Stage 12 - Vuelta Kolbi a Costa Rica - San Isidro de Perez Zeledon - San José

Stage 12 of the Vuelta featuring the cerro de la Muerte, a 45km HC climb up to 3200m of altitude promise to be epic and it was, in many aspects. 

Race description:
157,05km - high mountain - (3474m)

Race map:
Buenos Aires time trial



How it unfold:
After an early morning with transition to the start of the race, the team finally arrived to the start of the race where Jean-Michel found a bike to start the race (his frame broke the day before going to the bakery). With an integrated seat post of 76,4cm it was a bit too high for Jean-Michel who usually rides 75,5cm, but it was still more safe than riding a broken frame especially with the descent to San José.



The race started well for the team. Jean-Michel, who was in fourth place in the Metas Volante classification, had the opportunity to climb one step if he won the last intermediate sprint of the race at km 30 right before the climb start.

Jean-Michel: "After 15 km, I took the opportunity and attack to get the last meta volante. I was joined by the Mexican Carlos Lopez, the russian Ershov, and a Pizza Hut rider and no one contested me the sprint. We also enjoyed a small gap of close to a minute to start the climb. 45km long, the climb was very steady and I did not try to follow when Rojas passed me on the big ring. A few kilometers laters, a larger group lead by Coopenae Gregory Brenes for his teammate Bonilla caught me and I could follow. Ryan was also in that group."



Ryan and Jean-Michel did a good operation being in that group as the whole Coopenae team set up a very steady tempo up the climb.

Jean-Michel: "My bike was definitely not confortable being 1cm too high, but I was happy to be in the group and securing therefore my 13th place in the general classification."

Up the road, it was the Rojas festival. Juan Carlos put the hammer on the race and reached the top of the climb more than 20 min ahead of Ryan and Jean-Michel group. Things were looking good tough for Jean-Michel and Ryan as the group was making grounds in the descent and in the flat sections down to San José.

45km from the finish tough, the bike of the costa rican rider Isaac Morera broke while going speed exceding 70km/h.

Jean-Michel: "With the neutral bike, I was not as confortable and so I stayed last of the group in the descent. The crash happen very fast, I hear a rubbing noise comming from the Pizza Hut rider about 10m in front of me on my left. He then do a front flip. At that moment, I still tought I had a chance to get through fine but his bike went airborn in my direction. I then crashed pretty hard. At first, the pain was violent and I tought I had broken something, but a few minutes later, it went away and I asked for my bike to finish the race. The injuries were painfull but luckily, the rest of the stage was mostly descending and with thousands of spectators cheering in the last kilometers, it adds up to the motivation. When I reach the finish line, I was immediately attend by the first aid to clean the cuts and put ice on my eye. Later in the day, I received literally hundreds of support messages from Costa Rican who were impressed by my finish. I feel very touched by the support and thank the Costa Rican people for loving cycling so much. This year, I had the opportunity to do a big road block, which I had never done in my life before and I enjoyed the best form of my life during those 2 weeks of racing, so this is a great motivation for 2014."



The rest of the team had a good day all finishing the last stage of the Vuelta, an exploit for our team ! In the end, Team 1% for the Planet, was one of the most active team, with nothing less than 7 podiums finish, including 1 win and 5 second places ! Next year is the 50th anniversary of the race and Team For the Planet hope to go back again on the podium one step higher when possible !

Gavriel Epstein: "Today was a beast! 3500m of climbing at altitude. The vuelta was a good experience and eye opening to what it is to race for 2 weeks!"

Ryan Roth: "I had a good time, good group of guys, I don't know if I would do it again, but I definitely enjoyed it."

Etienne Samson: "The Vuelta was my first UCI race 3 years ago, and I always wanted to come back and finish and I did it. I am very happy."

Anton Varabei: ". It was Epic, it was hard and longest/highest climb to date. Enjoyed the climb a lot, not too steep, steady and never ending. Descent was complete garbage and only thing that was disappointing. Was hoping to fly thru it, but it was all rough and bumpy, and with some unpredictable turns - we were bouncing all over the place and could hardly work together in a groupetto... never mind the crazy winds from all sides. ...and now I'm officially smoked, and glad it's over! Thanks for following! I will happily do this race all over again next year! Now I stay here in Costa Rica for another week, and will try to explore the country a little more. First step is the beach, which I have yet to see! "

Julien Gagné: "I love my first experience of the Vuelta. I gained a lot of experience, it was hard and long, but I also had lot of fun."


Results: full results - video report

Stage 12 - 157km - avg speed - 34,43km/h
1- Juan Rojas, JPS Giant, 4h 33m 41
2- Bryan Villalabos, Agricenter, + 2m 22
3- Elias Vega, JPS Giant, +2m 22
16- Ryan Roth, 1% for the Planet, + 17m 53
42- Jean-Michel Lachance, 1% for the Planet, + 32m 30
54- Julien Gagné, 1% for the Planet, + 46m 11
57- Anton Varabei, 1% for the Planet, + 49m 49
58- Gavriel Epstein, 1% for the Planet, + 49m 49
66- Étienne Samson, 1% for the Planet, + 59m 59

General classification
1- Juan Rojas, JPS Giant, 38h 04m 06
2- Elias Vega, JPS-Giant, + 13m 248
3- Bryan Villalabos, Agricenter, + 22m 15
20- Jean-Michel Lachance, 1% for the Planet, + 1h 00m 15
34- Ryan Roth, 1% for the Planet, +1h 15m 57
40- Julien Gagné, 1% for the Planet, + 1h 30m 46
56- Anton Varabei, 1% for the Planet, + 2h 21 50
62- Gavriel Epstein, 1% for the Planet, + 2h 43m 35
66- Étienne Samson, 1% for the Planet, + 3h 25m 24

Regularidad
1- Juan Rojas - JPS Giant - 156pts
2 - Jean-Michel Lachance - For the Planet - 116pts
3 - Fabricio Quiros - BCR Pizza Hut - 94pts
15 - Anton Varabei - For the Planet - 43 pts
16- Ryan Roth - For the Planet - 40pts

Metas Volantes
1 - Jose Vega - JPS - 30
2 - Juan Juarez - Mexico - 26
3 - Jean-Michel Lachance - For the Planet - 25

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Photo credit: Federacion Costaricense de Ciclismo (Photo 1-2-3) - Ever Obando (photo 4), Coopenae Movistar cycling team (photo 5-6)
Altimeteria and map: Garmin