PAJARES 2005 STAGE


Liberty team driving Heras
The stage that finished at Pajares was finally decisive for the overall clasification. As it happened in 2000 Angliru stage, Asturias decides again a Vuelta in favour of Roberto Heras. It was necessary to wait eight years in order to see a Vuelta stage finishing at Pajares, but it was worth.

The fifteenth stage of 2005 Vuelta a España started at Cangas de Onis and finished at Valgrande-Pajares sky resort, after 190 kilometers of an outstanding route where it was seen good cycling. After a very moving beginning, the break of the day was formed at kilometer sixty. Sixteen runners integrated this break, among them Heras team mates Angel Vicioso and Joseba Beloki, Paolo Bettini and Samuel Sanchez. Soon after jumped out another six cyclists, among them were another Liberty Member (Caruso) and the Asturian Benjamín Noval. Both groups joined each other seven kilometers later, so a group of 22 riders with three Liberty members led the race, the stage was very promising...

At kilometer eighty the break had a two minutes gap over the squad. Behind Heras decides to probe Menchov at the Colladiella ascent, but the russian can follow the Spaniard rhythm. Nevertheless is descending this climb when Menchov drops back. Soon after the one from Bejar contacts his team mates that were in the break (Caruso, Beloki and Vicioso), and together they managed to join the rest of the escapees. At the beginning of Pajares Heras advantage over Menchov, that rode in Sastre company, was two minutes. Nevertheless, soon after, the russian losed contact with CSC runner. Ahead Scarponi drived the leading group and his strong rhythm was only followed by Heras, Samuel, Javier Pascual Rodríguez and Lara. At the hardest part of Pajares Heras managed to go alone, after Samuel Sánchez, the last who resisted his rhythm, dropped back. So Heras in a cold and rainy day, got the stage victory at Valgrande-Pajares. Second was Samuel Sánchez, meanwhile the former leader, Menchov, arrived at more than five minutes. The stage clasification was as follows: 

1 Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) Liberty Seguros-Würth Team            4.53.53
2 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                                 0.32
3 Javier Pascual Rodriguez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana                    0.46
4 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Liberty Seguros-Würth Team                      2.28
5 Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Davitamon - Lotto                   3.11
6 Carlos Garcia Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana                       3.12
7 Mario Aerts (Bel) Davitamon - Lotto                                    3.19
8 Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems                         3.47
9 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC                                               
10 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Discovery Channel                                4.09



Beloki leads the break at La Colladona
The squad at La Colladiella
Menchov in the Colladiella descent
Menchov and Sastre near Pajares
Heras goes alone in front of Samuel
Heras wins
Click on the circle to see the picture


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