Philippe Gilbert wins Vuelta a Murcia

Philippe Gilbert took out the small bunch sprint to win the Vuelta Ciclista a la Región de Murcia, after getting a high-speed lead-out from BMC teammate Ben Hermans in the finale. Gilbert topped Movistar's Alejandro Valverde by a clean set of wheels, with Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) pipping Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) for the final podium spot.

"Today was just a great day. I won but it was really a win for the whole team," Gilbert said. "We really raced perfectly together. I've done a lot of races but I've never really seen anything like this in my life. There were 20 guys left at the top of the climb with 20 kilometers to go and I was suffering, but I was still there with the guys. To have all seven of us out of 20 guys was really amazing to see."

Gilbert had Tejay van Garderen, Ben Hermans, Samuel Sanchez, Darwin Atapuma, Brent Bookwalter and Damiano Caruso in the group with him, but they also faced a strong Movistar and Astana presence. Underterred, they took the initiative to keep the group away.

The Vuelta a Murcia kicked off from San Javier with 129 riders facing the 199.3km course, with the main difficulty, the category 1 Alto Collado Bermejo coming with 80km to go. Early on, Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise rider Sander Helven sparked the day-long breakaway that also included Miguel Angel Benito (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Artem Ovechkin (Gazprom-Rusvelo), Kleber Ramos (Funvic Soul Cycles - Carrefour), Benat Txoperena Matxikote (Euskadi Basque Country), and Kamil Gradek (Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling Team).

The six riders worked together to build up a lead of nearly eight minutes on the peloton, but after racing 107km, the category 3 Alto de Aledo the peloton had reduced the gap to a more manageable 2:55. The Bermejo wiped out the gap, and under pressure from Movistar the peloton shattered, leaving a group of about 20 riders in the front of the race.

Among them was BMC's Tejay van Garderen, who attacked on the final climb, the category 3 Cresta del Gallo, with 13km to go and gained a 10 second lead. His attack didn't last, but it set up BMC with three riders in a group of nine, giving Gilbert the tactical advantage.

