs
43, Jean-Marc Bideau (Bretagne – Seche Environnement)
44, Fabricio Ferrari (Uruguay)
45, David Lozano (Team Novo Nordisk)
46, Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (Movistar Team) at 6 mins 58 secs
47, Juan I. Curuchet (Argentina)
48, Daniel Diaz (San Luis Somos Todos)
49, Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team)
50, Daniel Jaramillo (Jamis-Hagens Berman)
Mountains:
1, Julian David Arredondo Moreno (Trek Factory Racing) 10 pts
2, Peter Stetina (BMC Racing Team) 8
3, Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Movistar Team) 6
4, Darwin Atapuma Hurtado (BMC Racing Team) 4
5, Cristian Martinez (San Luis Somos Todos) 3
6, Phillip Gaimon (Garmin Sharp) 3
7, Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale) 2
8, Jorge Giacinti (San Luis Somos Todos) 2
9, Marc De Maar (Team UnitedHealthcare) 2
10, Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Trek Factory Racing) 1
11, Sebastian Tolosa (Buenos Aires Provincia) 1
Sprints:
1, Sebastian Tolosa (Buenos Aires Provincia) 6 pts
2, Julian Gaday (Buenos Aires Provincia) 5
3, Emiliano J. Contreras (Argentina) 3
4, Marc De Maar (Team UnitedHealthcare) 3
5, Jorge Giacinti (San Luis Somos Todos) 3
6, Jonathan Guzman (Chile) 3
7, Phillip Gaimon (Garmin Sharp) 1
U23:
1, Adam Yates (Orica Greenedge)
2, Caio Godoy (Clube Dataro de Ciclismo-Bottecchia)
3, Juan I. Curuchet (Argentina)
4, Emiliano J. Contreras (Argentina)
5, Lucas Gaday (Buenos Aires Provincia)
6, Ruben G. Ramos (Argentina)
7, German N. Tivani (Argentina)
8, Julian Barrientos (Argentina)
9, Facundo Lezica (Argentina)
Teams:
1, UnitedHealthcare, 25 hours 12 mins 23 secs
2, San Luis Somos Todos, at 1 min 52 secs
3, Orica GreenEdge, at 2 mins 23 secs
4, BMC Racing Team, at 2 mins 49 secs
5, Bretagne – Seche Environnement, at 4 mins 49 secs
6, Trek Factory Racing, at 4 mins 50 secs
7, Androni Giocattoli, at 4 mins 57 secs
8, Garmin Sharp, at 5 mins 25 secs
9, Astana, at 5 mins 39 secs
10, Movistar Team, at 6 mins 9 secs
11, Clube Dataro de Ciclismo-Bottecchia, at 6 mins 27 secs
12, Team Colombia, at 7 mins 13 secs
13, Lampre-Merida, at 7 mins 30 secs
14, Argentina, at 8 mins 31 secs
15, Lotto Belisol, at 11 mins 54 secs
16, Jamis-Hagens Berman, at 11 mins 58 secs
17, AG2R La Mondiale, at 13 mins 30 secs
18, Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team, at 13 mins 33 secs
19, Team Novo Nordisk, at 14 mins 12 secs
20, Team Katusha, at 14 mins 15 secs
21, Cannondale, at 14 mins 35 secs
22, Uruguay, at 14 mins 42 secs
23, Chile, at 17 mins 3 secs
24, Buenos Aires Provincia, at 20 mins 18 secs
25, Cuba, at 35 mins 12 secs