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Freire's sprint appears unbeatable as Efimkin keeps Vuelta lead

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Freire beats two stage winners on his way to his second win of this Vuelta.

Photo: Agence France Presse

With a few short weeks before the 2007 world championship road race, Oscar Freire (Rabobank) looks almost unbeatable in the sprint as he aims for his fourth rainbow jersey in Stuttgart on September 30.

Can he keep this up throughout September? A lot of sprinters are hoping he can't.

Photo: Graham Watson

The three-time world champ scored his second win in five days in Wednesday’s 157.4km fifth stage at the Vuelta a España with an explosive sprint that left the rest in the peloton shaking their heads in disbelief.

Freire uncorked a perfectly timed sprint up the right side of the road to bolt past Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Fondital) and defending world champion Paolo Bettini (QuickStep-Innergetic). Those are the only two who have won sprints in this year’s Vuelta besides Freire and the Spaniard appeared to have little trouble dispatching both in his charge to the line.

“Freire is very fast right now,” said Bettini, who beat Freire into Luarca on Monday. “If he’s this fast at the world’s, he’ll be tough to beat. His speed is impressive.”

There were no major shakeups in the overall standings as overnight leader Vladimir Efimkin (Caisse d’Epargne) enjoyed his first full day in the leader’s jersey following his solo victory Tuesday at Lagos de Covadonga.

Freire had to suffer up the Cat. 1 Puerto de la Palombera with 21km to go to stay with the main pack to have a chance at fighting it out in a sprint.

The Vuelta left the Asturias region Wednesday

Photo: Graham Watson

A two-man adventure was reeled in when Karsten Kroon (CSC) was neutralized with 4km to go in a sunny, yet windy day across northern Spain to set up the Vuelta’s fourth sprint in five days.

Freire, who hails from nearby Torrelavega, had extra motivation with his baby, Marcos, waiting at the finish line decked out in a Rabobank team jersey.

“I believed in victory all day long. I tried to get into a breakaway early because I thought it was a good day for a move, but there was too much headwind,” Freire said. “I really suffered up the final climb, but I knew if I could make it up with the leaders, I’d have a good chance. My legs weren’t as fresh as the other day because of that climb.”

Freire is focused on hitting peak form for what would be a record fourth world’s title if he can manage the win in Stuttgart.

The Spanish speedster has missed the past two world’s, however, due to injuries. In 2005, it was because of complications from surgery to remove a nasty saddle sore and last year he was sidelined with complications from physiotherapy that caused him to be dizzy and headaches.

This year, Freire pulled out early from the Tour de France after another saddle sore flared up and caused more discomfort.

Rather than risk surgery or allow it to fester and become worse, Freire took a full week off the bike. That week proved decisive as he’s now been able to prepare with tranquility for the world title.

Near the start in Cangas de Onís

Photo: Graham Watson

“The saddle sore hardened up and since then it hasn’t caused me any problems,” Freire said. “I don’t want to risk another surgery, now or next year. Now I’m preparing exclusively for the world’s and I will not arrive to Madrid, even if I am leading the points category. I would like to win another stage, though.”

Kroon caught
The Vuelta’s fifth stage started under brilliantly sunny skies in Cangas de Onís, a bustling tourist town that serves as a departure point for excursions into nearby Picos de Europa National Park and kayak trips down the frothy Sella River.

Once again, good crowds turned out to watch the stage kickoff, with Discovery Channel losing its second rider after Sergio Paulinho didn’t take the start.

“The Vuelta route this year is perfect and we’ve seen really nice crowds every day,” said Chris Horner (Predictor-Lotto), making the second Vuelta start of his career. “Last year, we were out in the desert on these wide-open roads and we hardly saw any fans at all. This year is very good with the fans. That gives you motivation to suffer more when you know someone is watching.”

