• Submitted by: admin
• Sports
• 02 / 22 / 2007

By: Jose Luis Lopez

Not to exaggerate, the eighth leg of the "Vuelta a Cuba" bicycling tour is "the blue-ribbon event," with a distance of 159 km from the town of Sancti Spiritus to Santa Clara, where Mexican rider Jesus Zarate (Tecos) finished first, with a time of 4:11.04 hours.

The first 70km legs are designed for "sprinters attacks," which is why riders Hector Yamay (CUBA)) and Wilmen Bravo (VEN) easily crossed the finishing lines in Banao and Trinidad as leaders.

The after Trinidad is where the "hardest leg begins," according to the riders, astonished by the view of the Escambray Mountains where they have to compete for two exacting mountain climbing prizes: el Mirador and Topes de Collantes, separated just by 4 km.

There are 11 frightening km that come between Topes and the second prize. It is the struggle of rider against mountain - hill after hill, leaving the competitors breathless.

But there are athletes capable of overcoming such conditions, riders like Arnold "el Chiqui" Alcolea, not physically ideal for this task (at only 1.66 m height and 57kg). However, his strength and will are unlimited, not only because he has won both mountain prizes, but for doing it on his own in a similar performance last year.

Alcolea, who now leads the best climber classification, with 32 points, said: "I went up in a flash, because Im well-trained; remember that I went through gruelling practice in the Tachira Tour. There is no help in the mountains. Sure, Im thin and skinny, but that enables me to go up as I did. Then I slowed down a little and waited for Pedro Pablo Perez because he was the leader."

The adversities of the Topes ascent-descent, including the dangerous Curva del Muerto, resulted in riders falling, flat tires and car failures. It was an adventure as crazy as the previous attempt to get to the finishing line at 72km.

The arrival to Santa Clara was a feast for the most complete riders, those who are able to ascend and descend and still sprint at the end. The group split into five, but only leaders make the top group.

"That leg was rough due to the ascent and the risky descents. I succeeded in going up and then I let myself be led by Pedro Pablo and his team. That is how I could keep my best for the last sprint", said winner Jesus Zarate.

Results: 1. Jesus Zarate (Tecos) 4:11.04; 2. Gianluca Cavalli (Cinelli-Endeka) m.t; 3. Jose Contreras (VEN) m.t...

General individual classification: 1. Pedro Pablo Perez (CUBA) 23:41.07; 2. Carlos Ochoa (Venezuela) at 0:35 seconds; 3. Adonis Cardoso (CUBA) at 0:36 seconds.

Source: Juventud Rebelde