Posted by Editoress on 04/10/10
Three Team RadioShack victories in one week; veteran Chris Horner is responsible for two of them. Horner (38) won the last stage, a 22 kilometre time trial, as well as the overall title in the Tour of the Basque Country (ProTour). After having won 16 professional stage races in America and Asia during his career, Chris Horner won his first European stage race by taking the final victory in the challenging Vuelta a País Vasco (April, 5th-10th).
“Last year I just missed the victory in the Tour de l’Ain, because of respiratory problems. Earlier I was close too in the the Tour de Romandie and the Tour de Suisse. Now finally I am on the highest place of the podium. Seventeen stage race wins is not bad, but I think this is the nicest one," commented a delighted winner.
“I had good legs today, but honestly, the whole week I had good legs. Yesterday I saved some forces because I wanted to be super today in the time trial. Already from day one in this race I was confident about this time trial.”
Rolling down the start ramp in Orio today Horner needed one second to catch race leader Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne). Looking steady and calm on the bike, Horner displayed laser-like focus throughout his ride and steadily gained on his Spanish rival. He stopped the clock at 32:33 for first place with only Valverde still to arrive. But Valverde struggled on the bike and lost eight seconds to Horner, dropping to second place on the general classification.
Driving the car behind Horner was Team Director Viatcheslav Ekimov, who was barely able to contain his joy at the end of the stage. “Chris is the man!” exclaimed Eki. “When I saw Chris warming up this morning I saw what concentration he had and I thought to myself, ‘Oh boy, this is going to be good, he means business!’ He made no mistakes, showed perfect bike handling skills and was a real power house. The TT bike worked super.” Asked about his emotions behind the wheel, Eki continued with, “I couldn’t stop talking on the radio. I was yelling his split times, giving him Valverde’s times and in general just yelling ‘Go! Go! Go!’”
Team Manager Johan Bruyneel (winner of the time trial in the Tour of the Basque Country in 1991) shared the enthusiasm for the win: “I am very happy for the Team, but especially for Chris. He deserves this after all his bad luck last year. This is a big victory. After the Tour, Giro and Vuelta are Dauphiné, Switzerland and Basque Country as the hardest races to win. Chris gets better with the years.”
After last year’s continuous bad luck with various crashes and injuries, Horner came storming back into the season with excellent form. Before heading to the Tour of California, Horner will participate in the Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. “With the same ambition to win," continued Horner. “I crashed very bad in Liège last year in the Tour of Spain, but that had nothing to do with ‘the’ Liège-classic. If you are not motivated for Liège-Bastogne-Liège, it’s time to retire. My moment hasn’t come yet."
Team RadioShack Press release
Ryder Hesjedal finished 19th on the stage and 12th overall. Christian Meier took home the Sprint jersey, after holding it from stage 1
Stage 6: Eibar to Aia to Orio ITT, 22 Km | |
1 Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack | 32:33 |
2 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne | at 0:08 |
3 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team HTC - Columbia | 0:13 |
4 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia | 0:18 |
5 Benat Intxausti (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 0:21 |
6 Samuel Sanchez (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 0:23 |
7 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team HTC - Columbia | 0:25 |
8 Joaquin Rodriguez (Esp) Team Katusha | 0:33 |
9 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 0:33 |
10 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack | 0:34 |
11 Peter Velits (Svk) Team HTC - Columbia | 0:39 |
12 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 0:41 |
13 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank | 0:47 |
14 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française Des Jeux | 0:54 |
15 Fuyu Li (Chn) Team Radioshack | 1:03 |
16 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank | 1:06 |
17 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step | 1:12 |
18 Gustavo Cesar (Esp) Xacobeo Galicia | 1:14 |
19 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions | 1:21 |
20 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 1:22 |
21 Haimar Zubeldia (Esp) Team Radioshack | 1:23 |
22 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank | 1:23 |
23 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 1:25 |
24 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank | 1:29 |
25 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - Transitions | 1:31 |
26 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank | 1:37 |
