187km and a tricky hilly circuit should hopefully make for an interesting South American Mix-race.
5 nations from across the continent are searching for a new NC - Brazil (7) and Argentinia (6) are the biggest groups in this 22-men-field.
Several ManGame-teams will be featured on the startlist, as there's no team with more than two riders at the start here.
Argentinia
Bolivia
Eduardo Sepulveda (Metinvest)
Gilber Zurita (VW-Mapei)
Lucas S. Haedo (Aker-MOT)
Ruben Ibanez (Pendleton's)
Juan J. Haedo (Heineken)
Piter Campero (Festina)
Maximiliano Richeze (UBS)
Óscar Solis (Bouygues)
Daniel R. Diaz (Evian-MIAT)
Pedro P. Pereyra (Lotto)
Chile
Brazil
Carlos Oyarzun (Pendleton's)
Segio Ortega (Repsol)
Thiago D. Nardin (Gazelle)
Pablo A. Alacorn (PFG-Armavia)
Rodrigo Nascimento (Prio-Porto)
Pedro Nicácio (Prio-Porto)
Uruguay
Alex Diniz (Team WWE)
Carlos A. Manarelli (Evian-MIAT)
Fabricio Ferrari (Mobil-Castro)
Rafael Andriato (Repsol)
Jorge A. Soto Pereira (Adira)
The early breakaway already looks like it could have been the crucial move - 7 riders (with "only" 3 nations featured) could make this a tough time for the 15-men-group behind:
So it's actually more like a reduced Argentinian NC-race so far, with at least two Brazilians having a possible battle for glory though, too.
No one in the "chasing group" would be able to get a pursuit running, so the breakaway would build a huge lead.
With about 10km to go, Campero (who's NC-title will be uncontested) and Pereyra attack the group! So Argentinia's own little NC-race is on!
Well, sort of... the two managed to hold on to a small gap and would take out the race! So Campero and Pereyra are today's first crowned champions..
Two riders from Brazil have their fight now a few moments later and it's Andriato, who finishes ahead of Nascimento for his title..
In the next group (20 minutes later), we still have two decisions to be made: Ferrari outsprints Pereira in a close fight for the Uruguayan title.
And Oyarzun takes an easy victory in Chile's competition, as his two opponents lost contact to this second group.
Road titles/
Piter Campero (Festina-Canal+) Pedro Pablo Pereyra (Lotto - Cervelo) Rafael Andriato (Repsol-Cativen) Fabricio Ferrari (Mobil - Castrol) Carlos Oyarzun (Pendleton's)
A flat 40km timetrial-parcours awaits the 22 riders from South America.. let's have a look at the winner's list..
Bolivia/ Ruben Ibanez (Pendleton's) has no problem to take the title, beating road champion Campero by 1'15" on the road..
Uruguay/ Pereira (Adira) takes revenge from his road-loss and crushes the "competition" (Ferrari, + 2.21) to secure his title.
Chile/ Same goes for Ortega (Repsol), who's 47" faster than Oyarzun for the provisional overall lead and his countries TT-victory.
Brazil/ Nicácio (Prio) was the clear favorite for the Brazilian competition and he delivers - beating teammate Nascimento by one and a half minutes!
Argentinia/ Sepulveda (Metinvest) is actually the slowest of all winning national groups here, but he obviously won't give a sh**. It's also the closest decision with Diaz as 2nd being "only" 38" in arrears.
Argentinia
Bolivia
Chile
Brazil
Uruguay
