After not being selected for the Tour de France, the GEOX-TMC team (Italian owned, registered in Spain), has gone on to win the 2011 Vuelta a España with Spanish rider Juan Josè Cobo. Cobo took the lead on the Angliru stage 15 last Sunday and held on to the red jersey for the rest of the week.
"I’m thrilled, this is the greatest day in my career," explains Cobo. "It’s a dream come true. I still can’t believe this victory and the fantastic feat that me and my team managed to accomplish. I came to the Vuelta knowing that I was in good shape and that I could ride a good race, with the desire to help my team, but I never thought that I would end up here in Madrid in the red jersey on the highest step on the podium. I came to this race without the pressures of being the leader and this helped me to work with peace of mind and build this victory day by day. Winning on Angliru was wonderful, riding through my Cantabria in the red jersey was an extraordinary experience, but to ensure this victory I had to wait until the finish line in Madrid. Finally I can say that I’ve won the Vuelta España. Thanks to everyone, my team mates, all the team staff, my family who always supported me and the friends who cheered me on during these days along the roads and applauded me here in Madrid. Everyone has been exceptional. The team was phenomenal; we raced united and compact every day," concludes Cobo, who rode a celebratory red Fuji Altamira bicycle today for his victory in the Vuelta.
It’s a Vuelta to remember for GEOX-TMC, which in addition to Juanjo’s leader’s red jersey and the white jersey for the combined classification, also clinched the team general classification.
Photos: podium (Bettini), race (Sirotti)
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