27 Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Caisse d'Epargne | 1:38 |
28 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Transitions | 1:42 |
29 Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Team Katusha | 1:44 |
30 Egoi Martinez (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 1:48 |
31 Davide Malacarne (Ita) Quick Step | 1:52 |
32 Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Team Katusha | 1:58 |
33 Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank | 1:58 |
34 Andre Steenson (Den) Team Saxo Bank | 2:04 |
35 Ezequiel Mosquera (Esp) Xacobeo Galicia | 2:04 |
36 Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 2:06 |
37 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Team Katusha | 2:07 |
38 Delio Fernandez (Esp) Xacobeo Galicia | 2:10 |
39 Juan Manuel Garate (Esp) Rabobank | 2:10 |
40 Dominik Nerz (Ger) Team Milram | 2:14 |
41 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank | 2:14 |
42 Charles Wegelius (GBr) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 2:16 |
43 Thomas Rohregger (Aut) Team Milram | 2:21 |
44 Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Française Des Jeux | 2:21 |
45 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana | 2:21 |
46 Daniel Navarro (Esp) Astana | 2:21 |
47 Serafin Martinez (Esp) Xacobeo Galicia | 2:23 |
48 Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 2:23 |
49 Xabier Zandio (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne | 2:27 |
50 Matthias Russ (Ger) Team Milram | 2:30 |
51 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana | 2:31 |
52 Nicolas Portal (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 2:35 |
53 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Milram | 2:38 |
54 Stephen Cummings (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 2:38 |
55 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step | 2:38 |
56 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Française Des Jeux | 2:40 |
57 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank | 2:40 |
58 Kjell Carlström (Fin) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 2:42 |
59 Rasmus Guldhammer (Den) Team HTC - Columbia | 2:47 |
60 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 2:49 |
61 Ivan Velasco (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 2:50 |
62 Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank | 2:50 |
63 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Quick Step | 2:51 |
64 Manuel Vazquez Hueso (Esp) Andalucia - Cajasur | 2:52 |
65 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 2:52 |
66 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram | 2:54 |
67 Markus Eibegger (Aut) Footon-Servetto | 2:55 |
68 Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin - Transitions | 2:57 |
69 Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step | 2:57 |
70 Oscar Freire (Esp) Rabobank | 2:59 |
71 Laurent Didier (Lux) Team Saxo Bank | 3:00 |
72 Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank | 3:04 |
73 Gonzalo Rabunal (Esp) Xacobeo Galicia | 3:10 |
74 David Lopez Garcia (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne | 3:10 |
75 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Astana | 3:11 |
76 Michael Albasini (Sui) Team HTC - Columbia | 3:11 |
77 Matthew Busche (USA) Team Radioshack | 3:11 |
78 Mauro Finetto (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 3:13 |
79 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step | 3:14 |
80 Sylvain Calzati (Fra) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 3:19 |
81 Serguei Klimov (Rus) Team Katusha | 3:23 |
82 Ruben Perez (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 3:24 |
83 Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Française Des Jeux | 3:25 |
84 Rene Mandri (Est) AG2R La Mondiale | 3:30 |
85 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 3:32 |
86 Aitor Perez Arrieta (Esp) Footon-Servetto | 3:34 |
87 Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 3:35 |
88 Maxim Gourov (Kaz) Astana | 3:39 |
89 David Arroyo (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne | 3:39 |
90 Alexander Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale | 3:40 |
91 Gianni Meersman (Bel) Française Des Jeux | 3:41 |
92 Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 3:47 |
93 Alberto Benitez (Esp) Footon-Servetto | 3:49 |
94 Sergio Paulinho (Por) Team Radioshack | 3:52 |
95 Bolat Raimbekov (Kaz) Astana | 4:00 |
96 Christian Meier (Can) Garmin - Transitions | 4:00 |
97 Alan Perez (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 4:02 |
98 Sergio Carrasco (Esp) Andalucia - Cajasur | 4:04 |
99 Mario Aerts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 4:04 |
100 Francis Mourey (Fra) Française Des Jeux | 4:06 |
101 Biel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 4:09 |
102 Francesco Reda (Ita) Quick Step | 4:13 |
103 José Luis Arrieta (Esp) AG2R La Mondiale | 4:16 |
104 Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Transitions | 4:16 |
105 David Loosli (Sui) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 4:21 |
