Hugo Houle third in Tour de San Luis time trial, Diaz extends lead
Canadian Hugo Houle (Ag2r-La Mondiale) gave one of the best chrono performances of his career in Friday’s time trial at the Tour de San Luis, placing third. Houle, runner up to Svein Tuft in last year’s Canadian national time trial, blasted the bowl-profiled, 17.4-km course in 20:12, five second behind Movistar’s Adriano Malori (Italy) and a second behind world road champion Michał Kwiatkowski (Poland/Etixx-QuickStep). Malori also won the TT in last season’s Tour de San Luis.
. @HugoHoule :"No me esperaba ser tercero,mi objetivo era el top 10 en la etapa" / "I didn't expect it. My goal was to finish in the top 10"
— Tour de San Luis (@TourSanLuis) January 23, 2015
The real drama came at the end of the day’s stage, as race leader Daniel Diaz (Argentina/Funvic Brasilinvest-São José dos Campos) endeavoured to stave off the challenge of the Colombians: second place Rodolfo Torres and fourth place Nairo Quintana (Movistar).
The course descended gradually, turned around and climbed gradually into a headwind. At the intermediate time check, Torres was at 9:06, Quintana 9:07 and Diaz 9:14. But Diaz improved over the second half to finish two seconds faster than Quintana and nine quicker than Torres. Currently the GC is Diaz in the orange leader’s jersey, Torres +1:09 and Quintana +1:25. Diaz’s Brazilian teammate, Alex Dinez, who was third after Thursday’s stage four, did not start the time trial because of gastroenteritis.
It was Ag2r’s first podium of the season, and the French WorldTour squad used a Québécois expression to express its joy.
Tabernacle. Premier podium sur route 2015. @HugoHoule 3ème du chrono @TourSanLuis derrière Adriano #Malori et @michalkwiatek #ALLEZALM
— AG2R LA MONDIALE (@AG2RLAMONDIALEc) January 23, 2015
@AG2RLAMONDIALEc @HugoHoule @TourSanLuis @michalkwiatek bravo Hugo. Ps c'est plutôt tabarnack!
— Lyne @podiuminsight (@podiuminsight) January 23, 2015
Tabarnak… Premier podium sur route 2015 pour Hugo Houle, 3ème du contre la montre du Tour de San Luis derrière… http://t.co/pOvOKSmdnE
— AG2R LA MONDIALE (@AG2RLAMONDIALEc) January 23, 2015
Un joli podium @HugoHoule @TourSanLuis #ALLEZALM pic.twitter.com/fpGnlpxR1z
— AG2R LA MONDIALE (@AG2RLAMONDIALEc) January 23, 2015
J'espérais un top 10, et rêvais d'un podium ! J'ai réussi, je me suis surpris moi-même, je suis vraiment content… http://t.co/X0q5cQLMCG
— Hugo Houle (@HugoHoule) January 23, 2015
Antoine Duchesne of Europcar placed 50th on the day, 2:01 behind Malori. Houle is now 62nd on GC and Duchesne 98th.
Saturday’s stage features a Cat. 3 and two Cat. 1 climbs in the final 18 km.
