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Columbia's Frantisek Rabon takes a surprise victory in Murcia's time trial, and takes the overall lead.

By VeloNews.com
Published: Mar. 6, 2009
Rabon is the Czech national time trial champion and showed why on Friday.
Rabon is the Czech national time trial champion and showed why on Friday.
Photo: Graham Watson

Columbia-Highroad’s romp through the opening weeks of 2009 continues.
 
This time with Frantisek Rabon, who took a surprise victory in Friday’s 16km time trial at the third stage of the Vuelta a Murcia in Spain.
 
The 25-year-old Czech national time trial champion covered the out-and-back course in San Pedro del Pinatar in 19 minutes, 17 seconds (49.784kph) to keep the jersey in team hands. Overnight leader Greg Henderson finished 13th at 50 seconds off the pace and dropped to 10th overall.

Vuelta a Murcia
Stage 3: San Pedro del Pinatar time trial
16 km (9.94 miles)


Stage winner: Frantisek Rabon (Cze), Columbia-High Road in 19:17
Stage winner's average speed: 49.78 kph (30.93 mph)
Overall leader: Rabon
Sprint leader: Greg Henderson (Columbia-Highroad)
Mountains leader: Jose Lopez Gil (Andalucía - Cajasur)
Team GC leader: Team Columbia-Highroad
Up Next: Stage 4 is a mountainous 156.1 km (96.99 miles) starting and finishing in Alhama de Murcia

 
Rabon, winner of the final stage at the Tour of Ireland last year, won ahead of teammate and world time trial champion Bert Grabsch, who stopped the clock in second at 19 seconds slower.

"Sixteen kilometrers is a very difficult distance for a time trial," Rabon said. "You can’t go full gas like in a shorter prologue. But you’re not trying to conserve your strength for the last few kilometers like in a full-length time trial in a major Tour, either.”

”This time I got it right,” he continued, “although going over the course three times in the morning with different kinds of wheels helped a lot. I tried out the three-spoke, then the full back wheel, and finally went for the low rims because it was so windy.”
 
Two-time Vuelta a España champion Denis Menchov (Rabobank) rode well to finish third at 25 seconds off the pace, a result that positions him well for a run at the overall title with two stages left to go.
 
Tom Danielson (Garmin-Slipstream) posted a strong ride, stopping the clock at 49 seconds slower for 11th and slots into eighth overall.
 
Craig Lewis (Columbia-Highroad) also rode well at 50 seconds slower and moves into 11th. Jason McCartney (Saxo Bank) was 20th at 1:03 slower.

Rabon moves into the leader's jersey.
Rabon moves into the leader's jersey.
Photo: Graham Watson

 
Pre-race favorite Stefano Garzelli (Acqua e Sapone) struggled to forfeit 59 seconds and settles into 12th overall. 
 
The race continues Saturday with the 156.1km stage starting and finishing in Alhama de Murcia.
 
The potentially explosive stage features two first category climbs, including the Alto de la Perdiz halfway through the race and the always-decisive Alto de Collado Bermejo some 22km from the finish line.
 
That vertical should provide lean climbers like Menchov, Garzelli and Danielson ample opportunity to try to put the hurt on Columbia-Highroad and attempt to wrestle away the leader’s jersey.  

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