Three Movistar riders now lurking behind him but ‘Purito’ holds on
The Movistar team won the stage three team time trial in the Vuelta a Burgos between Pradoluendo and Belorado. The Spanish team completed the 11.6km course in a time of 9’54” at an incredible average speed of 66.6kph, to finish 10 seconds clear of the Katusha team of race leader Joaquim Rodriguez, and 13 seconds ahead of Acqua & Sapone.
“We are really happy, not only because of the victory but also for the time gap made,” said Movistar sports director José Luis Arrieta. “The aim was to be as close to the top as possible, but [Pablo] Lastras took on the task in the morning of convincing the guys that riding to third place would be a disappointment.
“We knew it was going to be a fast TTT and gaps had to be short, but taking ten seconds on the next ones means that the lads did a magnificent race,” he added.
With an almost entirely flat parcours, save for a slight kick up at the finish, there was only one way to ride such a short course.
“The tactics were clear,” Arietta explained. Going out full steam from the start and until the point where we could hang on. We already had seven seconds on the Katusha squad after 3k, so we were the best right from the start.”
Movistar’s performance lifts Sergio Pardilla, David Lopez and Lastras into second, third and fourth overall. Having built a lead with a second and a third place in the first two stages though, Rodriguez holds on to his yellow jersey just seven seconds clear of Pardilla and Lopez.
“The GC is looking very good for us now,” said Arietta, “but we have to be conscious about what’s left. It’s true that ‘Purito’ and Samuel proved to be over the rest, but they did it in explosive finishes. The Lagunas can do well for Pardilla and David, and even Pablo can make it better in such a climb.
“We want to dedicate this victory to Andrea Pinarello [the son of Giovanni Pinarello, who supplies the team’s bikes, who sadly died this week],” he added. “His family is really close to our team, and we felt really sad about his death.”
Result stage 3
1. Movistar (Spa) 11.6km in 9’54”
2. Katusha (Rus) @ 10s
3. Acqua & Sapone (Ita) @ 13s
4. Saur-Sojasun (Fra) @ 17s
5. Caja Rural (Spa) @ 19s
6. FDJ (Fra)
7. Geox TMC (Spa) @ 20s
8. Androni Giocattoli (Ita)
9. Skil-Shimano (Ned) @ 23s
10. Euskaltel Euskadi (Spa) @ 24s
Standings after stage 3
1. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha
2. Sergio Pardilla (Spa) Movistar @ 7s
3. David Lopez (Spa) Movistar
4. Pablo Lastras (Spa) Movistar @ 8s
5. Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi @ 21s