Olympic road race champion, Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) has won the Queen stage of the Tour of the Basque Country.
The Spaniard broke away with Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) and Chris Horner (RadioShack-Nissan) within the closing five kilometres of stage three, before sprinting clear to take a third victory in as many years on the mountain Eibar-Arrate.
Sanchez said: “The guys, today and throughout the Tour have been great.”
The riders crested seven climbs on the 164km stage from Vitoria-Gasteiz, but Sanchez and his companions only escaped within the last five kilometres on the final climb, to the summit of the first category Alto de Usartza.
Rabobank’s Bauke Mollema finished fourth, 12 seconds down on Sanchez, Horner, and Rodriguez, and just ahead of the leaders of the Lampre-ISD and Omega Pharma Quickstep teams, Damiano Cunego and Tony Martin.
The three riders who occupied the podium at the end of today’s stage also occupy the first three places in the overall standings.
Horner, overall victor in the 2010 race, and runner up at this year’s Tirreno-Adriatico, said: “My real concern today was that Tony Martin was still with us at the bottom of the climb and we didn’t want to hand him the GC.”
Martin is tenth overall, 12 seconds behind Horner and Sanchez who have the same time.
Damiano Cunego, sixth on GC, 12 seconds behind Sanchez, is seeking a first victory since winning stage two in last year’s Tour of Romandie.
Britain’s Team Sky ended the day with two riders in the top 10, with Sergio Montoya eighth and Lars Petter Nordhaug 10th.
Tour of the Basque Country stage three – result
1) Samuel Sanchez (SPA) – Euskaltel-Euskadi – 3.58.15
2) Joaquim Rodriguez (SPA) – Katusha
3) Christopher Horner (USA) – RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
4) Bauke Mollema (NED) – Rabobank + 12”
5) Damiano Cunego (ITA) – Lampre – ISD
6) Tony Martin (GER) – Omega Pharma-Quickstep
7) Michele Scarponi (ITA) – Lampre-ISD
8) Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (COL) – Team Sky
9) Robert Kiserlovski (CRO) – Astana
10) Lars Petter Nordhaug (NOR) – Team Sky
General classification
1) Samuel Sanchez (SPA) – Euskaltel-Euskadi – 12.06.06
2) Christopher Horner (USA) – RadioShack-Nissan-Trek
3) Joaquim Rodriguez (SPA) – Katusha
4) Ryder Hesjedal (CAN) – Garmin-Barracuda +12”
5) Wout Poels (NED) – Vacansoleil-DCM
6) Damiano Cunego (ITA) – Lampre-ISD
7) Vasili Kiryienka (BLR) – Movistar Team
8) Jurgen Van Den Broeck (BEL) – Lotto- Belisol
9) Robert Kiserlovski (CRO) – Astana
10) Tony Martin (GER) – Omega Pharma-Quickstep
