Freire takes bunch sprint
Oscar Freire does it again in Spain. (Tim de Waele)
Wednesday's fifth stage of the Vuelta a Espana was won by the Spaniard Oscar Freire (Rabobank).
The sprinter managed to remain in touch with the climbers on the race's second mountain stage before out-sprinting Daniele Bennati (Lampre) and Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) in a bunch finish. Russian Vladimir Efimkin remains in the leader's gold jersey while Freire increased his lead in the points competiton.
Freire finished the undulating 157.4km stage from Canas de Onis to Reinos in 4:07:51, ahead of Italians Daniele Bennati and Paolo Betinni.
It was the triple world champion's second stage win. On Sunday he won thesecond stage between Allariz and St-Jacques-de-Compostella. He was also second in the first and third stages and is 81st overall in the race.
"It was a win that I was looking for, the route was very difficult, you had to go over the mountain and then go into the sprint," said Freire at the finish.
Five kilometres from the finish, the peloton caught Dutch rider Karsten Kroon, who had earlier broken away at the top of the first category Palombera climb, about 20 km from the finish.
"It was the experience which counted when it came to the sprint. Bennati was very well placed but I went past on the other side," said the 31-year-old Freire. "During the sprint, its not always the best who wins, but everything went well for me."
Freire, less well known than his compatriot, and race favorite, Carlos Sastre, has been a regular this season with eight victories since the beginning of the year.
"In 43 days of competition, I finished first or second in half of them," he said.
The Spanish rider said the Vuelta was not his objective and he was focussing on the World Championships in Stuttgart from September 20 to 25. Freire indicated that he would withdraw a week before the finish of the Tour of Spain as Betinni has already announced, to prepare for the World Championships, on a course which favours sprinters.
The overall Tour standings remain unchanged with Efimkin holding a one minute, six second lead over Russian Denis Menchov and Sastre with Australian Cadel Evans, one minute, 28 seconds back from the leader.
The Vuelta's sixth stage Thursday will be a 184.3 km route between Reinosa and Logrono.
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