Royal Rumble at the Ruta del Sol

Feb 18, 2015 – Stage 1a: Dutchman Pim Ligthart claimed a crash affected first stage of the Ruta del Sol in a sprint finish ahead of Portugal’s Fabio Silvestre and Slovenian Grega Bole on Wednesday. Stage 1b: Spain’s Javi Moreno won the individual time trial in the second part of a split opening stage to the Ruta del Sol on Wednesday as his compatriot Alberto Contador claimed an early eight-second advantage over Chris Froome.

AFP/Yuzuru Sunada

Stage 1 Part A:

The Lotto-Soudal rider edged the 118.3 kilometer ride from La Rabida to Hinojos in Andalusia by two seconds after a crash three kilometers from the finish line split the peloton in two.

Former Tour de France winners Alberto Contador and Chris Froome weren’t affected as they finished among the leading group. The second part of an opening split stage will see the riders tackle an 8.2km individual time trial through Coria del Rio later on Wednesday.

Stage 1 Part B:

Moreno’s time of 9min 51sec over the 8.2 kilometer course through Coria del Rio edged out Wilco Kelderman and Jerome Coppel by two and four seconds respectively. Contador was six seconds back in fourth but that was enough to take the race leader’s red jersey with Froome finishing 10th in the time trial and down in fourth overall.

With no bonus seconds on offer for stage winners, Contador will almost certainly have the advantage as the two battle it out for overall victory across two mountain top finishes on Friday and Saturday before a more sprinter-friendly final stage on Sunday. Neither Contador nor Froome was affected by a crash-ridden first stage of the day in which Dutchman Pim Ligthart sprinted to victory ahead of Portugal’s Fabio Silvestre and Slovenian Grega Bole.

The Lotto-Soudal rider won the 118.3 kilometer ride from La Rabida to Hinojos in Andalusia by two seconds after a crash three kilometers from the finish split the peloton in two. Thursday’s 191.7km second stage, the longest of the five-day race in Andalusia, takes the riders from Utrera to Lucena.

Results from stage 1a:

1. Pim Ligthart (NED/LTS) 3hr 01min 44sec
2. Fabio Silvestre (POR/TFR) at 02sec
3. Grega Bole (SLV/CCC) s.t.
4. Michael Van Staeyen (BEL/COF) s.t.
5. Tyler Farrar (USA/MTN) s.t.
6. Mirko Selvaggi (ITA/WGG) s.t.
7, Edward Theuns (BEL/TSV) s.t.
8. Maciej Paterski (POL/CCC) s.t.
9. Daniele Ratto (ITA/UHC) s.t.
10. Sjoerd Van Ginneken (NED/ROO) s.t.

Results Stage 1b:

1. Javi Moreno (ESP/MOV) 9min 51sec
2. Wilco Kelderman (NED/TLJ) at +02sec
3. Jerome Coppel (FRA/IAM) +04sec
4. Alberto Contador (ESP/TCS) +06sec
5. Bob Jungels (LUX/TFR) s.t.
6. Benat Intxausti (ESP/MOV) +07sec
7. Gorka Izagirre (ESP/MOV) +11sec
8. Jerome Pineau (FRA/IAM) s.t.
9. Vasil Kiryienka (BLR/SKY) +13sec
10. Chris Froome (GBR/SKY) +14sec

General Classification

1. Alberto Contador (ESP/TCS) 3hr 11min 43sec
2. Bob Jungels (LUX/TFR) s.t.
3. Benat Intxausti (ESP/MOV) +01sec
4. Chris Froome (GBR/SKY) +08sec
5. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/IAM) +12sec
6. Peter Kennaugh (GBR/SKY) s.t.
7. Ivan Basso (ITA/TCS) +17sec
8. Edward Theuns (BEL/TSV) +18sec
9. John Degenkolb (GER/TGA) +20sec
10. Michael Valgren Andersen (DEN/TCS) s.t.