Johan Esteban Chaves takes final mountain stage to Lagunas de Neila to move into third overall
Johan Esteban Chaves (Colombia-Coldeportes) took the final stage of the 2012 Vuelta a Burgos, between Revenga and the mountaintop finish of Lagunas de Neila, as race leader Dani Moreno (Katusha) fought to hold on to his purple, leader’s jersey. The Colombian outsprinted compatriot Sergio Henao (Team Sky) at the end of the 170km, after the two of them were set up by Henao’s teammate Rigoberto Uran - a third Colombian - with a few kilometres of the final climb remaining. Euskaltel-Euskadi’s Igor Antón finished third, 11 seconds behind the winning duo.
“I’m extremely satisfied with this victory,” said Chaves after the race, “and happy for myself, for my team-mates and the whole team. This win might lead us to an exciting second half of our 2011 campaign, we all rely on Colombia-Coldeportes strength! Wish to express all the gratitude to my colleagues, to our DS [Valerio Tebaldi] and to [team manager] Claudio Corti, they all definitely deserved this great result.”
Henao had lost 30 seconds on the previous stage, and began the day 32 seconds down on Moreno overall, but was trying to take the jersey from the Katusha rider on the final climb. The Spaniard was almost 30 seconds back - and so clinging on to the lead - into the final kilometre, but sprinted up the final 500 metres to concede just 22 seconds on the line.
Moreno had held on to win the overall Vuelta a Burgos, by just ten seconds over Henao, with Chaves taking the third podium spot, 16 seconds behind.
"This last stage wasn't easy,” said Moreno, “because it was very hard with some steep climbing. In the end I suffered a little bit; when Henao attacked it was hard to follow him, but I had a good gap in general classification so I tried to manage it.
“Especially in the last part of the uphill I gave my best in order to gain some precious seconds,” he explained, “while, during the stage, my teammates worked very hard to keep the breakaway under control. I want to thank my team, especially Purito [Joaquim Rodríguez - ed]; he helped me a lot during this competition, now I'm ready to give my support to him during Vuelta a Espana.
“I feel in a good shape, and he is too,” Moreno added. “I'm sure we will take some good results.”
The flat early kilometres of the final, mountainous stage saw the peloton stay together but, after 66km, a group of five riders managed to break clear. In the group were Sergio Pardilla (Movistar), British champion Ian Stannard (Team Sky), Christian Meier (Orica-GreenEdge), Jérémie Galland (Saur-Sojasun) and Jarlinson Pantano (Colombia Coldeportes); they managed to open up a lead of up to four minutes before being steadily reeled back by the Katusha-led peloton.
Pantano was the last of the group to hold out, but was caught on the final, steep climb to the finish. Olympic silver medallist Uran then led Henao away from the peloton, and Chaves was the only one able to follow; as Henao took over from his teammate, the two Colombians continued to the line, where Chaves sprinted to victory.
Despite being reported as 38 seconds behind at the final kilometre - which would have meant overall victory for Henao - Moreno sprinted up the final 500 metres of the climb, to finish just 22 seconds back and hold on to take his first ever major stage race victory.