Yesterday's long Stage 11 from Vilanova I La Geltrú to Andorra in the Pyrenees was 208 km with a finish on the Vallnord won by Igor Anon of Euskatel-Euskadi who also took back the race lead and red jersey. The stage will be noted for one rider being provisionally suspended from la Vuelta after returning a positive drug test taken on 16 August 2010 before la Vuelta began.
Today the teams will travel 172.5 km from Andorra la Vella, just below yesterday's finish, to Leida on a course that will favour the sprinters. It will be one of the last sprint stages on the tour. There is one category two climb, the el Coll de Boixols.
Belgian Rider Suspended for Drug Use on Stage 11 la Vuelta
Each rider on the pro tour has a " biological passport " built up from blood and urine samples taken by the sport's governing body, UCI, since 2008 in an attempt to detect the use of banned substances by professional riders. The UCI announced yesterday it had banned Belgian rider, Roy Sentjens of Milram who was placed 49th on the Tour, after a positive test for EPO. EPO enhances the oxygen levels in the blood and consequently performance,
"The decision to provisionally suspend Mr Sentjens was made in response to a report from the WADA-accredited laboratory in Cologne indicating an Adverse Analytical Finding of Recombinant EPO in a urine sample collected from him at an out-of-competition test on 16 August 2010," said the statement from the UCI (International Cycling Union).
Sentjens will remain provisionally suspended "until a hearing panel convened by the Belgium Cycling Federation (RLVB) determines whether Mr Sentjens has committed an anti-doping rule violation under Article 21 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules. Mr Sentjens has the right to request and attend the analyses of his B sample".
Stage 12 Andorra la Vella to Lleida
The stage start is at an altitude of 800 metres in Andorra la Vella climbing to the category two 1,370 m el Coll de Boixols soon after the start. There will be a respite for the riders in the remainder of the course which is lumpy rather than demanding. At 118 km the course is on a gradual descent to the finish in Lleida. There are two intermediate sprints at 82 and 146 km out. The stage is set for a bunch sprint finish.
The General Classification After Stage 11
The new race leader is Igor Anton of Euskaltel-Euskadi on 47.37.15 from Vincenzo Nibali of Liquigas-Doimo, 45 seconds behind. Xavier Tondo, Cervelo Test Team has lost time and is now on 1.04. Joaquin Rodriguez of Katusha, yesterday's leader slips to fourth place on 1.17. Ezequiel Mosquera (XAC) moves up to fifth place on 1.29 from Ruben Plaza (GCE) on 1.57. Rigoberto Uran of GCE is in sixth on 2.13 followed by Nicholas Roche (ALM) 2.30. Frank Schleck of Saxo Bank has moved up to 10th place from 13th but also lost time. He is on 2.30.
Stage 12 on Friday 9 September is 172.5 km from Andorra la Vella to Lleida.
La Vuelta a Espana is being telecast worldwide by the Spanish station, TVre and there is a UCI iPhone application. When you're watching the telecast particularly on the weekend consider a Spanish party.
Toni Bartush - Toni Bartush was a Barrister at the New South Wales Bar and a Solicitor in private practice, specialising in civil litigation. She was a ...
