32nd VUELTA A CUBA – 2.2
Cuban Pedro Pablo Perez returns to defend his title. In a tight race at the moment it is Venezuelan Anthony Brea, Spain's Victor Gomez and Juan Magallanes of Mexico separated by seconds in the General Classification after three stages.

By Bart Hazen

On the 13th February 129 riders gathered at the start  for the 32nd Vuelta a Cuba. The race is 13 stages total with stage 11 having a two stages a morning 30 km time trial and the afternoon's stage b. a 148 km test from Matanzas to Guanajay, 148 km only two day before the finish in Havana. The race will end on February 25th.

Last year the race was won by Cuban Pedro Pablo Perez and he wants to defend his title again. Other riders to watch for are Anthony Brea, he rides for Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni/Selle Italia, but competes for his country Venezuela in this race, Juan Pablo Magallanes (Mexico/Tecos de la Universidad), Sergio Padilla (Vina Magna), Gianluca Cavalli (Endeka), Franklin Chacon (Venezuela), Jackson Rodriquez (Venezuela), Arnold Alocolea (Cuba), Lizardo Benitez (Cuba) and the riders of Perutnina Ptuj with Mitja Mahoric, Radoslav Rogina and Matija Kvasina.

Stage 1 - Baracoa - Guantánamo - 153 km
The first and second stages were for the sprinters. Victor Gomez of the Spanish continental team Vina Magna Cropus won the first stage and opened the victory account for this team. Gomez won the stage ahead of last years overall winner Pedro Pablo Perez and Venezuelan rider Anthony Brea.

Stage 2 - Guantánamo - Santiago de Cuba - 111 km
The second stage was won by Anthony Brea which means the 10th victory for Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Selle Italia this season. Gianni Savio must be delighted with the results but not with the fact they didn’t get a wildcard for the Giro D’Italia. Juan Pablo Magallanes was 2nd and the winner of stage one Victor Gomez 3rd.

Stage 3 - Santiago de Cuba - Bayazo - 125 km
Stage 3 didn’t end up in a bunch sprint but again a Spanish rider Vina Magna rider took the victory flowers. Bruno Antero was the best with a four seconds lead on Magallanes who finished again on a second place. Italian Gianluca Coletta of the Cinelli-Endeka team was 3rd.

Venezuelan rider Anthony Brea is the leader after three stages in this years Vuelta a Cuba. Victor Gomez is 2nd in the same time and Magallanes is 3rd at 2 seconds. The differences are small and the riders still have to do 11 stages with the difficult stages to come.

Symmetrics is representing the North American Peloton the 30-km individual time trial should suit Svein Tuft. Tuft, will appear in the red skin-suit of National Champion in the event. Tuft has been honing his time trialling skills lately on the track. "I've increased my Revolutions per minute, my leg speed, with all the riding at the velodrome, so I'm pretty stoked to try it out on the road."

Joining Tuft in Cuba: Marsh Cooper, Christian Meier, Andrew Pinfold and Andrew Randell. New S-team rider Geoff Kabush will be lending a hand to the squad, making his first appearance with his new comrades in arms.

Most of the team has been training in either BC or California, and although it is the rainy season in Cuba, weather could be a factor. "If it gets warm, we could have a pretty hot war on the roads with some of the locals who are more acclimatized," Symmetrics veteran Andrew Pinfold said. "As far as who is our best rider right now, I think some of the guys who have been training hard on the track might pull off some good rides, but whoever gets up there in the G.C., we will all ride in solidarity."

Stage 1 Result and General Classification
1 Victor Gomez (Spa) Viña Magna Cropus 3.49.06
2 Pedro Pablo Perez (Cub) Cuba
3 Anthony Brea (Ven) Venezuela
4 Antonio Cosme (Spa) Viña Magna Cropus
5 Vladimir Smirnov (Ltu) Cinelli-Endeka-OPD
6 Yasmani Martinez (Cub) Cuba
7 Alien Garcia (Cub) ISCF Manuel Fajardo
8 Wilmer Rodriguez (Cub) C.T Cienfuegos
9 Lizardo Benitez (Cub) Cuba
10 Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team

Stage 2 Results
1 Anthony Brea (Ven) Venezuela 2.34.34 (43.09 km/h)
2 Juan Magallanes (Mex) Mexico
3 Victor Gomez (Spa) Viña Magna Cropus
4 Jan Carlos Arias (Cub) ISCF Manuel Fajardo
5 Pedro Pablo Perez (Cub) Cuba
6 Nico Graf (Ger) Alemania
7 Antonio Cosme (Spa) Viña Magna Cropus
8 Jorge Rojas (Cub) Sancti Spiritus
9 Gianluca Coletta (Ita) Cinelli-Endeka-OPD
10 Arnold Alcolea (Cub) Cuba

Stage 3
1 Bruno Antero (Spa) Viña Magna Cropus 3.06.22
2 Juan Magallanes (Mex) Mexico 0.04
3 Gianluca Coletta (Ita) Cinelli-Endeka-OPD 0.06
4 Ernesto Cano (Cub) ISCF Manuel Fajardo 0.10
5 Anthony Brea (Ven) Venezuela

General Classification after stage 3
1 Anthony Brea (Ven) Venezuela 9.29.58
2 Victor Gomez (Spa) Viña Magna Cropus
3 Juan Magallanes (Mex) Mexico 0.02

Remaining stages:
Stage 4 - February 16: Manzanillo – Holguín, 153 km
Stage 5 - February 17: Holguín – Camaguey, 206 km
Stage 6 - February 18: Camaguey – Ciego de Avila, 113 km
Stage 7 - February 19: Ciego de Avila – Sancti Spiritus, 146 km
Stage 8 - February 20: Sancti Spiritus – Santa Clara, 159 km
Stage 9 - February 21: Santa Clara – Cienfuegos, 140 km
Stage 10 - February 22: Cienfuegos – Cárdenas, 175 km
Stage 11a - February 23: Varadero – Matanzas ITT, 30 km
Stage 11b - February 23: Matanzas – Guanajay, 148 km
Stage 12 - February 24: Artemisa – Pinar del Río, 126 km
Stage 13 - February 25: Circuit in Habana, 90 km