Luis León Sanchez wins Vuelta a Murcia

In a reversal of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, Astana's Luis León Sanchez got the better of Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) to take the victory in the 209km one-day Vuelta a Murica on Saturday.

Sanchez answered an attack by Valverde with two kilometers remaining before putting in his own move that launched him to a solo victory, while at quite a distance, Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) was third.

"The guys were super today and I have to thank all of them for the huge help," Sanchez said. "In the beginning a big group went away and we had to work the whole day. It was not easy to control this race, but the team did it. In the final I went away together with Valverde. I knew, if we come for a sprint it would be the same situation as it was at Valenciana. So, I knew I have to do something and I saw my chance with 2km to go.

"Anyway, I think this is a team success, not only mine. The team is great these days. At the Volta Valenciana we did a strong race and took two podium places. Now, in Dubail, Magnus was close to the victory too. That’s great!"

Valverde recognized Sanchez' strong start to the season, saying he is doing "really well at the moment". "Even though I myself tried to leave him behind in the finale, he took a strong turn with 2km to go and it caught me out of strength. I'm still happy, though, because my legs continue to feel really well after my injury."

The fireworks kicked off on the Collada Bermejo, a category 1 ascent that crested with 60km to go. As the day's early breakaway was being reeled in, Quick-Step Floors went on the attack, with both Gilbert and Bob Jungels jumping away.

They were reeled in before the unclassified Alto de Gebas, where Astana's Jakob Fuglsang attacked and launched Sanchez up the road with Valverde.

"I knew from the start that Sanchez and Valverde were the most dangerous riders, as they knew the roads, so that is why we tried something different. After 20 kilometers we went away together with a big group and as some riders weren't willing to share the work, we made a selection, followed by two more later in the race. Unfortunately, a strong headwind thwarted our efforts and we couldn't extend the lead," Gilbert said.

What a great day for our team! @LLEONSANCHEZ won #VueltaCiclistaMurcia2018 pic.twitter.com/VqyTeC0tJC

