Matthews triumphs in Almeria
By Cycling News
Bozic and Kluge round out podium
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) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team | 4:24:17 |
2 | Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team | |
3 | Roger Kluge (Ger) Project 1T4I | |
4 | Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
5 | Francisco Jose Ventoso (Spa) Movistar Team | |
6 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
7 | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team | |
8 | Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - Barracuda | |
9 | Daniel Schorn (Aut) Team Netapp | |
10 | Aitor Galdos (Spa) Caja Rural | |
11 | Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | 0:00:03 |
12 | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | |
13 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator | |
14 | David Lelay (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
15 | Jorge Azanza (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | |
16 | Pablo Lastras (Spa) Movistar Team | |
17 | Matthias Brandle (Aut) Team Netapp | |
18 | Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | |
19 | Fabricio Ferrari (Uru) Caja Rural | |
20 | Julien Simon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
21 | Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Project 1T4I | |
22 | Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Project 1T4I | |
23 | Francis De Greef (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | |
24 | Javier Moreno (Spa) Movistar Team | |
25 | Ivan Velasco (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | |
26 | Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
27 | Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team | |
28 | Jose F. Aramendia (Spa) Caja Rural | |
29 | Jose V. Toribio (Spa) Andalucia | |
30 | Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin - Barracuda | |
31 | Gorka Verdugo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | |
32 | Matteo Carrara (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
33 | Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
34 | Sergio Carrasco (Spa) Andalucia | |
35 | Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Project 1T4I | |
36 | Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Barracuda | |
37 | Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro Team | |
38 | Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team | |
39 | Reto Hollenstein (Swi) Team Netapp | |
40 | Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | |
41 | Rafael Valls (Spa) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
42 | Simone Ponzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
43 | Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team Netapp | 0:00:16 |
44 | Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:00:20 |
45 | Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team | |
46 | Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - Barracuda | 0:00:25 |
47 | Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 0:00:28 |
48 | Andreas Dietziker (Swi) Team Netapp | |
49 | Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 0:00:32 |
50 | Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:00:57 |
51 | Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:01:23 |
52 | Stefan Denifl (Aut) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
53 | Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin - Barracuda | 0:01:26 |
54 | Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
55 | Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
56 | Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Barracuda | |
57 | Christian Vandevelde (USA) Garmin - Barracuda | 0:01:47 |
58 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team | |
59 | Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
60 | Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator | 0:09:24 |
61 | Sander Armee (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator | |
62 | Mikel Nieve (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | |
63 | Manuel Cardoso (Por) Caja Rural | |
64 | Antonio Piedra (Spa) Caja Rural | |
65 | Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | |
66 | Dennis Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | |
67 | Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | |
68 | Theo Bos (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:10:08 |
69 | Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Team Netapp | |
70 | Francisco Anton (Spa) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon | |
71 | Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator | |
72 | Igor Romero (Spa) Caja Rural | |
73 | Miguel Minguez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | |
74 | Brian Bulgac (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team | |
75 | Gaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | |
76 | David De La Fuente (Spa) Caja Rural | |
77 | Francisco J. Irriarte (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:10:13 |
78 | Thierry Hupond (Fra) Project 1T4I | |
79 | Julian Sanchez (Spa) Caja Rural | |
80 | Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Project 1T4I | |
81 | Egor Silin (Rus) Astana Pro Team | 0:10:18 |
82 | Vasil Kryenka (Blr) Movistar Team | 0:10:21 |
83 | Jose L. Cano (Spa) Andalucia | 0:14:05 |
84 | Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda | 0:19:00 |
85 | Kevin De Jonghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator | 0:19:02 |
86 | Jan Barta (Cze) Team Netapp | |
87 | Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator | 0:19:06 |
88 | Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator | 0:19:11 |
89 | Roman Osuna (Spa) Andalucia | 0:19:37 |
90 | Ruben Jimenez (Spa) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon | |
91 | Carlos Verona (Spa) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon | |
92 | Javier Chacon (Spa) Andalucia | |
93 | Luis Mas (Spa) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon | |
94 | Juan Jose Lobato (Spa) Andalucia | |
95 | Damien Branaa (Fra) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon | |
96 | Victor Cabedo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | |
97 | Eloy Ruiz (Spa) Andalucia | |
98 | David Belda (Spa) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon | |
DNF | Enrique Sanz (Spa) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Martijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Barry Markus (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
DNF | Pablo Urtasun (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | |
DNF | Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | |
DNF | Marcel Kittel (Ger) Project 1T4I | |
DNF | Cheng Ji (Chn) Project 1T4I | |
DNF | Oscar Santamaria (Spa) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon | |
DNF | Efren Carazo (Spa) Burgos BH - Castilla y Leon | |
DNF | Tim Mertens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator | |
DNF | Jose Aguilar (Spa) Andalucia |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator | 3 | pts |
2 | Jose V. Toribio (Spa) Andalucia | 2 | |
3 | Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | 6 | pts |
2 | Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 4 | |
3 | Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Barracuda | 2 | |
4 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team | 3 | pts |
2 | Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 2 | |
3 | Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Barracuda | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jose V. Toribio (Spa) Andalucia | 3 | pts |
2 | Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | 2 | |
3 | Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | 3 | pts |
2 | Jose V. Toribio (Spa) Andalucia | 2 | |
3 | Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Barracuda | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 3 | pts |
2 | Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | 2 | |
3 | Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Barracuda | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | 3 | pts |
2 | Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team | 2 | |
3 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | 7 | pts |
2 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team | 4 | |
3 | Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 4 | |
4 | Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Barracuda | 2 | |
5 | Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 2 | |
6 | Jose V. Toribio (Spa) Andalucia | 2 | |
7 | Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Barracuda | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team | 10 | pts |
2 | Jose V. Toribio (Spa) Andalucia | 5 | |
3 | Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 4 | |
4 | Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team | 2 | |
5 | Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Barracuda | 2 | |
6 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Javier Moreno (Spa) Movistar Team | 4:24:20 |
2 | Sergio Carrasco (Spa) Andalucia | |
3 | Antonio Piedra (Spa) Caja Rural | 0:09:21 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Movistar Team | 13:12:54 |
2 | Saur - Sojasun | 0:00:03 |
3 | Project 1t4i | |
4 | Caja Rural | |
5 | Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | |
6 | Team NetApp | |
7 | Garmin-Cervelo | |
8 | Astana Pro Team | |
9 | Lotto Belisol Team | 0:00:06 |
10 | Euskaltel - Euskadi | |
11 | Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:00:20 |
12 | Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:18:48 |
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