Rubén Plaza life and biography

Rubén Plaza Molina , born February 29, 1980 in Ibi, Spain is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for Caisse d'Epargne. He turned professional in 2001 with iBanesto.com, before moving to Comunidad Valenciana. Here he enjoyed his greatest success, with a stage win and a top 5 overall placing in the 2005 Vuelta a España, in what is to date his only appearance in one of cycling's Grand Tours.

In 2006 he was implicated in the Operación Puerto doping scandal, but was later acquitted of any involvement. Nevertheless, after an abridged 2007 season with Caisse d'Epargne he spent 2008 and 2009 with smaller Continental level teams in Portugal. Despite this, in 2009 he was able to take his second victory in the Spanish national championships, before finishing 4th overall in the Volta a Portugal, a result which was later upgraded to 3rd by the disqualification of his Liberty Seguros teammate Nuno Ribeiro for a doping violation. The simultaneous positive tests of two of the team's other riders caused the team to disband, leaving Plaza without a ride for 2010. Despite being linked to the Astana team, Plaza returned to Caisse d'Epargne, the signing made official in December 2009.

PALMARES

1997
Spain U19 Road Race Champion

2003
Spain Road Race Champion (in Alcobendas)
Stage 5, Regio Tour

2004
Stage 5, Trofeú Joaquim Agostinho

2005
Stage 2 & Overall, GP Internacional Costa Azul
Stage 4 & Overall, Vuelta a Aragón
Stage 2, Vuelta a Murcia
4th, World Time Trial Championship
5th, Vuelta a España
1st, Stage 20 (in Alcalá de Henares)
2nd, Stage 9
5th, Stage 17

2006
Clasica a los Puertos de Guadarrama
Stage 1, Trofeú Joaquim Agostinho
Stage 5, Vuelta Asturias

2007
Vuelta a la Rioja

2008
Vuelta a la Comunidad Valenciana

2009
Stage 4, Vuelta a Murcia
Spain Road Race Champion (in Torrelavega)
3rd, Volta a Portugal

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