Sunday, June 10, 2012

Durán doubles up as Euskadi champ














Arkaitz Durán offered further proof of his class by taking out both the road and time trial titles in the Euskadi Championships this weekend.

The champs were held in Villarreal de Álava, or Legutio as it's called in Basque, in the region of Álava on Saturday and Sunday, and the local hero, Durán hails from the region's capital, Vitoria, left everyone  in his wake as he further strengthened his case for a return to the pro peloton in 2013.

The 110km road race, ending atop the Santa Barbara de Urretxu, was everything but exciting as the 26-year-old soloed to a crushing win 1:29 ahead of team-mate at Azysa, Kepa Vallejo, and a further three seconds ahead of Debabarrena's Aitor González. The latter took out the sub-23 title by beating Naturgas' Jon Larrinaga by seven seconds into third, while another Naturgas prodigy, Mikel Iturria, grabbed a strong 11th. Former Euskaltel stalwart Aitor Hernández had a decent day in the saddle en route to eighth.

Road race results (full results here courtesy of www.biciciclismo.com):
  • 1, Arkaitz Durán (Azysa), 2:38:58
  • 2, Kepa Vallejo (Azysa), 1:29
  • 3, Aitor González (Debabarrena), 1:32 - Sub23 champ
  • 4, Jon Larrinaga (Naturgas Energía), 1:39 - Sub23 runner-up
  • 5, Antton Ibarguren (Caja Rural), 1:44
  • 6, Markel Anton (Bidelan-Kirolgi), 1:46
  • 7, Martin Iraizoz (Lizarte), s.t.
  • 8, Aitor Hernández (Orbea), s.t.
  • 9, Egoitz Murgoitio (Hirumet-Taldea), s.t.
  • 10, Joseba del Barrio (Bidelan-Kirolgi), s.t.
  • 11, Mikel Iturria (Naturgas Energía), s.t.
  • 18, Imanol Estévez (Naturgas Energía), 2:26
  • 19, Loïc Chetout (Naturgas Energía), s.t.
  • 27, Alain González (Naturgas Energía), 3:14

In the crono, Durán bested Bidelan's Jon Ander Insausti, who last week won the Gipuzkoan champs, by 21 seconds over the 23,7km course. Jon Larrinaga once again showcased his strong state of form by taking bronze, only 31 seconds off Durán's winning time.

Time trial results, elite and under-23:

  • 1, Arkaitz Durán (Azysa), 30:42
  • 2, Jon Ander Insausti (Bidelan-Kirolgi), 0:21 - sub23 champ
  • 3, Jon Larrinaga (Naturgas Energía), 0:31 - sub23 runner-up
Time trial results, junior:
  • 1, Yerai Ruíz (Aranako-Toyota Armentia), 21:19
  • 2, Ander Alonso (Ordiziako Tx. E-Caja Rural), 0:06
  • 3, Aitor Morález (Zirauna-Iturribero), 0:27

In further Naturgas-related news, the team will send a sextet to the regional champs in Cantabria tomorrow, the team's website reports. Here's the team: Karl Baudron, Jon Larrinaga, Alain Santamaría, Alain González, Imanol Estévez and Francisco Javier Martín.

Photo: www.bikezona.com

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