Sanchez outpowers Kolobnev for GP Indurain win

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Olympic champion Samuel Sánchez took home his team's first victory of the season, winning the GP Miguel Indurain in an aggressive finale to the top of the Basilica del Puy over Katusha's Alexandr Kolobnev.

"We are very happy for the win. It is the first of the year and is always welcome," said Sanchez, who until now has fallen just shy of a win on three occasions - two stages of Paris-Nice and one in Ruta del Sol.

"It was a very difficult day. The team was phenomenal and we worked hard. The race was very fast and there were continuous attacks, in addition to the heat," Sanchez said..

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After numerous attacks in the early part of the race, Xavier Tondo (Movistar), Jorge Azanza (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Peter Stetina (Garmin-Cervélo) and Maciej Paterski (Liquigas-Cannondale) managed to hold a small advantage.

The four stayed together until the third sprint of the day, when Azanza lost contact. The three remaining leaders were chased by an 11-man break containing Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek) as they approached the day's first climb.

Stetina took out the second special sprint and second in the remaining two to claim the prize for the hot spot sprints.

The two groups then came together, but were then caught by the peloton on the approach to the category 2 second climb, the Eraul, with 90km to go.

It was there that a trio of Spaniards launched off the front: Amets Txurruka (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Pablo Lastras Garcia (Movistar Team ) and David Belda Garcia (Burgos 2016 - Castilla y León).

The three gained several minutes on the peloton, mopping up sprint and mountain points along the way as Leopard Trek controlled the chase.

Belda claimed enough points to take home the day's mountains classification, while Lastras took the intermediate sprints prize.

The break began to come apart in the final 20km, losing first Lastras to cramps and then finally being caught by the chasers at the base of the penultimate climb. On the rise, David Arroyo (Movistar) attacked, but was quickly pulled back.

Following the crest, Vasili Kiryienka (Movistar) put in a dangerous move, going solo with 8km remaining. As he reached the Puy, he held a precious handful of seconds over the chase group, but it proved too small an advantage.

He was caught in the final kilometre and faded from contention.

"Kiryienka attacked very strong but we managed to neutralize the break thanks to the work of my teammates," said Sanchez. "The team did a sensational job - they had a huge task. There were breaks where we were not represented and we had to take control. The finale was tense and complicated - Wegmman has won a couple of times, Kolobnev is a great racer with many wins. The victory was very difficult, but we did it and I am very happy. "

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