Poitou-Charentes and Portugal round-up

Okay, so we'll start off with the most interesting of the two races. And considering how the Euskaltel riders are doing, or rather not doing, in France, watching the Orbea youngsters thrive in the Volta a Portugal is that much more interesting.

Stage seven of the Tour of Portugal was the first one after Wednesday's rest day, and the day off certainly seemed to do 21-year-old Orbea prodigy Carlos Barbero the world of good. The former Naturgas Energía rider got into the break of the day early on in the 185,3km ride from Gouveia to Sabugal, and nearly came away with what would have been his very first professional victory.

Comeback kid Kai Reus of United Healthcare, as well as a trio of other seasoned pros, crossed the line ahead of him, but the ever-aggressive rider from Burgos held on for a creditable fifth, five seconds down on the Dutchman. All of his team-mates, except for Igor Merino (107th at 4:26) and Illart Zuazubiskar (121st at 12:20), came in with the pack some four minutes down on the breakaway group.

23-year-old Basque Garikoitz Bravo of Caja Rural was involved in a grave-looking crash some 40 clicks from the line. He was immediately taken to a local hospital, and seems to be doing well under the circumstances. Click here for his own reaction to the fall. 

Stage seven results (full results here):

• (1, Kai Reus (United Healthcare), 4:32:43)
• 5, Carlos Barbero, 0:05
• 32, Jon Aberasturi, 4:01
• 45, Omar Fraile, s.t.
• 76, Aritz Etxebarria, s.t.
• 78, Aritz Bagües, s.t.
• 80, Mikel Bizkarra, s.t.
• 95, Xabier Zabalo, s.t.
• 107, Igor Merino, 4:26
• 121, Illart Zuazubiskar, 12:20

General classification:

• (1, Hugo Sabido (LA Aluminios Antarte), 32:16:10)
• 25, Omar Fraile, 4:13
• 42, Aritz Bagües, 10:12
• 47, Mikel Bizkarra, 12:38
• 76, Xabier Zabalo, 35:15
• 82, Jon Aberasturi, 38:58
• 88, Carlos Barbero, s.t.
• 118, Illart Zuazubiskar, 1:09:09
• 119, Igor Merino, 1:13:28
• 121, Aritz Etxebarria, 1:16:42 

Over at the Tour de Poitou-Charentes, Samu's abandonment is naturally the biggest talking point of the day. The performances of his team-mates is better not being talked about, as the remaining guys in orange once again failed to light up the racing in neither the morning's short road stage nor in the afternoon's time trial in what is, it must be said, a pretty low-quality field.

The riders stayed sheltered in the pack on the 99km first stage taken out by Luke Durbridge, while Egoi Martínez's 40th place was the best it got from Euskaltel in the 22,1km ITT. The team's website reports Alan Pérez hit the deck, but the 22-year-old soldiered on despite considerable knee pain.

Results stage 3 (full results here):

• (1, Giacomo Nizzolo (RadioShack-Nissan), 2:14:37)
• 64, Egoi Martínez, s.t.
• 78, Mikel Nieve, s.t.
• 92, Pierre Cazaux, s.t.
• 133, Pablo Urtasun, s.t.
• 143, Víctor Cabedo, s.t.
• 144, Alan Pérez, s.t.
• 150, Ricardo García, 11:24

Results stage 4:

• (1, Luke Durbridge (Orica-GreenEdge), 26:30)
• 40, Egoi Martínez, 1:43
• 46, Pablo Urtasun, 1:51
• 52, Mikel Nieve, 2:02
• 80, Pierre Cazaux, 2:36
• 82, Alan Pérez, 2:38
• 89, Víctor Cabedo, 2:52
• 91, Ricardo García, 2:56

General classification:

• (1, Luke Durbridge (Orica-GreenEdge), 12:31:54)
• 46, Egoi Martínez, 1:43
• 53, Pablo Urtasun, 1:51
• 59, Mikel Nieve, 2:02
• 85, Pierre Cazaux, 2:36
• 101, Alan Pérez, 2:58
• 140, Víctor Cabedo, 5:51
• 149, Ricardo García, 14:20

Photo: www.carlosbarberocuesta.blogspot.com