With three steep Cat. 2 climbs in the opening 100km, everyone expected another breakaway to make a shot for victory. The peloton wasn’t about to let anyone get too far off the front today, however, and kept a high pace to squelch several early attempts.

Kroon gets off the front on the penultimate climb.

Photo: Graham Watson

Nothing stuck over the first two Cat. 2s as local rider David de la Fuente – who hails from the finishing town of Reinosa – led the way over the second of the Cat. 2 trio at the La Collada de Ozalba at 88km.

A 12-man escape started to gel on the Ozalba, but quickly disintegrated under pressure from Rabobank. Finally, Karsten Kroon (CSC) and Angel Gomez Gomez (Saunier Duval-Prodir) managed to extract themselves at 100km.

The day’s main obstacle was the Cat. 1 Alto de la Palombera at 136km. Gomez Gomez faded just as his Saunier Duval teammate Jose Angel Gomez Marchante bolted out of the main pack.

Rabobank was setting a brutal pace up the long, 20km climb, but Marchante was able to open up some gaps on the otherwise tranquil favorites cautiously marking the rhythm at the front.

Gomez Marchante gives chase, but was reeled in.

Photo: Graham Watson

“It was a longshot, but my legs felt better today than they did on Covadonga, so I thought I’d stick my nose out there,” said Marchante, 16th overall at 2:23 back. “I thought if I could bridge out to Kroon, we could work together to arrive to the finish and maybe get some time back. There was a lot of wind and the peloton wasn’t going to let me go.”

Kroon put up the good fight, soloing over the Cat. 1 with 45 seconds to the chasing Marchante and 1:23 on the peloton. Marchante was soon swept up and Kroon was reeled in with 4km to go.

“I was 20 seconds too late. I felt great all day and I think if I had a little more time over the summit, I could have made it,” Kroon said. “There was too much wind on the final kilometers to make it alone. It’s too bad, I really felt strong. It was a good ride.”

The sprinter teams shut the door on any would-be adventurers to set up the Vuelta’s fourth sprint in five starts. Most expect more of the same Thursday.

62nd Vuelta a España, Stage 5, Cangas de Onís to Reinosa, 157.4kmWinner: Oscar Freire (Rabobank), 4h07:51, 38.104kphLeader Vladimir Efimkin (Caisse d’Epargne)Mountain Serafín Martinez Acevedo (Karpin-Galicia)Points FreireCombined EfimkinTeam Caisse d’EpargnePeloton 183 riders remain
DNS Sergio Paulinho (Discovery Channel)
DNF Giovanni Bernaudeau (Bouygues Telecom); Remy Pauriol (Credit Agricole)Results
1. Óscar Freire (Sp), Rabobank, 4:07:51
2. Daniele Bennati (I), Lampre
3. Paolo Bettini (I), Quick Step-Innergetic
4. Philippe Gilbert (B), Francaise des Jeux
5. Erik Zabel (G), Milram
6. Leonardo Duque (Col), Cofidis
7. Xavier Florencio (Sp), Bouygues Telecom
8. Josep Jufre (Sp), Predictor-Lotto
9. Rene Mandri (Est), Ag2r Prevoyance
10. David GarcÍa (Sp), Karpin Galicia

Overall
1. Vladimir Efimkin (Rus), Caisse d'Epargne, 20:10:41
2. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, 1:06
3. Carlos Sastre (Sp), CSC, 1:06
4. Maxime Monfort (B), Cofidis, 1:06
5. Stijn Devolder (B), Discovery Channel Team, 1:06
6. Leonardo Piepoli (I), Saunier Duval, 1:06
7. Cadel Evans (Aus), Predictor-Lotto, 1:28
8. Sylvain Chavanel (F), Cofidis, 1:33
9. Ezequiel Mosquera (Sp), Karpin Galicia, 1:36
10. Leonardo Bertagnolli (I), Liquigas, 1:49
To see how today's stage developed, simply CLICKHERE to open our Live Update Window.