After a few days of Venezuelan dominance, stage 11 of the Vuelta a
Colombia was won by a home rider. Giovanni Baez finished solo in
Zipaquira.
The 11th stage led the peloton from the warm town of Guaduas in Cundinamarca, to the much cooler finishing location of Zipaquira in the same department. The distance was just over 148 kilometers.
Baez, riding for Une, finished an impressed 1’48” ahead of Spaniard Oscar Sevilla (Rock Racing) and Jorge Duarte of Alcaldia de Armenia y Pereira.
Santiago Botero, seven in the general classification ahead of this stage, retired from the race. The time trial specialists went on to tell Caracol Radio that this was likely his last race of the season.
In the general classification, leader Jose Rujano of Gobernacion del Zulia keeps a comfortable 5’03” leader over Freddy Montaña. Cesar Salazar follows in third place.
Stage 12, to be ridden on Friday, leads the remaining riders from Ubate to Tunja, capital of Boyaca and home town of several participating teams.