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team5:06:35
2Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team0:00:15
3Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors0:02:15
4Matteo Trentin (Ita) Mitchelton-Scott0:03:54
5Pieter Serry (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 4 - Cell 2
6Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro TeamRow 5 - Cell 2
7Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step FloorsRow 6 - Cell 2
8Willie Smit (RSA) Katusha-AlpecinRow 7 - Cell 2
9José Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 8 - Cell 2
10Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Wanty-Groupe GobertRow 9 - Cell 2
11Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 10 - Cell 2
12Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar TeamRow 11 - Cell 2
13Yoann Offredo (Fra) Wanty-Groupe GobertRow 12 - Cell 2
14Felix Grossschartner (Aut) Bora-HansgroheRow 13 - Cell 2
15Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Mitchelton-ScottRow 14 - Cell 2
16Enric Mas (Spa) Quick-Step FloorsRow 15 - Cell 2
17Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Mitchelton-ScottRow 16 - Cell 2
18Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Katusha-AlpecinRow 17 - Cell 2
19Etienne van Empel (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse LoterijRow 18 - Cell 2
20Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 19 - Cell 2
21Fabien Grellier (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 20 - Cell 2
22Lukasz Owsian (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 21 - Cell 2
23Mikel Bizkarra Etxegibel (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-MuriasRow 22 - Cell 2
24Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Quick-Step FloorsRow 23 - Cell 2
25Ryan Anderson (Can) Rally CyclingRow 24 - Cell 2
26Tony Martin (Ger) Katusha-AlpecinRow 25 - Cell 2
27Luis Guillermo Mas Bonet (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 26 - Cell 2
28Diego Rubio Hernandez (Spa) Burgos BHRow 27 - Cell 2
29Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha-AlpecinRow 28 - Cell 2
30Jose Herrada (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 29 - Cell 2
31Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-HansgroheRow 30 - Cell 2
32Michael Valgren (Den) Astana Pro TeamRow 31 - Cell 2
33Nikolai Cherkasov (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 32 - Cell 2
34Kamil Gradek (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 33 - Cell 2
35Nick van der Lijke (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse LoterijRow 34 - Cell 2
36Marco Minnard (Ned) Wanty-Groupe GobertRow 35 - Cell 2
37Florian Senechal (Fra) Quick-Step FloorsRow 36 - Cell 2
38Paul Ourselin (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 37 - Cell 2
39Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Astana Pro TeamRow 38 - Cell 2
OTLThomas Sprengers (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 39 - Cell 2
OTLStijn Steels (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 40 - Cell 2
OTLHector Saez Benito (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-MuriasRow 41 - Cell 2
OTLGarikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-MuriasRow 42 - Cell 2
OTLAntonio Molina Canet (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 43 - Cell 2
OTLOscar Riesebeek (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse LoterijRow 44 - Cell 2
OTLRobert Britton (Can) Rally CyclingRow 45 - Cell 2
OTLNigel Ellsay (Can) Rally CyclingRow 46 - Cell 2
OTLJesus Ezquerra Muela (Spa) Burgos BHRow 47 - Cell 2
OTLJulen Amezqueta Moreno (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 48 - Cell 2
OTLOscar Eduardo Sanchez Guarin (Col) Canel's-SpecializedRow 49 - Cell 2
OTLJonas Koch (Ger) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 50 - Cell 2
OTLJonathan Lastra Martinez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 51 - Cell 2
OTLJames Mitri (GBr) Burgos-BHRow 52 - Cell 2
OTLMarc Buades Ferriol (Spa) Team EuskadiRow 53 - Cell 2
OTLJon Ander Insausti (Spa) Team EuskadiRow 54 - Cell 2
OTLJonas Rickaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 55 - Cell 2
OTLDries De Bondt (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 56 - Cell 2
OTLMathias Van Gompel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 57 - Cell 2
OTLMichael Goolaerts (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 58 - Cell 2
OTLJorge Cubero Galvez (Spa) Burgos BHRow 59 - Cell 2
OTLMichaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 60 - Cell 2
OTLAaron Verwilst (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 61 - Cell 2
OTLJan Tratnik (Slo) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 62 - Cell 2
OTLSergei Shilov (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 63 - Cell 2
OTLAdam De Vos (Can) Rally CyclingRow 64 - Cell 2
OTLKyle Murphy (USA) Rally CyclingRow 65 - Cell 2
OTLRomain Sicard (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 66 - Cell 2
OTLJerome Cousin (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 67 - Cell 2
OTLRein Taaramäe (Est) Direct EnergieRow 68 - Cell 2
OTLEduardo Francisco Garcia (Spa) Dare GaviotaRow 69 - Cell 2
DNFJon Aberasturi Izaga (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-MuriasRow 70 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Albasini (Swi) Mitchelton-ScottRow 71 - Cell 2
DNFMikel Alonso Flores (Spa) Team EuskadiRow 72 - Cell 2
DNFTim Ariesen (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse LoterijRow 73 - Cell 2
DNFIbai Azurmendi Sagastibeltza (Spa) Team EuskadiRow 74 - Cell 2
DNFJérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty-Groupe GobertRow 75 - Cell 2
DNFMaxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha-AlpecinRow 76 - Cell 2
DNFGuillaume Bonnafond (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 77 - Cell 2
DNFRobbert de Greef (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse LoterijRow 78 - Cell 2
DNFTom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty-Groupe GobertRow 79 - Cell 2
DNFTimothy Dupont (Bel) Wanty-Groupe GobertRow 80 - Cell 2
DNFImanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 81 - Cell 2
DNFMatteo Fabbro (Ita) Katusha-AlpecinRow 82 - Cell 2
DNFEgoitz Fernandez Ayarzaguena (Spa) Team EuskadiRow 83 - Cell 2
DNFAlexander Foliforov (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 84 - Cell 2
DNFRicardo Garcia (Spa) Team EuskadiRow 85 - Cell 2
DNFOscar Gatto (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 86 - Cell 2
DNFPeio Goikoetxea Goiogana (Spa) Team EuskadiRow 87 - Cell 2
DNFHector Gonzales (Spa) Dare GaviotaRow 88 - Cell 2
DNFHugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 89 - Cell 2
DNFHugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro TeamRow 90 - Cell 2
DNFEvan Huffman (USA) Rally CyclingRow 91 - Cell 2
DNFAxel Journiaux (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 92 - Cell 2
DNFEvgeny Kobernyak (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 93 - Cell 2
DNFLeon Koch (Ned) Dare GaviotaRow 94 - Cell 2
DNFPatrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-HansgroheRow 95 - Cell 2
DNFBakhtiyar Kozhatayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 96 - Cell 2
DNFDmitriy Kozontchuk (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 97 - Cell 2
DNFAidis Kruopis (Ltu) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 98 - Cell 2
DNFMarko Kump (Slo) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 99 - Cell 2
DNFSenne Leysen (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 100 - Cell 2
DNFRoman Maikin (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 101 - Cell 2
DNFJosé Mendes (Por) Burgos BHRow 102 - Cell 2
DNFMilan Menten (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 103 - Cell 2
DNFMauricio Moreira (Uru) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 104 - Cell 2
DNFEmerson Oronte (USA) Rally CyclingRow 105 - Cell 2
DNFJonas Orset (Nor) Dare GaviotaRow 106 - Cell 2
DNFLukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-HansgroheRow 107 - Cell 2
DNFEduard Prades Reverter (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-MuriasRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFIbai Salas Zorrozua (Spa) Burgos BHRow 109 - Cell 2
DNFSergio Samitier Samitier (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-MuriasRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFEnrique Sanz Unzue (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-MuriasRow 111 - Cell 2
DNFAleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Bora-HansgroheRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFAndreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFMichal Schlegel (Cze) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFMads Würtz Schmidt (Den) Katusha-AlpecinRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFSimon Sellier (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFEduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Movistar TeamRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFEvgeny Shalunov (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFMarc Soler (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFNelson Andres Soto Martinez (Col) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 121 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Tanner (Aus) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFPablo Torres Muiño (Spa) Burgos BHRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFRafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 124 - Cell 2
DNFPreben Van Hecke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-BaloiseRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFGuillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Wanty-Groupe GobertRow 126 - Cell 2
DNFJan Willem van Schip (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse LoterijRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFCoen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse LoterijRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFCarlos Verona (Spa) Mitchelton-ScottRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFJosu Zabala Lopez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 130 - Cell 2
DNFOdin Foldvik Eikeland (Nor) Dare GaviotaRow 131 - Cell 2
DNSZico Waeytens (Bel) Veranda's Willems CrelanRow 132 - Cell 2

 

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