Anton Claims Stage 3 and Overall Lead in Vuelta a Castilla y Leon 2010

News & Results

04/16/2010| 0 comments
by AP, with additional commentary by Roadcycling.com

Anton Claims Stage 3 and Overall Lead in Vuelta a Castilla y Leon 2010

Igor Anton passed Alberto Contador and Denis Menchov in final two kilometers.

EUSKATEL TEAM S CYCLIST SPANISH IGOR ANTON WINS THIRD STAGE

Team Euskaltel's Igor Anton won the third stage of the 2010 Vuelta a Castilla y Leon earlier today to take the overall race lead.

The spanish rider finished the 159-kilometer (99-mile) mountain stage from Leon to Ponferrada in 4 hours, 7 minutes, 9 seconds.

Mauricio Soler of Colombia came second, 13 seconds behind, just ahead of third-place Alberto Contador of Spain, who finished with the same time.

The stage included two category 1 ascents, up the 1,640-meter (5,380 feet) Alto de Fondebadon climb and then the 1,750-meter (5741 feet) Alto del Morredero peak.

Anton caught pre-race favorites Contador and Russia's Denis Menchov by surprise when he broke off alone to set a punishing pace up the final climb 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the end. Menchov finished 11th, 1:34 behind.

THIRD ROUND OF CASTILLA AND LEON CYCLING TOUR

"Everyone likes to win, but Igor has been very strong," Contador commented, who had previously managed to keep up with attacks by Jorge Azanza and Manuel Anton.

"For me it's a good result," Contador added. "In the end it's 13 seconds, which aren't few, but we'll see tomorrow how it turns out in the time trial."

Tomorrow's stage is a 15.1-kilometer (9.4 mile) individual time trial around Ponferrada.

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