La Vuelta España in Coin
Team Sky is wracked by a mysterious illness that’s sweeping through the British team early in the 2010 Vuelta a España. As another Britain finds the going tough.Two Team Sky riders have quit the Tour of Spain during the third stage having been left sick by a mystery illness that has swept through the team.
"John Lee Augustyn and Ben Swift both pulled out because they could not continue as they were so sick," said team principal Dave Brailsford. "Another three, Simon Gerrans, Ian Stannard and Pete Kennaugh are all really bad." Brailsford added: "It's basically they can't stop vomiting but we don't think it's food poisoning.
"We've got our own chef and the riders and staff eat separately and we're always very vigilant about hygiene"
The third stage from Marbella to Malaga was ridden in 44deg heat, and leader Mark Cavendish was dropped and left trailing by the peloton early on (see pic 3rd from right in the leaders red jersey) on the long climb up from Marbella to Coin.
The crowds were out in large numbers as the race passed through Coin on their way up to 
Alozaina and then to Malaga via Cartama, as the large colourful convoy of bikes, cars, Guardia Civil in their jeeps and on their motorbikes, team cars loaded with spare bikes and the ever present helicopters overhead, all swept through Coin and in 10 minutes it was back to normal siesta time.
Britain's Mark Cavendish lost his Tour lead to Philippe Gilbert who broke clear in the final stages to capture the stage and claim a 14-second overall advantage over Spaniard Joaquin Rodriguez. Spaniard Serafin Martinez made a burst for the line in Malaga but was overtaken by Gilbert, who then withstood the challenge of Rodriguez over the final kilometre to win by three seconds. Cavendish dropped to 138th in the 21-stage race, which ends on 19 September.
Photos By. Damian Merino & Mick Kerrigan
- Virtual Newspaper
- Weather Forecast