Vuelta a Castilla y León (s1)

Following an irregular start for his season, the young sprinter takes 2nd in the inaugural sprint at Castilla y León, only overtaken by Portuguese Manuel Cardoso.

After an encouraging 2011, with a first victory in his neo-pro season, Enrique Sanz proved again why he’s a talented prospect for mass finishes after an irregular start of the year. The 22-year-old Navarran youngster took again on the verge of success during the inaugural stage of the 27th Vuelta a Castilla y León, a 159km loop around Salamanca. Sanz was second to Portuguese Manuel Cardoso (CJR) and came about to complete a great effort from the team directed by José Luis Arrieta, with all their riders keeping safe from the wind at the front of the bunch, with seven of them -only Juanjo Cobo got dropped into the closing stages with about forty rider- making the first group.

Pardilla, Castroviejo, Karpets, Moreno, Plaza, Arroyo and Sanz thus keep their GC victory chances untouched, the race heading into a challenging weekend with stage two on Saturday featuring 158 kilometers around Ávila and four Cat. 2 ascents: the Cruz de Hierro and La Lancha in the opening phase, plus Arrebatacapas and La Paramera (18k from the finish) in the run prior to the traditional cobble section in the Wall of the province’s capital.