November 15/08 5:49 am - La Ruta: Stage 4 photos, reports and results (brief)

Posted by Editoress on 11/15/08
 

La Ruta de los Conquistadores Costa Rica

Photos

The final stage begins with a serious gravel climb through the coffee plantations surrounding the town of Aquiares. After a long descent, the riders hit the final steep climb of the race, before descending again on pavement to the final obstacle of La Ruta - train tracks. 25 kilometres of bone-jarring tracks, plus multiple trestle bridges 10 metres above roaring rivers soften the riders further before the final gravel road run into Play Bonita.

Ramirez used the same tactic that worked so well in stage 3 - have Sanchez set a punishing pace up the first climb, with only Montoya able to follow the two team mates. The rest of the top riders coalesced into a chase group, but were quickly falling behind; 10 minutes in arrears by the top of the final climb.

In the group were Thomas Dietsch (Gewiss-Bianchi), Manual Prado (Sho Air-Rock N' Road), Radoslav Sibl (Bikezone.cz), Marvin Campos (Super Pro-Economy), Harlan Price (Independent Fabrications), Roberto Heras (Giant), Thomas Turner (Van Michael Salon), Enrique Artavia (Super Pro-Economy) and Cory Wallace (Freewheel Cycle).

Dietsch was setting the tempo on the climbs, and splitting things up slightly each time, with the group coming back together on the descents. Both Heras and Wallace were victims of flats - Heras once and Wallace twice. Both riders came back to the chase group after they flatted before the final climb, but Wallace flatted again on the train tracks and was unable to return to the group, finishing nine minutes behind them.

At the front, the trio worked together until the end, as the chase split and began to reel them in. Coming around the final corner for the final 100 metre run-in to the beach finish, Montoya grabbed the lead to take his second stage victory.

Two riders broke off the front of the chase and were making a serious dent in the time gap - Sibl and Price. They more than halved the time difference to 4:33 at the finish, with Sibl outkicking Price for fourth. Campos led home the chasers for sixth place.

After his win, Ramirez took a few minutes to discuss what makes him so good at La Ruta.

"It is the training that is the key," he asserted. "I train all year for this race. The strategy for me is simple: it is the first and third days that are the most important. The first day is the hardest, and the time gaps are the biggest. The third day is the climbing day, and that is where I am the best."

"Last year was the hardest to win, because it was so wet and muddy it made it very difficult. This year, the first stage was very hard, but after that, it was not easy ... I would say that it was 'comfortable' for me. This year I had Alex [Sanchez], and we really worked together for this victory. He is still young, and has a lot to learn, but in two or three years maybe he could win La Ruta."

So will Ramirez be back to defend his title next year and go for win number six?

"Yup."

Stage results

Open
1 Paolo Montoya Cantillo (CRc) Economy Rent A Car
2 Federico Ramirez Mendez (CRc) Bcr-Pizza Hut
3 Alexander Sanchez Calderon (CRc) Bcr-Pizza Hut
4 Radoslav Sibl (Cze) Bikezone.Cz/Mrx
5 Harlan Price (USA) Independent Fabricat
6 Marvin Campos Suazo (CRc) Super Pro - Economy
7 Manuel Prado (CRc) Sho-Air/Rock N'road
8 Roberto Heras Hernandez (Esp)
9 Thomas Turner (USA) Van Michael Salon
10 Thomas Dietsch (Fra) Gewiss-Bianchi
11 Enrique Artavia Cedeno (CRc) Super Pro - Economy
12 Cory Wallace (Can) Freewheel Cycle

Women
1 Sandra Walter (Can) Pedal Magazine
2 Sara Bresnick-Zocchi (USA) Pedalpowercoaching
3 Adriana Rojas Cubero (CRc) Bemosa / Pq
4 Lisa Pleyer (Aut)
5 Tamara Goeppel (Can) Leki Bikextreme

Master B
1 Melvin Rojas Alfaro (CRc) Citi - Litespeed
2 Peter Stevenson (Can) Experience Cycling
3 Mike Charuk (Can) Team Whistler/Ryders

7 Andrew Handford (Can) Different Bikes
9 Doug Andrews (USA) Gpsupload.com

29 Claude Laberge (Can) Team Marty's
30 Dave Howells (Can) Bc Bike Race
33 Mario Turgeon (Can) Lessard Bicycles
37 Steve Walsh (Can) Zimtek/Schmoe Racing
39 Gervais Levesque (Can)

Final GC

Open
1 Federico Ramírez Méndez (CRc) Bcr-Pizza Hut
2 Paolo Montoya Cantillo (CRc) Economy Rent A Car
3 Enrique Artavia Cedeño (CRc) Super Pro - Economy
4 Thomas Dietsch (Fra) Gewiss-Bianchi
5 Manuel Prado (CRc) Sho-Air/Rock N'road
6 Alexander Sánchez Calderón (CRc) Bcr-Pizza Hut
7 Roberto Heras Hernandez (Esp)
8 Marvin Campos Suazo (CRc) Super Pro - Economy
9 Radoslav Sibl (Cze) Bikezone.Cz/Mrx
10 Harlan Price (USA) Independent Fabrications
11 Thomas Turner (USA) Van Michael Salon
12 Cory Wallace (Can) Freewheel Cycle
14 Brian Cooke (Can) Bicyclecafe
22 Fred Dreier (USA) Velo News Magazine
24 Dain Zaffke (USA) Bike Magazine/WTB
34 Erik Bakke (USA) Deadgoat Racing
47 Tom Hipsz (Can)
50 Ryan Schellenberg (Can)

Women
1 Adriana Rojas Cubero (CRc) Bemosa / Pq
2 Sandra Walter (Can) Pedal Magazine
3 Sara Bresnick-Zocchi (USA) Pedalpowercoaching
4 Tamara Goeppel (Can) Leki Bikextreme
5 Lisa Pleyer (Aut)

Master A GC
1 Santos Corea Gutierrez (CRc) Citi - Litespeed
2 Diego Chaverri Madden Luis (CRc) Guanaride
3 Sam Humphrey (GBr) Charge Bikes
4 Randall Aguilar Quesada (CRc) Taller Rj Paraiso
5 William Valverde Barquero (CRc) Vedova Y Obando

Master B
1 Mike Charuk (Can) Team Whistler/Ryders
2 Melvin Rojas Alfaro (CRc) Citi - Litespeed
3 Andrew Handford (Can) Different Bikes
4 Peter Stevenson (Can) Experience Cycling
5 Doug Andrews (USA) Gpsupload.com
22 Claude Laberge (Can) Team Marty's
28 Steve Walsh (Can) Zimtek/Schmoe Racing
29 Dave Howells (Can) Bc Bike Race
38 Mario Turgeon (Can) Lessard Bicycles
41 Gervais Levesque (Can)

Veterans results not available