Spain’s Samuel Sanchez secured a much-needed first win of the season for his Euskaltel-Euskadi team on Thursday’s 160km fourth stage of the Tour of the Basque Country, the squad’s biggest home race.
Sanchez produced a solo ride to victory 2km after completing the notoriously difficult Arrate climb. Compatriot Alejandro Valverde was second, two seconds back, and regained the overall lead from fellow Spaniard Oscar Freire. Dutchman Robert Gesink finished third.
One of two teams in cycling’s top ProTour league with no wins this season, the other being Omega Pharma-Lotto, Sanchez said his triumph would ease the pressure on Euskaltel-Euskadi.
PHOTO: EPA
“Taking the first victory of the year is always important, this time much more so than usual, and winning in Arrate like [Spain’s top stage racer] Alberto Contador did last year makes me very proud,” the 2008 Olympic road-race champion told reporters.
“I had a rough start to this race, losing nearly two minutes on the first day, but that also meant I had a little bit of room to manoeuvre. I took full advantage of that today,” Sanchez said.
While Sanchez received a Basque beret for his win in the race’s most mountainous stage, Valverde again donned the leader’s yellow jersey he had worn for the first two days.
“Today I proved I could climb with the best of them but the race is a long way from being won,” Valverde said.
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