Tuesday was a cool, damp day in Caldas but one that was definitely warmed up by the people of Arauca, Irra, La Felisa, La Merced y Salamina, where the locals made sure they didn’t miss the spectacle of the second stage of La Leyenda del Dorado 2018 passing by.
With 250 racers from 21 countries, they all experienced an extreme stage yesterday due to the incessant rain and mud, as Tiago Ferreira, Marathon World Champion 2016 from Portugal, commented,
“The humidity is high and makes us suffer a lot on the tough stages. It is my first time in this country and the people are wonderful. I would love to win the race, but without destroying my body, because my current goal is the World Championship in September.” Ferreira is teamed up with Hans Becking, current Leyenda Champion, from Holland.
In the 97 km stage the pair clocked 4 hours, 39 minutes and 8 seconds, followed by triple Marathon World Champion, Austrian Alban Lakata, and his teammate Kristian Hynek, from the Czech Republic. They were just 2 minutes and 45 seconds from the winners and Colombians Héctor Leonardo Páez and Diego Alfonso Arias, who won the previous stage, finished third, 14 minutes and 54 seconds away from the firsts.
“I felt good, which was unfortunately the opposite for my teammate who didn’t take well to pace on the flat. The main challenge was the mud, but we hope to improve on the climbs ahead. Tomorrow will be a short stage, but tricky,” expressed Colombian Leonardo Paéz, who triumphed on the previous day at La Rochela.
The women’s elite category was once again dominated by Colombian Mónica Calderón and Venezuelan Liliana Uzcátegui who are the undefeated leaders, clocking 6 hours, 35 minutes and 57 seconds, whilst Portuguese Ilda Pereira and Mayalen Noriega from Spain, arrived 22 minutes later. The podium was completed by Celina Carpinteiro and Sandra Jorda, with a time of 7 hours, 4 minutes y 26 seconds.
Yesterday’s stage was the most colourful one, despite the rain. The riders were greeted as true legends with balloons, flags, posters and banners and even the town band, as if it was the Tour D’France!
La Leyenda del Dorado, with 250 riders from 21 countries, packs its bags to leave on Tuesday 31st July to Salamina, in the northern part of Caldas. This is one of Colombia’s patrimonial towns and is considered one of the most beautiful in the whole country, it will receive the race for the third time with lots of celebrations planned for the riders. There will be 97 Km of constant action alongside the Cauca river, through Irra, La Felisa and La Merced, before arriving to Salamina where racers will feel like they’re heading up Alpe D’Huez in the Tour de France.
Results: Stage Two, River
Male Elite
1. Tiago Ferreira (PRT) & Hans Becking (NLD): 04:39:08
2. Alban Lakata (AUT) & Kristian Hynek (CZE) 04:41:53
3. Hector Leonardo Páez (COL) & Diego Arias (COL): 04:54:02
4. Joris Massaer (BEL) & José Dias (PRT): 04:59:46
5. Nico Bell (BEL) & Gawie Combrinck José Días (PRT): 05:03:16
Female Elite
1. Mónica Calderón (COL) & Liliana Uzcátegui (VEN): 06:35:57
2. Ilda Pereira (PRT) & Mayalen Noriega (ESP): 06:58:24
3. Celina Carpinteiro (PRT) & Sandra Jorda (ESP): 07:04:26
4. Yosiana Quintero (COL) & Leidy Mera (COL): 07:48:34
Male Open
1. Julien Delaet (BEL) & Sébastien Pelé (FRA): 05:33:50
2. Valerio Ferreira (PRT) & Tiago Silva (PRT): 05:42:16
3. Oscar Flórez (COL) & Carlos Serna (COL): 05:46:54
Masters
1. Ignace Spruyt (BEL) & Abraao Azevedo (BRA): 06:09:29
2. Arllery Quintero (PRT) & Andrés Montes (COL): 06:20:02
3. Jorge Valencia (COL) & Guiovanny Cantor (COL): 06:22:54
Grandmasters
1. Adolfo Buratovich (CHE) & Lorenzo Milesi (ARG): 07:38:04
2. Eugenio Pineda (COL) & Carlos Rendón (COL): 09:45:14
3. Jeff Taylor (CAN) & Robert Rennie (CAN): 10:26:41
Mixed
1. Vladi Pokobova (BEL) & Hans Planckaert (BEL): 07:23:07
2. Angy Espinosa (COL) & Jorge González (COL)
3. Vladi Pokobova (BEL) & Hans Planckaert (BEL)