Valverde wins Vuelta Murcia with solo attack
Movistar rider dominates on home roads
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) won the Vuelta Ciclista a la Region de Murcia – his home race – for a fifth time thanks to an aggressive solo attack some 70km from the finish.
The veteran Spanish rider attacked in the mist on the Collado Bermejo climb and then fought a headwind to win alone, with the rest of the race unable to pull him back. Jhonatan Restrepo (Katusha-Alpecin) beat Patrick Konrad (Bora-hansgrohe) to win the sprint for second place, 2:10 down on Valverde.
The Spanish race has been reduced from a stage race to a one-day affair, but that only seemed to motivate Valverde, who is proud of his Murcia origins.
"It's always special for me to win on home roads – this victory goes to all the people in this region, who always cheer for me so much when I'm racing abroad. It truly is the most beautiful of the five I've achieved here; it was a big effort and so tough to keep up against the wind and the climbs to win here," Valverde said.
Strong winds, hard racing
The strong wind made for a hard day out, splitting the peloton early on. Sam Bewley (Orica-Scott), Evan Huffman (Rally Cycling) and Jelle Wallays (Lotto Soudal) formed an early break, but the Movistar team pulled them back, sending out an ominous sign that Valverde was keen to win on home roads.
Movistar brought the race back together at the foot of the Alto Collado Bermejo (8.4km at 6,7 percent) and then Valverde took over despite more than 70km left to race. He attacked at the bottom of the climb, followed by Jon Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida), Tjesj Benoot and Gallopin (Lotto Soudal), Simon Spilak (Katusha) and Garikoitz Bravo (Euskadi). However, they failed to get onto his wheel and Valverde took advantage of the misty conditions and local knowledge of the decent to push on alone.
He had a 2:25 lead after the descent, with 35km to go, with the chasers eventually caught by the peloton.
Valverde had been hoping for some help from a small group but decided to push on alone and time trialled to the finish. He reached Murcia with a two-minute lead and so was able to celebrate his solo victory in front of his local crowd.
"I just had to give it a try, even if it was so far away from the finish and it was a long shot, but that was the only point where I could win solo from. I took that chance, and I succeeded."
Ready for the Ruta del Sol
Valverde's victory confirmed he is already on form before riding next week's Ruta del Sol stage race where he will clash with Alberto Contador.
"After Nairo's success in Valencia, things are looking really promising for us this season - it's just taking from where we left off, after we won those four consecutive WorldTour titles all the way up to 2016," Valverde said.
"Now it's about having some rest and taking the start of the Ruta del Sol on Wednesday. There, we'll find Alberto Contador and many other big riders, and we will have to try and continue this streak."
La entrada triunfal de @alejanvalverde en la Gran Vía de Murcia, vía @la7_tv. Su 98; éxito en profesionales. #VueltaCiclistaMurcia2017 pic.twitter.com/jz4PnZNh7H
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team | 4:03:08 |
2 | Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Katusha-Alpecin | 0:02:10 |
3 | Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
4 | Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
5 | Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin | |
6 | Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Bahrain-Merida | |
7 | Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Orica-Scott | |
8 | Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
9 | Pieter Weening (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | |
10 | Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
11 | Felix Grossschartner (Aut) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
12 | Romain Sicard (Fra) Direct Energie | |
13 | Marc Soler Gimenez (Spa) Movistar Team | |
14 | Garikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country - Murias | |
15 | Javier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Bahrain-Merida | |
16 | David Belda (Spa) Burgos-BH | |
17 | Hector Saez Benito (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
18 | Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
19 | Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team | |
20 | Ruben Fernandez Andujar (Spa) Movistar Team | |
21 | Simon Špilak (Slo) Katusha-Alpecin | |
22 | Robert Kišerlovski (Cro) Katusha-Alpecin | |
23 | Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal | 0:02:25 |
24 | Lukasz Owsian (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | 0:04:07 |
25 | Oscar Riesebeek (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | |
26 | Jan Tratnik (Slo) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
27 | Yoann Offredo (Fra) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
28 | Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
29 | Colin Joyce (USA) Rally Cycling | 0:04:41 |
30 | Elmar Reinders (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | |
31 | Egoitz Fernandez Ayarzaguena (Spa) Team UKYO | |
32 | Etienne Van Empel (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | |
33 | Martijn Budding (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | |
34 | Diego Rubio Hernandez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
35 | Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
36 | Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
37 | Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
38 | Alexander Aranburu Deva (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
39 | Antonio Molina Canet (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
40 | Luka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-Merida | |
41 | Christopher Butler (USA) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
42 | Salvador Guardiola (Spa) Team UKYO | |
43 | Frederik Frison (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
44 | Sepp Kuss (USA) Rally Cycling | |
45 | Sergey Firsanov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
46 | Brian Nauleau (Fra) Direct Energie | |
47 | Jeroen Meijers (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | |
48 | Yoann Bagot (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
49 | Beñat Txoperena Matxikote (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country - Murias | |
