Reduced volata at the Trofeo Guerrita: Haimar Etxeberria crashes and Sebastiano Minoia finishes fifth

Italian Sebastiano Minoia started his presence in the Spanish calendar with a fifth place in the Trofeo Guerrita de Alcantarilla, second round of the Spanish Cup Elite U23. The victory went to the Dutchman Yanne Dorenbos (Finisher), the fastest in the sprint of a reduced group with which the race was resolved.

Minoia was the trump card for that sprint of an EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team represented in that group also by Fran Muñoz. Haimar Etxeberria, present in that vanguard, was involved in a fall in the prolegomena, two kilometres from the end, a negative circumstance that left a day that also started without the final presence of Ramón Fernández due to illness.

It was a Guerrita with a calm start, which was late with respect to the worst predicted timetable, and which ended in a dizzying dynamic of movements and alternatives. Faced with a breakaway of five riders with more than a minute and a half, the EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team took the reins of the race and imposed a high speed. In one of the steep slopes of the final circuit, with 41 kilometres to go, Fran Muñoz tried to break the race.

Sebastiano Minoia: “I’m happy with how the day went, with a good feeling. At the end we were both Haimar and Fran and I in a small group, Haimar suffered a fall and I took the responsibility to compete. As a race, I really liked the Guerrita, it was my first time. I really liked the varied route”.

Rafa Díaz Justo: “It’s a pity, you can´t do nothing. Haimar suffered a crash two kilometres from the finish, he had very nice options to compete and in terms of points for the Copa overall he could have hoped to add a good amount. The team did a great job all day, they rode very well. The season is wide open and there are two teams like Cortizo and Caja Rural, with Alejandro Zurita and Thomas Silva at the front, who are very strong and will be the big contenders for the Copa de España”.