Barloworld on form worldwide
30 May 2005
South African-based Team Barloworld's riders applied all their skills at the weekend while competing in the five-day Volta ao Alentejo in Portugal, the one-day GP Llodio in Spain, and the one-day Mittal Steel Cycling Challenge in South Africa.
South African Tiaan Kannemeyer won the Mittal Steel Cycling Challenge on Sunday in Vereeniging. He was part of a breakaway that included five riders, and after 30 kilometres began applying pressure.
With 15 kilometres to go to the finish, Kannemeyer kicked clear of the breakaway to win by a clear two minutes.
'I feel positive after this win'
Speaking afterwards, he said: "I was the only Team Barloworld rider in this race and had to keep my guard up on the attacks. I feel positive after this win as I prepare for the SA National Champs in early June."
At the Volta ao Alentejo, which started on Wednesday 24 May, Giosué Bonomi clinched second in the first stage,
which was followed by Enrico Degano winning stage two.
By the end of Stage three, it seemed that every Team Barloworld rider would taste victory after Russian Alexander Efimkin took third place on the podium.
A strenuous leg
Stage four proved to be a strenuous leg as the riders battled over the 194.7 kilometre route, with Efimkin crossing the finish line with the main bunch and in seventh-place.
He started Stage five on Sunday with a good lead on most of the riders, and finished the 163.1 kilometre stage in fourth-place.
Ultimately, Efimkin claimed third-place in the final general classification, finishing only 0.05 seconds behind overall winner Sergio Ribeiro (Barbot-Halcon).
On Sunday, at the GP Llodio in Spain, Team Barloworld's Gianpaolo Cheula proved yet again why he is a star in the making. He remained in the main bunch up to the finish before sprinting on to fourth-place overall.
SouthAfrica.info
reporter
| 
