Mollema wins Clasica San Sebastian
By Stephen Farrand published
Gallopin beats Valverde in sprint for second place
Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) took an emotional solo victory at the Clasica San Sebastian after an aggressive solo attack over the new final climb of new Murgil Tontorra just eight kilometres from the finish of the WorldTour race.
The Dutchman opened a gap on the descent and fought off a chase to hit the line alone and celebrate his victory by pointing at his jersey. Behind him Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal) beat Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) in the sprint for second, with Purito Rodriguez fourth in his final race in the Basque Country, where he developed as a young amateur rider. They finished a few seconds back, with Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) bringing home other chasers, at 34 seconds.
Just a week ago Mollema was close to tears after losing any chance of finishing on the Tour de France podium due to a crash in the rain on stage to Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc. This victory was of significant consolation and showed his determination to bounce back. It will no doubt also boost his moral as he prepares to travel to Rio for the Olympic road race, where he could again be a major threat on the tough route on next Saturday’s road race.
"I’m really happy to have this win. I felt good all day. In the last years, I was always in the top 10 here. I’ve recovered well from the Tour de France, so I’m really happy with this win," he said before the podium ceremony.
"The last days of the Tour de France were really disappointing for me. This is a good way to fight back and I think I showed that I have good form and that I can look forward to the Olympics. It’s really nice to win a big classic like this, which is my first WorldTour classic victory. It’s a really nice race and I’ve always wanted to be on the podium at this race and get one of those Basque hats – and now, finally, I have one."
A tactically astute race
Mollema rode a tactically astute race, letting the Movistar, Orica-BikeExchange and Katusha teams do the work early in the race before making his home and showing his hand on the steepest section of the new Murgil Tontorra climb close to the finish. While his rival hesitated with their chase, he pushed a huge gear and turned the ride to the finish into a victorious time trial.
Before the thrilling finale of the 220km race, the climbs of the more famous Jaizkibel and Arkale did little to split the peloton, with some riders going out of the back but even Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) was able to return to the bunch after only losing contact briefly.
The early break of six riders included Moreno Moser (Cannondale-Drapac), Mario Costa (Lampre-Merida), Pirmin Lang (IAM Cycling), Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (Dimension Data), Jamie Roson (Cajal Rural) and Loic Chetout (Cofidis). They lead over the first climb of the Jaizkibel and the Arkale and were only swept up the second climb of the Jaizkibel, when a brief counter-attack by Dario Cataldo (Astana) and Mikel Landa (Team Sky) worried the other big-name contenders. However the fast climb and fast descent saw the race comeback together and the aggression eased instead of heating up.
Mollema’s big move
The Cannondale-Drapac team took the race by its horns on the Arkale with 30km to go and again on the rolling descent but their rivals were happy to let them do a vital piece of the work before the final shake out. Movistar returned to control the race on the ride back to San Sebastian, stopping any real attacks. Tour de France fatigue was evident.
Things got serious and the race awoke after the passage through the finish in central San Sebastian with 20km to go. Luke Durbridge did a massive turn for Orica and lined out the peloton to the approach of the Murgil Tontorra. His teammates then took over and set up Adam and Simon Yates for the climb. However others took advantage when they faltered. First Purito Rodriguez distanced the British riders and then Mollema dragged Valverde and Gallopin across the gap just as the 20% of the climb kicked in. The whole race was decided in the steep few hundred metres of the climb.
Mollema’s move was enough to spark a selection over the top of the climb with the chasers and the rest of the peloton unable to close the gap on the fast descent and run-in to San Sebastian.
Mollema committed everything he had to try to win solo, while his chasers and especially Valverde rode cautiously, perhaps thinking they would catch on the flatter roads in the city. However the Dutchman got out of sight in the city streets and kept a ten second lead.