50 | Igor Merino Kortazar (Spa) Burgos-BH | |
51 | Mikel Bizkarra Etxegibel (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country - Murias | |
52 | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
53 | Robert Britton (Can) Rally Cycling | |
54 | Evan Huffman (USA) Rally Cycling | |
55 | Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
56 | José Mendes (Por) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
57 | Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
58 | Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Orica-Scott | |
59 | Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Direct Energie | 0:11:07 |
60 | Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
61 | Jelle Wallays (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
62 | Paul Ourselin (Fra) Direct Energie | |
63 | Maxime Farazijn (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
64 | Kevin Deltombe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
65 | David Per (Slo) Bahrain-Merida | |
66 | Rayane Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
67 | Ivan Moreno Sanchez (Spa) Spain | |
68 | Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
69 | Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
70 | Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
71 | Ibai Salas Zorrozua (Spa) Burgos-BH | |
72 | Adam De Vos (Can) Rally Cycling | |
73 | Jens Wallays (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
74 | Antonio Pedrero Lopez (Spa) Movistar Team | |
75 | Marcin Mrozek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
76 | Oscar Pujol (Spa) Team UKYO | |
77 | Dmitriy Kozontchuk (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
78 | Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica-Scott | |
79 | Alexander Foliforov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
80 | Benjami Prades (Spa) Team UKYO | |
81 | Antonio Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | |
82 | Benjami Prades (Spa) Team UKYO | |
83 | Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
84 | Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:21:07 |
85 | Jerome Cousin (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:21:11 |
86 | Justin Oien (USA) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 0:25:54 |
87 | Luka Mezgec (Slo) Orica-Scott | |
88 | Eduardo Llacer Gabarron (Spa) Spain | |
89 | Miguel Angel Ballesteros Canovas (Spa) Spain | |
90 | Ruben Pols (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
91 | Jeremy Cornu (Fra) Direct Energie | |
92 | Ángel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha-Alpecin | |
93 | Piotr Brozyna (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
94 | Maxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin | |
95 | Leszek Plucinski (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | |
96 | Imanol Estevez Salas (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country - Murias | 0:29:53 |
97 | Julen Irizar Laskurain (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country - Murias | |
98 | Jose Daniel Viejo Redondo (Spa) Unieuro Trevigiani - Hemus 1896 | |
99 | Marcos Jurado Rodriguez (Spa) Spain | |
100 | Josu Zabala Lopez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
101 | Adrian Gonzalez Velasco (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country - Murias | |
102 | José Carlos Nuñez (Spa) Dare Viator Partizan | |
103 | Igor Boev (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
104 | Jarl Salomein (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | |
105 | Marco Mathis (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin | |
106 | Tim Ariesen (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | |
107 | Sam Bewley (NZl) Orica-Scott | |
108 | Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | |
109 | Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
110 | Danny Pate (USA) Rally Cycling | |
111 | Kirill Sveshnikov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | 0:30:19 |
112 | Roman Maikin (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
113 | Domen Novak (Slo) Bahrain-Merida | |
114 | Tanzou Tokuda (Jpn) Team UKYO | |
DNF | Jorge Arcas Peña (Spa) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Yoshimitsu Hiratsuka (Jpn) Team UKYO | |
DNF | Romain Cardis (Fra) Direct Energie | |
DNF | Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-Scott | |
DNF | Jan Bárta (Cze) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
DNF | Silvio Herklotz (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
DNF | Raul Castrillo Sedano (Spa) Burgos-BH | |
DNF | Alvaro Robredo Crespo (Spa) Burgos-BH | |
DNF | Joan Ruiz Vicens (Spa) Burgos-BH | |
DNF | Javier Fuentes Jorda (Spa) Spain | |
DNF | Ruben Montoya Lopez (Spa) Spain | |
DNF | Eusebio Pascual Bonhome (Spa) Spain | |
DNF | Carlos Lorente Garcia (Spa) Dare Viator Partizan | |
DNF | Javier Valero Amat (Spa) Dare Viator Partizan | |
DNF | Óscar Sánchez (Spa) Dare Viator Partizan | |
DNF | Miguel Calatayud Feo (Spa) Dare Viator Partizan | |
DNF | Francisco Jose Castello Dobon (Spa) Dare Viator Partizan | |
DNF | Ander Barrenetxea Uriarte (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country - Murias | |
DNF | Ion Ander Insausti Irastorza (Spa) Bahrain-Merida | |
DNF | Eric Young (USA) Rally Cycling | |
DNF | Evgeny Shalunov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | |
DNF | Yusuke Hatanaka (Jpn) Team UKYO |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team | 13 | pts |
2 | Ion Izaguirre (Spa) Bahrain - Merida | 8 | |
3 | Ruben Fernandez (Spa) Movistar Team | 6 | |
4 | Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 4 | |
5 | Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha-Alpecin | 2 | |
6 | Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal | 2 | |
7 | Antonio Pedrero (Spa) Movistar Team | 2 | |
8 | Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Katusha-Alpecin | 1 | |
9 | Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | 1 | |
10 | Marc Soler (Spa) Movistar Team | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team | 3 | pts |
2 | Sam Bewley (NZl) Orica-Scott | 3 | |
3 | Jorge Arcas Peña (Spa) Movistar Team | 2 | |
4 | Romain Sicard (Fra) Direct Energie | 2 | |
5 | Ruben Pols (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 1 | |
6 | Chris Juul Jensen (Den) Orica - Scott | 1 |

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