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Matthews triumphs in Almeria

Bozic and Kluge round out podium

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Michael Matthews takes Rabobank's first win of the year in Spain

Michael Matthews takes Rabobank's first win of the year in Spain (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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The five man breakaway could not stay clear despite all their efforts

The five man breakaway could not stay clear despite all their efforts (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Michael Matthews (Rabobank) on the podium with Borut Bozic (Astana, 2nd) and Roger Kluge (1t4i, 3rd)

Michael Matthews (Rabobank) on the podium with Borut Bozic (Astana, 2nd) and Roger Kluge (1t4i, 3rd) (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Matthews celebrates his first win of 2012

Matthews celebrates his first win of 2012 (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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The mountains classification winner

The mountains classification winner (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Matthews is led away after his victory

Matthews is led away after his victory (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Astana tries to set up Bozic for the win

Astana tries to set up Bozic for the win (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Project 1t4i leads a group in Almeria

Project 1t4i leads a group in Almeria (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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The Astana team was out in force

The Astana team was out in force (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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The breakaway was truly suffering

The breakaway was truly suffering (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Astana strings out the peloton

Astana strings out the peloton (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Rabobank pitches in to chase down the braekaway

Rabobank pitches in to chase down the braekaway (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Christophe Le Mevel (Garmin-Barracuda) and Jose Toribio (Andalucia) on the front of the breakaway

Christophe Le Mevel (Garmin-Barracuda) and Jose Toribio (Andalucia) on the front of the breakaway (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Matthews claims the sprint in Clasica de Almeria

Matthews claims the sprint in Clasica de Almeria (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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(Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Michael Matthews (Rabobank) wins the Clasica de Almeria

Michael Matthews (Rabobank) wins the Clasica de Almeria (Image credit: Bosco Martin)
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Project 1t4i's Chinese rider Cheng Ji leads the peloton in the Clasica de Almeria

Project 1t4i's Chinese rider Cheng Ji leads the peloton in the Clasica de Almeria (Image credit: Bosco Martin)

Michael Matthews claimed Rabobank's much-craved first win of the season, sprinting to victory at Clasica de Almeria in Spain. It's the second consecutive year that Matthews, former under 23 world champion, has got the first runs on the board for the Dutch team having claimed Stage 3 of the Tour Down Under in 2011.

Matthews prevailed in the 10-man sprint to the line, ahead of Borut Bozic (Astana Pro Team) and Roger Kluge (Project 1T4i).
After his season-opener, the Tour Down Under, Matthews raced at the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol where he posted three top-10 results and appeared to be on the verge of a breakthrough. Sunday's win was it.

"It is fantastic for the second consecutive year to help the team to its first win of the season," Michael Matthews told Rabosport.nl. "I felt strong and the team did a great job. The lead out was close to perfect. Luis Leon [Sanchez] gave us very good start and Graeme went from 400 meters.

"When you get delivered like that it makes it a lot easier, of course, you still have to try and win. But we did," he continued.
"This is a big boost for morale. Not only the fact that we won; but the way did it."

The day's break consisting of Christophe Le Mevel (Garmin-Barracuda), Yannick Talabardon (Saur Sojasun), Jurgen Van de Walle (Lotto) and Jose Vicente Toribio (Andalucía) had been allowed a gap of up to five minutes before eventually being reeled in after 159 kilometres of racing.

The Almeria parcours was perfectly suited to the Australian, with three climbs en-route to a slight uphill finishing straight. A selection of 55 riders made it over the final climb of the day, at around 60 kilometres left to race.

Rabobank director sportif Jan Boven was impressed with his team's effort, saying that the race had gone "exactly as planned" with Matthews one of two cards the team could play, the other being 2010 winner Theo Bos.

Robert Gesink had waited for Bos, but the former winner had not made the front group and so Rabobank was left with five riders to guide Matthews to victory.

"The team really needed this win, but we have also worked hard," Matthews again praised the work of his teammates. "Everything went to plan today as it was supposed to; we had everything under control, and finally got the victory!" 

