Chetout falls short as Grijalba is crowned

Fernando Grijalba of Caja Rural was crowned overall Copa de España champion today as the race series came to a close in Legazpi.

Lizarte's powerful Santiago Ramírez, who took out stage two of the Dos Días de Álava this past weekend, escaped along with four others in the closing kilometres after putting in a dig on the final climb of Deskarga.

With him was team-mate Aitor Martínez, Cajamar's Pablo Lechuga, the mentioned Grijalba and Mutua Levante's Cristian Cañada, and Ramírez bested them all to claim a famous win.

See how it all unfolded here:



Grijalba, formerly of Naturgas Energía of course, could only muster fifth in the sprint, but did enough to edge ahead of Coluer's Airán Fernández, who led the overall going into the race. Naturally he also wins the overall sub-23 standings.

Fernández would finish seventh, losing the sprint for sixth to Naturgas' main man Loïc Chetout, forcing him to settle for second place overall. Lechuga ended up third overall.

Results (full results here):

• 1, Santiago Ramírez (Lizarte), 3:35:12
• 2, Pablo Lechuga (Cajamar), s.t.
• 3, Aitor González (Lizarte), s.t.
• 4, Cristian Cañada (Mutua Levante), s.t.
• 5, Fernando Grijalba (Caja Rural), s.t.
• 6, Loïc Chetout (Naturgas Energía), 0:07
• 7, Airán Fernández (Coluer), s.t.
• 8, Juan Ignacio Pérez (Gomur), 0:36
• 9, Júlen Mitxelena (Gipuzkoa-Eki Sport), s.t.
• 10, Jesús Herrero (Gomur), s.t.

Final overall standings:

• 1, Fernando Grijalba (Caja Rural)
• 2, Airán Fernández (Coluer)
• 3, Pablo Lechuga (Cajamar)

Photo: El Pedal de Frodo