• Submitted by: admin
• Sports
• 02 / 21 / 2007

Charly Morales Valido

Cuban cycling athlete Pedro Pablo Perez has taken the lead of the 23rd Cycling Tour of Cuba, following the two most difficult mountain runs.

Venezuelan Carlos Ochoa and Cuban Adonis Cardoso are now behind the leader by 35 and 36 seconds respectively.

Pedro Pablo Perez also is the leader by points with 78, ahead of Venezuelan Anthony Brea (62) and Mexican Juan Magallanes (56).

By teams, Cuba is first with 1.13 minutes better than Tecos (Mexico) and Symmetrics (Canada).

The ninth segment of the 23rd Tour will cover 87 miles between Santa Clara and Cienfuegos, with three partial lines in Ranchuelo, Cruces and Abreus.

Although Mexican Jesus Zarate won the 8th stage, several foreign athletes had bad luck in this one.

Italian Gianluca Cavalli was second in Santa Clara, and did not hide his annoyance at a series of events that frustrated the strategy of his team, Cinelli Endeka of San Marino.

"I attacked early with some of my teammates, and when I was tire to tire with Pedro Pablo Perez, I got a puncture," he told Prensa Latina.

Cavalli incorporated in the first places thanks to the work of his teammates, but they could not beat Pedro Pablo Perez, who ended fifth in the stage.

Venezuelan Jose Contreras was also one of those who was affected by a mechanical problem, as was Venezuelan Carlos Ochoa.

Pedro Pablo Perez could complete the stage thanks to the work of teammate Lizardo Benitez and the rest of the Cuban team.

"I was feeling worse than the time when I first climbed Topes de Collantes in 2000, but my teammates helped me," he said.

Source: Prensa Latina