Full Results

#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Michael Matthews (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team4:24:17
2Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team
3Roger Kluge (Ger) Project 1T4I
4Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
5Francisco Jose Ventoso (Spa) Movistar Team
6Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
7Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team
8Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - Barracuda
9Daniel Schorn (Aut) Team Netapp
10Aitor Galdos (Spa) Caja Rural
11Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team0:00:03
12Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
13Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
14David Lelay (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
15Jorge Azanza (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
16Pablo Lastras (Spa) Movistar Team
17Matthias Brandle (Aut) Team Netapp
18Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
19Fabricio Ferrari (Uru) Caja Rural
20Julien Simon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
21Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Project 1T4I
22Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Project 1T4I
23Francis De Greef (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
24Javier Moreno (Spa) Movistar Team
25Ivan Velasco (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
26Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
27Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team
28Jose F. Aramendia (Spa) Caja Rural
29Jose V. Toribio (Spa) Andalucia
30Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin - Barracuda
31Gorka Verdugo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
32Matteo Carrara (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
33Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
34Sergio Carrasco (Spa) Andalucia
35Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Project 1T4I
36Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Barracuda
37Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro Team
38Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team
39Reto Hollenstein (Swi) Team Netapp
40Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
41Rafael Valls (Spa) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
42Simone Ponzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
43Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team Netapp0:00:16
44Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team0:00:20
45Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team
46Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - Barracuda0:00:25
47Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team0:00:28
48Andreas Dietziker (Swi) Team Netapp
49Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Saur - Sojasun0:00:32
50Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team0:00:57
51Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team0:01:23
52Stefan Denifl (Aut) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
53Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin - Barracuda0:01:26
54Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
55Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
56Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Barracuda
57Christian Vandevelde (USA) Garmin - Barracuda0:01:47
58Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team
59Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro Team
60Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator0:09:24
61Sander Armee (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
62Mikel Nieve (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
63Manuel Cardoso (Por) Caja Rural
64Antonio Piedra (Spa) Caja Rural
65Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
66Dennis Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
67Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
68Theo Bos (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team0:10:08
69Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Team Netapp
70Francisco Anton (Spa) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon
71Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
72Igor Romero (Spa) Caja Rural
73Miguel Minguez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
74Brian Bulgac (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team
75Gaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
76David De La Fuente (Spa) Caja Rural
77Francisco J. Irriarte (Spa) Movistar Team0:10:13
78Thierry Hupond (Fra) Project 1T4I
79Julian Sanchez (Spa) Caja Rural
80Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Project 1T4I
81Egor Silin (Rus) Astana Pro Team0:10:18
82Vasil Kryenka (Blr) Movistar Team0:10:21
83Jose L. Cano (Spa) Andalucia0:14:05
84Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda0:19:00
85Kevin De Jonghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator0:19:02
86Jan Barta (Cze) Team Netapp
87Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator0:19:06
88Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator0:19:11
89Roman Osuna (Spa) Andalucia0:19:37
90Ruben Jimenez (Spa) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon
91Carlos Verona (Spa) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon
92Javier Chacon (Spa) Andalucia
93Luis Mas (Spa) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon
94Juan Jose Lobato (Spa) Andalucia
95Damien Branaa (Fra) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon
96Victor Cabedo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
97Eloy Ruiz (Spa) Andalucia
98David Belda (Spa) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon
DNFEnrique Sanz (Spa) Movistar Team
DNFMartijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
DNFBarry Markus (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
DNFPablo Urtasun (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
DNFStef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
DNFMarcel Kittel (Ger) Project 1T4I
DNFCheng Ji (Chn) Project 1T4I
DNFOscar Santamaria (Spa) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon
DNFEfren Carazo (Spa) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon
DNFTim Mertens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
DNFJose Aguilar (Spa) Andalucia

Mountain 1 - Alto Del Portichuelo (Cat. 3) km. 70,90
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator3pts
2Jose V. Toribio (Spa) Andalucia2
3Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team1

Mountain 2 - Alto De Lucainena (Cat 2) km. 123,80
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team6pts
2Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun4
3Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Barracuda2
4Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team1

Mountain 3 - Alto De La Serrata (Cat. 3) km. 148,20
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team3pts
2Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun2
3Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Barracuda1

Sprint 1 - Benahadux, km. 38,70
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jose V. Toribio (Spa) Andalucia3pts
2Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team2
3Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun1

Sprint 2 - Uleila Del Campo, km. 82,00
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team3pts
2Jose V. Toribio (Spa) Andalucia2
3Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Barracuda1

Sprint 3 - Lucainena De Las Torres, km. 117,60
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun3pts
2Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team2
3Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Barracuda1

Sprint 4- Retamar, km. 169,00
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team3pts
2Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team2
3Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team1

Mountains classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team7pts
2Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team4
3Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun4
4Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Barracuda2
5Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun2
6Jose V. Toribio (Spa) Andalucia2
7Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Barracuda1

Sprint classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team10pts
2Jose V. Toribio (Spa) Andalucia5
3Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun4
4Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team2
5Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Barracuda2
6Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team1

Regional rider classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Javier Moreno (Spa) Movistar Team4:24:20
2Sergio Carrasco (Spa) Andalucia
3Antonio Piedra (Spa) Caja Rural0:09:21

Teams classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Movistar Team13:12:54
2Saur - Sojasun0:00:03
3Project 1t4i
4Caja Rural
5Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
6Team NetApp
7Garmin-Cervelo
8Astana Pro Team
9Lotto Belisol Team0:00:06
10Euskaltel - Euskadi
11Rabobank Cycling Team0:00:20
12Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator0:18:48

 

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