Once again at the front
01 August 2012

Burgos (st. 1) / Olympics ITT

Visconti 7th at Ojo Guareña after big progression in the final sprint, following Madrazo's long breakaway. Brilliant TT effort by Castroviejo, just 11 seconds off Olympic diploma, with Kiryienka in 12th place

Movistar Team keeps offering a good image in their competitions prior to the Vuelta a España and shone again today in its two fronts in Spain and Britain. At the opening stage of the 34th Vuelta a Burgos, Italy’s Giovanni Visconti was the strongest from the telephone squad at the uphill sprint in Ojo Guareña, following a short, 135-kilometer stage starting at Miranda de Ebro that had Ángel Madrazo as a big protagonist. The young Blue rider made the day’s 16-man breakaway, an attempt that never reached more than two minutes and a half and ultimately extended by the Spaniard with his solo attack with 20k from the finish.

Eventually, British road champion Ian Stannard (SKY) kept the front until being swallowed by a Peloton where Visconti improved a bad leadout position to take a fine 7th at the finish, with Dani Moreno (KAT) as day’s winner and first leader. The squad directed by José Luis Arrieta -with six of their riders into the main group- will search again for their chances tomorrow at the Castillo de Burgos, being climb three times during the 141 kilometers of stage two.

Great TT from Blues in London 
In turn, Jonathan Castroviejo rounded up his excellent performance in the road race of the London Olympic games last Saturday with a 9th spot in the 44k individual time trial held today at Hampton Court. The Basque rider from Movistar Team, wearing the colours of the Spanish national team, came just 11 seconds short to the eight places awarded an Olympic diploma after setting the first big reference at both the intermediate times and the finish, a time leaving him just under 3 minutes behind gold medallist Bradley Wiggins (GBR). Vasil Kiryienka also made a progressive effort to end up in 12th place.