August 22, 2005

GIRO - Stage 13

Beautiful Garate!
SAUNIER DUVAL PRODIR rode an excellent stage today. Garate, Lobato and Rodriguez were all in the early 20-man breakaway, with Joaquim Rodriguez actually launching the attack! It was one of the hardest stages of the Giro, a very difficult mountain one. Juan Manuel Garate stayed at the front for the whole race, helped by Ruben Lobato. With just a few kilometers to go, one rider in the lead group escaped, Ivan Parra, who crossed the line first! Garate finished second. With this result, he is now among the very best in the general classification, sitting in fifth place. Pietro Algeri, SAUNIER DUVAL PRODIR’s DS, was right: Garate becomes stronger and stronger as the race goes on!

Francisco Ventoso, after a nasty crash, abandoned the race today, though he was not seriously injured.