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Wenceslao Cánovas wins 1579 Ceribian Tour
By Richard W. Wallace
Published: Nueva 25, 1579


Wenceslao Cánovas, the unexpected winner of 1579 Ceribian Tour


Etova, Ceribia - Wenceslao Cánovas (New Galeae Cycling) became the first Castlian rider to win the Ceribian Tour, and the second ever to win a Grand Tour, after Basileo Tramuntana who won the 1524 Tour de Valland.

The 29-year old Castlian all-rounder took the general classification after winning stage 15, increasing him his lead in stage 18, won by Kyrzbekistani climber Amerhan Toktamishur (Kyrzbas-Malek), finishing third after the Kyrzbek climber and Tour de Valland winner Kieran McLucais (United Strathae), enough to assure the Mountain classification as well. The last time a rider won both the general and the mountain classification was in 1572, when Pythian climber Philos Thanos surprisingly won the Ceribian Tour.

Many things had changed since them, but 34-year old Philos Thanos (Evgem-Vertigo) showed he is still able to fight for a Grand Tour's general classification, ending second only one minute and thirty-eight seconds behind Cánovas. Thanos recover more than third minutes in the last high mountain stage to Cánovas, who barely could follow the main pace imposed by United Strathae climbers, but Cánovas resisted and slightly increased his lead in the last time-trial stage.

The time-trial stage was won by East Kaljuran rider Hano Rüütel (Mordvelo), the second rider to win a Grand Tour stage and the first after the breakup of his country, but it was the third position in which real competition and excitement remained. Strathaen Kieran McLucais could not kept the third place by merely four seconds, and Elton Isaksson could save his season after a disappointing Tour de Valland with a place in the podium in Ceribia. Adwestene Marc Menethil (Dagslag-NVB), although improved Isaksson time in more than a minute, ended only two seconds behind the Nylander all-rounder.

Ludvig Bloch (Luft Wurberg) dominated on the sprint winning four stages, in his best Grand Tour so far. But Immanuel Botha (Lentar-Swift) won three stages and proved to be more constant and competitive, winning clearly the Points classification. This season has been certainly the confirmation for the Batavian sprinter, with 5 Grand Tour's individual stages and 12 victories in another races so far.

The Team classification was won by United Strathae for first time.