Hermans led the group into the final few hundred meters with Gilbert on his wheel, and when the former world champion jumped, none could follow. Valverde held off the charge for second, with Zararin narrowly taking third.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team5:02:19
2Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 1 - Cell 2
3Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Team KatushaRow 2 - Cell 2
4Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro TeamRow 3 - Cell 2
5Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team0:00:04
6Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team0:00:15
7Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team0:00:18
8Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team0:01:05
9Daniel Navarro (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:01:06
10Víctor De La Parte (Spa) CCC Sprandi Polkowice0:01:09
11Jon Izaguirre (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 10 - Cell 2
12Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar Team0:02:06
13Ruben Fernandez (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 12 - Cell 2
14Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing TeamRow 13 - Cell 2
15Lukasz Owsian (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 14 - Cell 2
16Garikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Spa) Euskadi-Basque CountryRow 15 - Cell 2
17Darwin Atapuma (Col) BMC Racing TeamRow 16 - Cell 2
18Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team0:04:23
19Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 18 - Cell 2
20Pawel Cieslik (Pol) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling Team0:05:06
21Sergey Firsanov (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 20 - Cell 2
22Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Team Katusha0:06:16
23Felix Grossschartner (Aut) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 22 - Cell 2
24Karel Hnik (Cze) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 24 - Cell 2
26Paul Voss (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 25 - Cell 2
27Jesus Herrada (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 26 - Cell 2
28Hugh Carthy (GBr) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 27 - Cell 2
29Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 28 - Cell 2
30Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 29 - Cell 2
31Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 30 - Cell 2
32Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 31 - Cell 2
33Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 32 - Cell 2
34Alexey Kurbatov (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 33 - Cell 2
35Sandro Filipe Silva Pinto (Por) Louletano - Hospital De LouleRow 34 - Cell 2
36Kleber Ramos (Bra) Funvic Soul Cycles - CarrefourRow 35 - Cell 2
37Francisco Gomez (Spa) Louletano - Hospital De Loule0:06:21
38Cristian Torres Cuenca (Spa) Spain0:06:23
39Xavier San Sebastian (Spa) SpainRow 38 - Cell 2
40Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:07:37
41Silvio Herklotz (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 40 - Cell 2
42Cristian Rodriguez (Spa) Southeast - VenezuelaRow 41 - Cell 2
43Angelo Tulik (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 42 - Cell 2
44Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 43 - Cell 2
45Jaime Roson (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 44 - Cell 2
46Joao Benta (Por) Louletano - Hospital De LouleRow 45 - Cell 2
47Ibai Salas (Spa) Burgos BH0:08:54
48Jose Vicente Toribio Alcolea (Spa) Matrix PowertagRow 47 - Cell 2
49José Manuel Díaz (Spa) SpainRow 48 - Cell 2
50Etienne Van Empel (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 49 - Cell 2
51Murilo Affonso (Bra) Funvic Soul Cycles - CarrefourRow 50 - Cell 2
52Mikel Iturria Segurola (Spa) Euskadi-Basque CountryRow 51 - Cell 2
53Alexander Kolobnev (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 52 - Cell 2
54Jonathan Lastra Martinez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 53 - Cell 2
55Imanol Estevez (Spa) Euskadi-Basque CountryRow 54 - Cell 2
56Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 55 - Cell 2
57Mikel Bizkarra (Spa) Euskadi-Basque CountryRow 56 - Cell 2
58Jordi Simon (Spa) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 57 - Cell 2
59Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-Argon 18Row 58 - Cell 2
60Marcin Mrozek (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 59 - Cell 2
61Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 60 - Cell 2
62Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 61 - Cell 2
63Reinier Honig (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 62 - Cell 2
64Jan Barta (Cze) Bora-Argon 18Row 63 - Cell 2
65Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 64 - Cell 2
66Vicente Garcia De Mateos Rubio (Spa) Louletano - Hospital De LouleRow 65 - Cell 2
67Jerome Cousin (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 66 - Cell 2
68Antonio Piedra Perez (Spa) Funvic Soul Cycles - CarrefourRow 67 - Cell 2
69Jan Hirt (Cze) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 68 - Cell 2
70Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 69 - Cell 2
71Sjoerd Van Ginneken (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 70 - Cell 2
72Michel Kreder (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 71 - Cell 2
73Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 72 - Cell 2
74Egor Silin (Rus) Team KatushaRow 73 - Cell 2
75Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 74 - Cell 2
76Fabien Grellier (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 75 - Cell 2
77Benat Txoperena Matxikote (Spa) Euskadi-Basque CountryRow 76 - Cell 2
78Matvey Mamykin (Rus) Team Katusha0:10:58
79Alexander Foliforov (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 78 - Cell 2
80Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 79 - Cell 2
81Yohann Gene (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 80 - Cell 2
82Rory Sutherland (Aus) Movistar TeamRow 81 - Cell 2
83Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 82 - Cell 2
84Magno Prado Nazaret (Bra) Funvic Soul Cycles - CarrefourRow 83 - Cell 2
85Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 84 - Cell 2
86Pawel Franczak (Pol) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 85 - Cell 2
87Airan Fernandez Casasola (Spa) Matrix PowertagRow 86 - Cell 2
88João Gaspar (Bra) Funvic Soul Cycles - Carrefour0:11:47
89Artur Ershov (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 88 - Cell 2
90Patryk Stosz (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 89 - Cell 2
91Adam Stachowiak (Pol) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 90 - Cell 2
92Arnau Soe Vall (Spa) Burgos BHRow 91 - Cell 2
93Pablo Torres Muino (Spa) Burgos BHRow 92 - Cell 2
94Alexander Evtushenko (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 93 - Cell 2
95Flavio Cardoso (Bra) Funvic Soul Cycles - Carrefour0:13:30
96Artem Ovechkin (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo0:17:28
97Kamil Gradek (Pol) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 96 - Cell 2
98Maxim Belkov (Rus) Team Katusha0:17:38
99Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team KatushaRow 98 - Cell 2
100Miguel Angel Benito (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 99 - Cell 2
101Nick Van Der Lijke (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 100 - Cell 2
102Miguel Angel Ballesteros (Spa) SpainRow 101 - Cell 2
OTLAleksei Tcatevich (Rus) Team Katusha0:28:22
OTLAntonio Jesus Soto (Spa) Spain0:30:09
OTLRuben Pols (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise0:35:20
OTLHayato Yoshida (Jpn) Matrix PowertagRow 105 - Cell 2
OTLSander Helven (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - BaloiseRow 106 - Cell 2
OTLGotzon Udondo (Spa) Euskadi-Basque CountryRow 107 - Cell 2
OTLPablo Urtasun (Spa) Funvic Soul Cycles - Carrefour0:37:25
OTLRubén Montoya López (Spa) Spain0:37:40
OTLKenji Takubo (Jpn) Matrix Powertag0:38:38
DNFJunya Sano (Jpn) Matrix PowertagRow 111 - Cell 2
DNFSergio Pardilla (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 112 - Cell 2
DNFLuis Mas Bonet (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 113 - Cell 2
DNFEloy Teruel Rovira (Spa) Louletano - Hospital De LouleRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFDavide Malacarne (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFAdrien Petit (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFCarlos Barbero (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 117 - Cell 2
DNFAlvaro Robredo Crespo (Spa) Burgos BHRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFVictor Martin Hernandez (Spa) Burgos BHRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFIgor Merino Cortazar (Spa) Burgos BHRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Morice (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 121 - Cell 2
DNFHugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFRalf Matzka (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 123 - Cell 2
DNFJosé Mendes (Por) Bora-Argon 18Row 124 - Cell 2
DNFDaiki Yasuhara (Jpn) Matrix PowertagRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFAnder Barrenetxea (Spa) Euskadi-Basque CountryRow 126 - Cell 2
DNFJuan Carlos Riutort Martinez (Spa) Burgos BHRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFJiri Polnicky (Cze) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFJose Antonio De Segovia Botella (Spa) Louletano - Hospital De LouleRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFAntonio Pedrero (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 130 - Cell 2

 

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