May 1/06 10:48 am - Vuelta a El Salvador: Team Symmetrics Wins First 2 Stages

Posted by Editoress on 05/1/06
 

Vuelta a El Salvador El Salvador
Courtesy Symmetrics Cycling

Symmetrics Cycling Leads in El Salvador: Tuft, Randell, take first two stages

Symmetrics Cycling started off the Vuelta a El Salvador with a bang, sweeping the podium, and placing all eight riders in the top 16. Svein Tuft, reigning time trial National Champion, won the 5.1km test against the clock, averaging 52.15km/hr. New recruit Andrew Randell took second, followed by Eric Wohlberg and Jake Erker.

The squad arrived early in El Salvador and used the time to hone its team time trialling skills for later in the tour. All in all the race has begun well, but had it not been for the quick response of the CCA's Kris Westwood, they might not have been able to race at all. As team co-owner Kevin Cunningham explained, "I received a call at 5pm on Friday from team manager Bruce Wenting saying the commissaire would not allow the team to start unless there was a letter stating that each rider was in good standing with the national federation. I was lucky enough to get ahold of Kris Westwood, who said in fact we didn't need the letter because it is a UCI race and our invitation has the condition implicit in the conditions of racing." This letter can be requested at races such as BC Superweek for international athletes to make sure they aren't suspended for drugs or other reasons from their national federation. It also insures that all athletes have the proper insurance. Nonetheless, Westwood rushed home, sent a letter and then called Cunningham twice to make sure the team was good to go. So a big thanks to Westood from the S-Team.

Today, Symmetrics continued to dominate with Randell winning and Erker taking fourth. Based on the small time gap of 10 seconds, that should mean that Randell will take over from Tuft as race leader. The S-team completely controlled the stage today - 20 circuits on yesterday's prologue course. Towards the finale, a few Columbians attacked and both Randell and Erker covered the move. Randell then took the sprint from a break of four. Looking over the stages, next Friday is a mountaintop finish and is said to be very tough - with riders needing a 27 to get up parts of it; some parts hit 20%.

Prologue - April 29th: Multiplaza circuit, 5.1km

1. Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team, 5.52
2. Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team, at 0:05
3. Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team, 0:09
4. Jacob Erker (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team, s.t.
5. Carlos Alzate (Col) Colombian National Team, 0.10
6. Fausto Esparza (Mex) Tecos De La Universidad Autonoma De Guadalajara
7. Livardo Nino (Col) Hino Donde Jose, both s.t.
8. Christian Meier (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team, 0:15
9. Yovanny Torres (Col) Colombian National Team, s.t.
10. Franco Marvulli (Dom) BCO Cuscatlan Cogeas, 0:16

13 Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team, s.t.
14 Will Routley (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team, 0:19
16. Jeff Sherstobitoff (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team, 0:21
64. Lance Doherty (Can) Champion System, 0:53

Stage 1 - April 30th: Multiplaza circuit, 102km

1. Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team, 2:17.43
2. Francisco Colorado (Col) Colombian National Team
3. Gregorio Ladino (Col) Tecos De La Universidad Autonoma De Guadalajara, both at s.t.
4. Jacob Erker (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team, 0:01
5. Alejandro Padilla (Gua) Hino Donde Jose, 0:12
6. Carlos Alzate (Col) Colombian National Team
7. Rodolfo Fernandez (Mex) Tecos De La Universidad Autonoma De Guadalajara
8. Fausto Esparza (Mex) Tecos De La Universidad Autonoma De Guadalajara
9. Guillermo Miranda (Pan) Panama National Team
10. Giusseppe Atzeni (Swi) BCO Cuscatlan Cogeas

13. Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team, all s.t.
16. Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team, 0:13
18. Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team, s.t.
37. Jeff Sherstobitoff (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team, 0:16
47. Will Routley (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team, 0:18
89. Lance Doherty (Can) Champion System, 10:58