106 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 4:31 |
107 Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 4:41 |
108 Iban Mayoz (Esp) Footon-Servetto | 4:43 |
109 Davide Vigano (Bel) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 4:43 |
110 Matthias Brandle (Aut) Footon-Servetto | 4:50 |
111 Jonas Aaen Jorgensen (Aus) Team Saxo Bank | 4:50 |
112 Manuel Calvente (Esp) Andalucia - Cajasur | 4:52 |
113 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 5:06 |
114 Juan Javier Estrada (Esp) Andalucia - Cajasur | 5:25 |
115 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Team Katusha | 5:28 |
116 Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 5:34 |
117 Christophe Brandt (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 6:01 |
118 Martin Pedersen (Den) Footon-Servetto | 6:07 |
119 David De La Fuente (Esp) Astana | 6:27 |
120 Trent Lowe (Aus) Garmin - Transitions | 11:43 |
Final GC | |
1 Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack | 23:27:30 |
2 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne | at 0:07 |
3 Benat Intxausti (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 0:58 |
4 Joaquin Rodriguez (Esp) Team Katusha | 1:06 |
5 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 1:10 |
6 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team HTC - Columbia | 1:18 |
7 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française Des Jeux | 1:47 |
8 Samuel Sanchez (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 1:58 |
9 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank | 1:59 |
10 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step | 2:27 |
11 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 2:37 |
12 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions | 2:41 |
13 Haimar Zubeldia (Esp) Team Radioshack | 2:43 |
14 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank | 2:58 |
15 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - Transitions | 3:30 |
16 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team HTC - Columbia | 4:13 |
17 Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 5:09 |
18 Ivan Velasco (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 6:35 |
19 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack | 6:44 |
20 Peter Velits (Svk) Team HTC - Columbia | 6:54 |
21 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana | 7:40 |
22 David Lopez Garcia (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne | 7:40 |
23 Daniel Navarro (Esp) Astana | 10:13 |
24 Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Team Katusha | 10:45 |
25 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 11:26 |
26 Manuel Vazquez Hueso (Esp) Andalucia - Cajasur | 12:22 |
27 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step | 13:03 |
28 Dominik Nerz (Ger) Team Milram | 13:13 |
29 Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Team Katusha | 14:37 |
30 David Arroyo (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne | 14:57 |
31 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 14:59 |
32 Ezequiel Mosquera (Esp) Xacobeo Galicia | 15:07 |
33 David Loosli (Sui) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 15:44 |
34 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank | 15:44 |
35 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 15:52 |
36 Juan Manuel Garate (Esp) Rabobank | 16:36 |
37 Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Française Des Jeux | 16:42 |
38 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank | 16:44 |
39 Stephen Cummings (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 16:53 |
40 Sylvain Calzati (Fra) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 17:26 |
41 Oscar Freire (Esp) Rabobank | 19:01 |
42 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank | 19:04 |
43 Alexander Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale | 19:44 |
44 Egoi Martinez (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 20:33 |
45 Rene Mandri (Est) AG2R La Mondiale | 20:55 |
46 Mauro Finetto (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 21:21 |
47 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Française Des Jeux | 22:18 |
48 Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 22:20 |
49 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Astana | 23:00 |
50 Francis Mourey (Fra) Française Des Jeux | 23:02 |
51 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Team Katusha | 23:45 |
52 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 23:51 |
53 Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Caisse d'Epargne | 25:29 |
54 Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 25:33 |
55 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Quick Step | 26:18 |
56 Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 26:27 |
57 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Milram | 27:09 |
58 Aitor Perez Arrieta (Esp) Footon-Servetto | 28:35 |
59 Laurent Didier (Lux) Team Saxo Bank | 29:22 |
60 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana | 29:43 |
