Vuelta a Colombia 2012: Stage 7

Zanotti celebrated his second victory in this year's Vuelta a Colombia

Marco Zanotti  of Utensilnord-Named sprinted to his second stage win in the 2012 Vuelta a Colombia. It took the 23-year-old Italian just over 3 hours  to complete the 149km stage, from Popayán to Palmira in the south-west area of the country.

Lotería de Medellín kept the pace up during the relatively calm stage, controlling the peloton and maintaining race leader,  Alejandro Ramírez out of trouble and unthreatened.  During the first part of the stage, the excitement came from the fight for the KOM points between Fernando Camargo of Lotería de Boyacá and Fabio Montenegro of Formesan-Bogotá Humana. Camargo continues as the leader in that competition with 48 points, 9 more than Montenegro.

After the last climb of the day a breakaway finally formed. The small group contained Mauricio Ardila (Colombia-Comcel, ex-Rabobank), Camilo Castiblanco (EPM-Une), Byron Guamá (Movistar Continental), Wilson Cepeda (Formesan-Bogotá Humana), José Jiménez (Lotería de Boyacá), and Juan Sebastián Tamayo (UPB Bancaja). The six riders got a maximum advantage of just over 2 minutes, before the main field roped them back in, in time for another bunch sprint.

There was no major changes in the General Classification, although fourth place Felix Cardenas did get a 3 second bonus in one of the intermediate sprints.

Thursday's mostly flat stage will take the Vuelta, due north, from Palmira to Dos Quebradas. The 198 km day will most likely be, once again, be controlled by the Leader's team at the beginning and the sprinter's teams in the second half. Expect a bunch sprint.

STAGE RESULTS
1. Marco Zanotti (Utensilnord-Named) 3h03:26
2. Carlos Urán (472-Colombia)  ST
3. Marvin Angarita (Movistar Continental)
4. Juan Pablo Forero (Colombia-Coldeportes)
5. Félix Cárdenas (GW Shimano)

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Alejandro RamÍrez (Lotería de MedellÍn) 23h09:44
2. Fabio Montenegro (Formesan) 06'
3. Flober Peña (Néctar Cundinamarca)  22'
4. Félix Cárdenas (GW Shimano)  33'
5. Fabio Duarte (Colombia-Coldeportes)  58'