Piedra Wins La Vuelta Stage 15

Last updated : 02 September 2012 By Kev Monks

Antonio Piedra Perez  of Caja Rural, won Stage 15 of the Vuelta A Espana this afternoon.

Stage 15 was from La Robla to the 13.5km climb to the 1135m finish on the Lagos de Covadonga and was 186.5kms long.

Ten riders in David de la Fuente (Caja Rural), Kevin Seeldrayers (Astana), Andrey Kashechkin (Astana), Ruben Perez Moreno (Euskaltel) Vicente Reynes (Lotto), Sergey Lagutin (Vacansoleil), Lloyd Mondory (AG2R), Simon Geschke (Argos-Shimano), Antonio Piedra Perez (Caja Rural), and Pablo Lastras (Movistar), had a ten minute lead.

That went out to thirteen minutes with 75kms to go and was fourteen minutes when the riders started on the first category Mirador del Fito.

David De La Fuente took the ten points for winning that climb and on another beautful day, the gap back to the peloton which included race leader Joaquin Rodriquez, Alberto Contador, Chris Froome and seventh placed Nicholas Roche (pictured below) did not come down.

On the climb up the Lagos de Covadonga, Caja Rural rider Piedra went off the front on his own. 

Saxo Bank tried to attack from the peloton which was strung out down the mountain.

With 2.5kms to go, Valvderde, Contador and Rodriquez attacked. Chris Froome had no answer and could not react. They passed igor Anton's group and were twenty seconds ahead of Froome.

Contador attacked and Rodriquez followed again along with Valverde whilst at the front, Piedra was approaching the final kilometre.

Piedra carried on and won the stage in a time of 5.01.23  for the biggest win of his career ahead of Perez and Mondory.

The group containing the race leader still had five kilometres to go. Quintana who had joined the group tapped out the pace.

Froome got back into the Gesink and Ten Dam group but the Contador group were going for a sprint finish and green jersey wearing Valverde lead them home some 9.32 back on the winner. Froome came in 10.01 back on Piedra with Roche in at 10.55.

Froome (pictured below) drops to fourth in the General Classification behind Valverde, Contador and race leader Rodriquez.

"A tough climb so I'm definitely suffering," said Froome to Eurosport. "I'm struggling against the Spanish riders in the mountains and am not sure where I am going to end up but I will keep going."

  

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM