Italian Malucelli took the stage of Maracaibo and is the leader of the Vuelta a Venezuela (photos)

Matteo Malucelli, cast of Androni Giocattoli, Italy dominated from start to finish and took the first stage of the Vuelta Venezuela by bike, which ran on Thursday, July 5 on a 96-kilometer circuit in Maracaibo, timing time 2 hours, 16 minutes and 38 seconds.

His teammate, Marco Benfatto, escorted him to the finish and Orluis Aular, from Team Star Team Gusto, Yaracuy came in third, both, with the same time the winner in a quiet stage, which has not presented significant emotions.

"This is an important triumph as it allows you to immediately place the leader's jersey that commits you to continue winning steps .It's very nice to start triumphing through the work of any one." The team that supported me for this purpose was a circuit at very high temperatures, but that did not affect me much because in Italy we prepared ourselves in similar situations to come here.The goal for tomorrow is to go out and find the second step, "said the winner.

Matteo wore the yellow jersey of the leader of the overall standings of the 55th edition of the national tour with a time of 2 hours, 16 minutes and 28 seconds. In the second box appears Marco Benfatto, at 4 seconds and third place Orluis Aular, 6 seconds behind the leader.

In the overall standings, Mauro Rojas of Colombia took first place with 6 points, Robinson Ruiz of Peru was second with 5 points and José Briceño also of Peru third with 4 points.

Gianni Savio, technical director of the Italian team, said that with this victory "we began to fulfill the goal with which we arrived at this round: to win as much as possible. steps as possible. "Today (this Thursday) I told the guys that we could win the special because it had the right conditions for us. It was short, flat and the climate was playing in our favor, "he explained.

He adds that he has no experienced cyclist who aspires to win the return from the beginning , but if the opportunity arises, he will have the Costa Rican Kevin Rivera.

Savio, a great connoisseur of criollo cycling, won this competition six times in the top of the teams of his country.

José Pulido , president of the Zuliana Cycling Association, lamented the lack of public presence on the circuit and took the opportunity to ask the regional executive to equip the Zulian team to continue to participate in this edition

"We got a special permit for boys to run this second stage, but if the resources for the expenses do not arrive, we can not continue. We must cover accommodation, food, hydration and mobilization, "said the leader

The second leg of the Vuelta a Venezuela will leave this Friday, at 10:00, from the city of Cabimas Valera , State of Trujillo.