With three riders from Mexico in Protour teams, it has been a good year for supporters of cycling in the nation. However leading rider and reigning champion Perez Cuapio has been unable to prevent his trade team from relegation. This fate is also looking likely to hit the Chihuahua tour, which suffered a poor turnout this year.
Other riders to watch for here are Liptons Matamoros, Rangel (Lafarge) and Colex (Mercedes). There are a number of decent uncontracted riders also so this is not going to be a walkover for the professionals on a tough course.
After a tough first 180km we have this situation with 75km to go.
It is Mexican rider Cortez who has eeked out a 1.30 advantage over a peleton of 16 riders, however the favourites don't leave it too long to attack. Well I say attack more like Perez Cuapio rides away from the peleton at the 65km to go point.
This is another rider who it will be interesting to see if he retains his current place in his current trade team. He rode a few Grand Tours this year but looks more like a luxury domestique. However thoughts he would simply romp home to defend his RR title are short lived as Matamoros wants to make a game of it.
He bridges to Cortez and Perez Cuapio, but the three don't work together drifting back to the peleton only for Matamoros to ride away and Perez Cuapio this time having to bridge up.
With 25km to go these two hang ahead of the peleton, refusing to work together. Matamoros realises it is now or never a decent sprinter or two await in the peleton and he goes again.
It proves the decisive moment as Perez Cuapio fades behind and the Lipton rider takes a well earned win and perhaps a renewed contract?
In the TT Mercedes rider Colex is the only rider with real testing ability, his closest rival is Perez Cuapio who can hold it together. But today he was no match for the defending TT champion.
It was clear on the flatter section who the fastest was and here is another rider who just may have sealed a renewed contract north of the border for his now California based squad.
