Quick Facts
Biography
Rubén Plaza Molina (born 29 February 1980) is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for Orica–Scott. He turned professional in 2001 with iBanesto.com, before moving to Comunidad Valenciana–Kelme. Here he enjoyed his greatest success, with a stage win and a top 5 overall placing in the 2005 Vuelta a España.
Career
Plaza was born in Ibi, Spain. 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.
In 2015, he won Stage 16 of the Tour de France, his second Grand Tour stage win.
In 2015, he also won Stage 20 of the Vuelta de España. He was named in the start list for the 2016 Giro d'Italia.
Career achievements
Major results
- 1997
- 1st
National Under-19 Road Race Championships - 2003
- 1st National Road Race Championships
- 1st Stage 5 Regio-Tour
- 2004
- 1st Stage 5 (ITT) Trofeú Joaquim Agostinho
- 3rd Trofeo Cala Millor
- 4th Overall Vuelta a Murcia
- 6th Overall Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
- 10th Circuito de Getxo
- 2005
- 1st Overall GP Internacional Costa Azul
- 1st Stage 2
- 1st Overall Vuelta a Aragón
- 1st Stage 4 (ITT)
- 1st Stage 2 Vuelta a Murcia
- 3rd National Time Trial Championships
- 4th World Time Trial Championships
- 5th Overall Vuelta a España
- 1st Stage 20 (ITT)
- 5th Klasika Primavera
- 6th Overall Critérium International
- 2006
- 1st Clásica a los Puertos de Guadarrama
- 2nd Overall Vuelta a La Rioja
- 2nd National Time Trial Championships
- 4th Overall Vuelta a Asturias
- 1st Stage 5
- 4th Overall Trofeú Joaquim Agostinho
- 1st Stage 1
National Under-19 Road Race Championships- 2007
- 1st Overall Vuelta a La Rioja
- 4th Overall Clasica a Alcobendas
- 5th Overall Euskal Bizikleta
- 10th Overall Vuelta a Burgos
- 2008
- 1st Overall Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
- 1st Stage 1 (ITT) Vuelta a la Comunidad de Madrid
- 2nd National Time Trial Championships
- 3rd Overall Volta a Portugal
- 1st Prologue (ITT)
- 9th Overall Volta ao Algarve
- 2009
- 1st National Road Race Championships
- 1st Stage 2 GP CTT Correios de Portugal
- 2nd Overall Vuelta a Murcia
- 1st Stage 4
- 3rd Overall Volta ao Algarve
- 3rd Overall Volta a Portugal
- 1st Stage 6
- 3rd National Time Trial Championships
- 4th Overall Circuit de Lorraine
- 1st Stage 3
- 2010
- 3rd National Time Trial Championships
- 11th Overall Tour de France
- 14th Overall Vuelta a España
- 2012
- 10th Overall Circuit de la Sarthe
- 2013
- 1st Overall Vuelta a Castilla y León
- 1st Stage 3
- 3rd National Time Trial Championships
- 4th Vuelta a la Comunidad de Madrid
- 6th Overall Route du Sud
- 9th Overall Vuelta a Asturias
- 2015
- 1st Stage 16 Tour de France
- Vuelta a España
- 1st Stage 20
Combativity award Stage 20
Combativity award Stage 20Grand Tour general classification results timeline
| Grand Tour | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Giro | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 56 |
 Tour | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | — | 101 | 47 | 91 | 30 | 72 |
 Vuelta | 5 | — | — | — | — | 14 | — | — | — | — | 45 | — |
WD = Withdrew; In Progress = IP