Mollema Takes Lead at Castilla y Leon

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Mollema climbed his way into the overall lead in the decisive Stage 3 of Castilla y Leon. Cor Vos photo.
Rabobank rider Bauke Mollema moved into the lead of the Castilla y Leon stage race in Spain on Friday. The 24-year-old Dutchman rode his Giant TCR Advanced SL to a second place finish in the decisive third stage, a tough 157km stage that finished atop Laguna de los Pesces.

Viewed as the queen stage of the five-day Castilla y Leon, Stage 3 featured two Category 1 climbs and came down to a battle on the final ascent. Rabobank rode aggressively, with Mollema’s teammate Laurens ten Dam also attacking on the final climb.

In the end, Mollema finished second, 7 seconds behind stage winner Filippo Savini of Italy, and took a 3-second lead in the general classification.

Saturday’s Stage 4 is an 11.2km individual time trial in Zamora, and the race concludes Sunday with a relatively flat 167km road stage.

15 april 2011