Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco Stage 6 report and results

Sammy Sanchez

If you don't feel astounded right now, look at this...

Stage 6
1 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 28'48
2 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank +6
3 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep +7 (Full stage results when available)

That's right - climber Samuel Sanchez beat World Time Trial Champion Tony Martin in the closing time trial stage of the Tour of the Basque Country. And that means...

Overall General Classification
1 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 20h58'15"
2 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha +12"
3 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank +42" (Full GC results when available)

...which is, quite frankly, an incredible result. The two small climbs turned out to be surfaced with rather poor condition tarmac were far harder than the stage profile suggested, with heavy rain not helping on the tricky descents. Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) went into the stage with a 9" advantage after getting the better of the Euskaltel captain in Stage 5 and rode what may prove to be the best time trial of his life; however, while Sanchez has developed into an enormously talented all-rounder, Rodriguez remains very much a climber and his efforts simply couldn't deliver what he needed

Euskaltel-Euskadi has suffered very public financial problems in the last year. While acting as the Basque national team, the economic recession has hit Spain and Portugal hard, with the autonomous Basque Country also experiencing problems - and with the Basques obsessed by the sport, the loss of this team would be a greater tragedy than is normally the case when any other team vanishes. With luck, this result will prove sufficient to bring a new backer onboard.

There'll be a lot of patxaran drunk in Euskal Herria tonight - and Sammy deserves every toast.

Interesting Stuff: Sky race report Katusha report

Tour of the Basque Country: 1 (video) / 2 (video) / 3 (video) / 4 (video) / 5 (video) / 6

Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco Stage 3 report and results

Stage 3 began in Vittoria-Gasteiz and immediately headed into a flat initial 35km before arriving at the first climb Alto de Kruzieta (Cat 2). From 55km onwards it was climbs all the way with two Cat 2s, a Cat 3 and a Cat 1 in the following 100km.

Sammy Sanchez
(image credit: Petit Brun CC BY-SA 2.0)

A small lead group made up of riders all with a chance of winning today formed as the race negotiated Cat 1 Alto de Usartza, the final climb up to the finish line and the place where Chris Horner (RadioShack-Nissan), Joachin Rodriguez (Katusha) and Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) decided they'd all had quite enough of hanging around and left everyone else behind with 4.5km to go.

It's the third time that Sanchez has won on this climb, which has apparently left him fully aware of what he's doing because although Rodriguez and Horner stayed with him until the end, they found themselves simply unable to get the better of him. There'll be some celebrations throughout Euskal Herria tonight: Sanchez, who now leads the General Classification, may be an Asturian by birth but he leads what is to all intents purposes the Basque national team - and a cat born in a fishmonger's is not a haddock.

Stage preview here. Full results (when available) here.

Top Ten
  1.  Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez Euskaltel-Euskadi 3:58:15
  2.  Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver Katusha ST
  3.  Chris Horner RadioShack-Nissan ST
  4.  Bauke Mollema Rabobank +12"
  5.  Damiano Cunego Lampre-ISD ST (Cyclopunk top tip #2 for the stage)
  6.  Tony Martin Omega Pharma-Quickstep ST
  7.  Michele Scarponi Lampre-ISD ST
  8.  Sergio Luis Henao Montoya Sky ST
  9.  Robert Kiserlovski Astana ST
  10.  Lars Petter Nordhaug ST


Birthday boy Thomas Löfkvist (Sky) was 53rd, 1'52" behind Sanchez. Best Brit was Luke Rowe (Sky) in 128th place. Cyclopunk's top tip Gorka Izagirre? 93rd. :-)

Tour of the Basque Country: 1 (video) / 2 (video) / 3 (video) / 4 (video) / 5 (video) / 6