61 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank | 29:49 |
62 Sergio Paulinho (Por) Team Radioshack | 30:02 |
63 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 30:14 |
64 Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank | 30:59 |
65 Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank | 31:18 |
66 David De La Fuente (Esp) Astana | 31:42 |
67 Thomas Rohregger (Aut) Team Milram | 31:52 |
68 Serafin Martinez (Esp) Xacobeo Galicia | 32:08 |
69 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram | 32:23 |
70 Charles Wegelius (GBr) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 33:23 |
71 Ruben Perez (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 33:27 |
72 Nicolas Portal (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 33:42 |
73 Markus Eibegger (Aut) Footon-Servetto | 33:47 |
74 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia | 34:23 |
75 Michael Albasini (Sui) Team HTC - Columbia | 34:27 |
76 Davide Malacarne (Ita) Quick Step | 34:57 |
77 Delio Fernandez (Esp) Xacobeo Galicia | 35:07 |
78 Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step | 35:54 |
79 Serguei Klimov (Rus) Team Katusha | 37:03 |
80 Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Transitions | 39:07 |
81 Manuel Calvente (Esp) Andalucia - Cajasur | 39:19 |
82 Gustavo Cesar (Esp) Xacobeo Galicia | 39:36 |
83 Rasmus Guldhammer (Den) Team HTC - Columbia | 39:37 |
84 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 39:56 |
85 Kjell Carlström (Fin) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 40:01 |
86 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Team Katusha | 40:11 |
87 Davide Vigano (Bel) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 41:31 |
88 Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 43:13 |
89 Maxim Gourov (Kaz) Astana | 43:57 |
90 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Transitions | 44:38 |
91 Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin - Transitions | 45:18 |
92 Xabier Zandio (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne | 46:10 |
93 Gianni Meersman (Bel) Française Des Jeux | 47:34 |
94 Christian Meier (Can) Garmin - Transitions | 47:53 |
95 Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Française Des Jeux | 48:14 |
96 Iban Mayoz (Esp) Footon-Servetto | 48:19 |
97 Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank | 48:33 |
98 Matthew Busche (USA) Team Radioshack | 48:35 |
99 Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step | 48:53 |
100 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank | 50:01 |
101 Mario Aerts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 51:38 |
102 Christophe Brandt (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 52:56 |
103 Matthias Russ (Ger) Team Milram | 53:06 |
104 Matthias Brandle (Aut) Footon-Servetto | 55:11 |
105 Andre Steenson (Den) Team Saxo Bank | 56:08 |
106 Alan Perez (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 56:51 |
107 José Luis Arrieta (Esp) AG2R La Mondiale | 57:40 |
108 Alberto Benitez (Esp) Footon-Servetto | 58:39 |
109 Jonas Aaen Jorgensen (Aus) Team Saxo Bank | 1:00:04 |
110 Gonzalo Rabunal (Esp) Xacobeo Galicia | 1:01:39 |
111 Francesco Reda (Ita) Quick Step | 1:02:30 |
112 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 1:04:39 |
113 Bolat Raimbekov (Kaz) Astana | 1:05:16 |
114 Biel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 1:05:27 |
115 Sergio Carrasco (Esp) Andalucia - Cajasur | 1:06:13 |
116 Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 1:14:30 |
117 Fuyu Li (Chn) Team Radioshack | 1:20:13 |
118 Juan Javier Estrada (Esp) Andalucia - Cajasur | 1:23:36 |
119 Martin Pedersen (Den) Footon-Servetto | 1:23:54 |
Sprint GC | |
1 Christian Meier (Can) Garmin - Transitions | 14 pts |
2 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank | 9 |
3 Egoi Martinez (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 9 |
4 Michael Albasini (Sui) Team HTC - Columbia | 9 |
5 Serguei Klimov (Rus) Team Katusha | 8 |
6 Iban Mayoz (Esp) Footon-Servetto | 4 |
7 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia | 4 |
8 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Astana | 3 |
9 Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Française Des Jeux | 3 |
10 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions | 2 |
11 Daniel Navarro (Esp) Astana | 2 |
12 Dominik Nerz (Ger) Team Milram | 2 |
13 Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Team Katusha | 2 |
14 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 2 |
15 Alberto Benitez (Esp) Footon-Servetto | 2 |
16 Gonzalo Rabunal (Esp) Xacobeo Galicia | 2 |
17 Sergio Carrasco (Esp) Andalucia - Cajasur | 2 |
18 David Loosli (Sui) Lampre-Farnese Vini | 1 |
19 Sylvain Calzati (Fra) Sky Professional Cycling Team | 1 |
20 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Milram | 1 |
21 Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Transitions | 1 |
22 Martin Pedersen (Den) Footon-Servetto | 1 |
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