It was enough to give him a moment to ease up before the finish and cross the line with his arm in the air. After a series of placing in the Clasica, Mollema final won his Basque beret. He also wiped away at least of part of his Tour de France disappointment and confirmed he will be a dangerous rider in next Saturday’s Olympic road race.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | 5:31:00 |
2 | Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal | 0:00:17 |
3 | Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team | |
4 | Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Team Katusha | 0:00:22 |
5 | Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:34 |
6 | Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
7 | Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-BikeExchange | |
8 | Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac | |
9 | Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sky | |
10 | Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAM Cycling | 0:00:37 |
11 | Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ | 0:00:50 |
12 | Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
13 | Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
14 | Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
15 | George Bennett (NZl) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
16 | Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-BikeExchange | |
17 | Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Astana Pro Team | |
18 | Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Trek-Segafredo | |
19 | Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team | |
20 | Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
21 | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
22 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff Team | |
23 | Jarlinson Pantano Gomez (Col) IAM Cycling | |
24 | Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Team Sky | |
25 | Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac | 0:00:54 |
26 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:01:02 |
27 | Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data | |
28 | Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
29 | Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
30 | Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team | 0:01:17 |
31 | Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | 0:01:26 |
32 | Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
33 | Sam Oomen (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
34 | Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Team Katusha | 0:01:28 |
35 | Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
36 | Mathias Frank (Swi) IAM Cycling | 0:01:29 |
37 | Cyrille Gautier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
38 | Oliver Naesen (Bel) IAM Cycling | 0:01:54 |
39 | Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Tinkoff Team | |
40 | Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Dimension Data | |
41 | Laurens De Plus (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
42 | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team | |
43 | Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 0:02:36 |
44 | Simone Petilli (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
45 | Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Team Sky | |
46 | Pello Bilbao Lopez De Armentia (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
47 | Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
48 | Kenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJ | |
49 | Oliver Zaugg (Swi) IAM Cycling | |
50 | Egor Silin (Rus) Team Katusha | |
51 | Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
52 | Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
53 | Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
54 | Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
55 | Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Team Katusha | |
56 | Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
57 | Davide Formolo (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac | |
58 | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team | 0:03:48 |
59 | Simon Clarke (Aus) Cannondale-Drapac | |
60 | Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
61 | Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale-Drapac | |
62 | Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
63 | Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Dimension Data | |
64 | Sergio Pardilla Bellon (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
65 | Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
66 | David De La Cruz Melgarejo (Spa) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
67 | Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Team Sky | |
68 | Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
69 | Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-BikeExchange | |
70 | Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica-BikeExchange | |
71 | Pierre Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:04:13 |
72 | Tiago Machado (Por) Team Katusha | 0:05:24 |
73 | Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team | |
74 | Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale | |
75 | Axel Domont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
76 | Clement Chevrier (Fra) IAM Cycling | |
77 | Ilia Koshevoy (Blr) Lampre - Merida | |
78 | Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Team Katusha | |
79 | Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | |
80 | Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Team Katusha | |
81 | Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:06:15 |
82 | Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team | |
83 | Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 0:06:49 |
84 | Bob Jungels (Lux) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
85 | Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
86 | Davide Villella (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac | |
87 | Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) BMC Racing Team | 0:09:57 |
88 | David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
89 | Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar Team | |
90 | Hugh Carthy (GBr) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
91 | Moreno Moser (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac | |
92 | Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica-BikeExchange | 0:10:02 |
93 | Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Orica-BikeExchange | |
94 | Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data | 0:13:26 |
95 | Amets Txurruka (Spa) Orica-BikeExchange | |
96 | Jaime Roson Garcia (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
97 | Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team | |
98 | Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
99 | Yury Trofimov (Rus) Tinkoff Team | |
100 | Merhawi Kudus Ghebremedhin (Eri) Dimension Data | |
101 | Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) Dimension Data | |
102 | Ivan Rovny (Rus) Tinkoff Team | |
103 | Michal Golas (Pol) Team Sky | |
104 | Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJ | |
105 | Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Tinkoff Team | |
106 | Luka Pibernik (Slo) Lampre - Merida | |
107 | Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky | |
108 | Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
109 | Luis Mas Bonet (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
110 | Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Trek-Segafredo | |
111 | Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Trek-Segafredo | |
112 | Jacques Willem Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data | |
113 | David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Team Sky | |
DNF | Christian Meier (Can) Orica-BikeExchange | |
DNF | Oscar Gatto (Ita) Tinkoff Team | |
DNF | Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Tinkoff Team | |
DNF | Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Team | |
DNF | Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Rory Sutherland (Aus) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Peter Velits (Svk) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Team Sky | |
DNF | Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ | |
DNF | Alexandre Geniez (Fra) FDJ | |
DNF | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ | |
DNF | Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ | |
DNF | Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) FDJ | |
DNF | Davide Malacarne (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Eros Capecchi (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Steven Lammertink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
DNF | Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
DNF | Mario Jorge Faria Da Costa (Por) Lampre - Merida | |
DNF | Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - Merida | |
DNF | Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | |
DNF | Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek-Segafredo | |
DNF | Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | |
DNF | Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Chad Haga (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Sindre Skjoestad Lunke (Nor) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac | |
DNF | Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Biel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Pirmin Lang (Swi) IAM Cycling | |
DNF | Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) IAM Cycling | |
DNF | Songezo Jim (RSA) Dimension Data | |
DNF | Carlos Barbero Cuesta (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
DNF | Yoann Bagot (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Loïc Chetout (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Anthony Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNS | Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team |

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Stephen is the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. He has held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters, Shift Active Media, and Cycling Weekly, among other publications.
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