Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) has moved into the overall lead at the Vuelta al País Vasco after winning today’s Queen stage of the race. It marked his eighth victory of the season and the 105th victory of his pro career.
Valverde outsprinted a small group at the end of the 139-kilometre stage in Eibar which included six categorised climbs en route.
The Spaniard closed down an attack by Michael Woods (Cannondale-Drapac) and Louis Meintjes (UAE Team Emirates) on the final climb with Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) and Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac) going with him.
Valverde went to the front inside the closing three hundred metres with nobody else able to come around him. Bardet finished second on the stage with Uran taking third with Woods and Meintjes also on the same time.
Valverde now leads overall from Uran and Bardet who are on the same time. The race concludes tomorrow with a 27.7-kilometre individual time-trial.
Alejandro Valverde: “We set Rubén at the front to pull hard and pick the pace up heading into the climb; Yates jumped at the first slope and, when I saw him, I quickly tried to counter his move and make the GC contenders suffer. I attacked and attacked, the other struggled, but I also suffered and it was difficult to create a gap. At the final stretch of the ‘new’ climb I decided to just set a steady pace, without any attacks, to catch Woods and Meintjes. That way, I could contest the sprint, where I knew I’d be the fastest. I knew the finish perfectly – one who doesn’t do might have his doubts about how to tackle that final turn, on full steam or braking a bit before going for the final straight. I knew I had to go full gas, that’s why I took the lead with 300m to go and never let anyone go ahead. I was second through the last turn when I won in the Vuelta a España, and was lucky to just pip Purito over the very finish line. That’s why I kept clear in mind I had to go through first.
“I’m really happy about this victory. It makes me feel already satisfied about what I’ve achieved in this race. We’ll surely chase the overall win at the TT tomorrow, we’ve got no pressure on our shoulders and a GC victory would be a huge plus for my palmarès, I can’t deny I want to take it as I haven’t got an Itzulia – but I’ll feel happy all the same if I don’t win. I’ve claimed eight victories so far this year, two GCs, lots of second and third places – everything that happens now will not change my happiness. We also know that some good specialists are behind us, really close, and it will be tough to conserve the jersey. Alberto was strong today, despite his crashes on Thursday, and Ion is a splendid time trialist, and only lost 15” today.
“The key on tomorrow’s TT route will be both the ascent and the flat after the Elgeta descent. You’ve got to climb fast and profit from that long downhill to recover because, even though there are some generous stretches into the flatter part to just throw your bike and not pedal, you’ll also need some power on your legs to cope with some difficult sections. I know it well, I actually went on a recce of it last Friday, and today’s finale went through some of its roads. I’m confident I can do well.”
