Vuelta a Murcia 2019 – Stage 2 [FULL STAGE](spanish)

February 16, 2019

Vuelta a Murcia 2019 – Stage 2 – Beniel – Murcia : 177,3 km

The Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia (English: Tour of Murcia) is a road bicycle race held in and around Murcia, Spain. The first four editions were reserved to amateurs. Originally the race was held in early March and consisted of five stages. However, due to Spain’s financial turmoil, the race was scaled back to three stages in 2011 and two stages in 2012. Since 2013 the Vuelta a Murcia is organised as a single-day race and shifted to mid-February on the international calendar. It is part of the UCI Europe Tour as a 1.1 event.

Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) took the overall victory at the Vuelta Ciclista a la Region Murcia, with his win in the second and final stage. He beat world champion Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) in a two-man sprint, with Mitchelton-Scott’s Matteo Trentin coming in third.

Sanchez continued Astana’s domination of the race, after the Kazakh team had finished first, second and third on stage 1. Valverde claimed second in GC, and Pello Bilbao, Sanchez’ teammate and winner of the first stage, was third overall.

“First of all I have to say about a great team work today. All together we did a very nice and strong race. Yeah, it was quite difficult to control Valverde on the final climb, but I was able to follow him and later to control him inside the final kilometers. I did my best in the final and I am happy to take this win. It is an important result for me since this is my home race. But, the most important is the way we raced yesterday and today. That was really great!” said Sanchez.

Sanchez and Valverde had broken from the lead group on the final climb, with some 15km to go. Valverde went solo from the top of the climb, before Sanchez caught him again. As Sanchez crossed the finish line with a sizable gap, Valverde applauded his countryman and embraced him after crossing the finish line.

The Queen stage featured four ranked climbs, and it was destined to throw the GC upside down. A group of six riders got away early, and were later joined by four more. Their gap never got far above the one-minute mark.

Halfway through the stage came the day’s biggest climb, the cat. 1 Alto Collado Bermejo. The approach saw Damien Howson (Mitchelton-Scott), Carlos Barbero (Movistar) and Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) jump from the field and move up. But this group fell apart on the climb, with Riccardo Zoidl taking a solo lead, before being joined by Howson and Fuglsang. Attack followed attack and the group and leaders changed constantly.

Fuglsang finally dropped the others and took off, only to have neo-pro Antonio Soto (Euskadi) join him. They were chased by an elite group of about 35, containing no less than five Movistar riders. The chase was successful and the large group took on the finale. The pace stayed high as the field barreled its way towards the day’s final climb, the Alto Cresta de Gallo, only 12km from the finish.

Astana kept control of the group, not wanting to let anyone get away.

Movistar made its move on the climb, with fourth-ranked Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and third-ranked Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) attacking, both only three seconds down on GC. Just before the top, the Movistar ride took off solo, but Sanchez re-joined him in the final 2km. In the final kilometer, the two sprinted for the win, with Sanchez pulling past Valverde for a clear win to take the stage and the overall title.

Results :
1 Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team 4:14:33
2 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team
3 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:13
4 Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
5 Pello Bilbao (Spa) Astana Pro Team
6 Oscar Rodriguez Garaicoechea (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country
7 Jose Herrada (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
8 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 0:00:16
9 Omar Fraile (Spa) Astana Pro Team
10 Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:01:29
11 Aime De Gendt (Bel) Wanty-Gobert 0:01:33
12 Nick van der Lijke (Ned) Roompot-Charles
13 Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Mitchelton-Scott
14 Dmitrii Strakhov (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin
15 Serge Pauwels (Bel) CCC Team
16 Oscar Riesebeek (Ned) Roompot-Charles
17 Mathias Le Turnier (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
18 Antonio Jesus Soto Guirao (Spa) Equipo Euskadi
19 Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
20 Riccardo Zoidl (Aut) CCC Team
21 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Katusha-Alpecin
22 Cristian Rodriguez Martin (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
23 Garikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country
24 Kyle Murphy (USA) Rally UHC Cycling
25 Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha-Alpecin
26 Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 0:02:48
27 Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
28 Ruben Fernandez (Spa) Movistar Team
29 José Rojas (Spa) Movistar Team
30 Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Direct Energie
31 Cyril Barthe (Fra) Euskadi Basque Country
32 Nikolai Cherkasov (Rus) Gazprom–Rusvelo
33 Juan Pedro Lopez Perez (Spa) Kometa Cycling Team
34 Laurens ten Dam (Ned) CCC Team
35 Damien Howson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:03:06
36 Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Burgos-BH 0:04:06
37 Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:04:07
38 David Gonzalez Lopez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:04:10
39 Aaron Verwilst (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 0:04:55
40 Emerson Oronte (USA) Rally UHC Cycling
41 Alvaro Cuadros Morata (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
42 James Mitri (NZl) Burgos-BH
43 Robert Stannard (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:07:41
44 Rafael Valls (Spa) Movistar Team 0:07:57
45 Jorge Cubero Galvez (Spa) Burgos-BH
46 Hector Carretero (Spa) Movistar Team
47 Sjoerd van Ginneken (Ned) Roompot-Charles
48 Jonas Koch (Ger) CCC Team
49 Michael Albasini (Swi) Mitchelton-Scott 0:11:05
50 Ryan Anderson (Can) Rally UHC Cycling 0:12:27
51 Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha-Alpecin
52 Emmanuel Morin (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
53 Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Gazprom–Rusvelo
54 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Bora-Hansgrohe
55 Robin Carpenter (USA) Rally UHC Cycling
56 Dion Smith (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott
57 Jetse Bol (Ned) Burgos-BH
58 Isaac Canton Serrano (Spa) Kometa Cycling Team
59 Nigel Ellsay (Can) Rally UHC Cycling
60 Natnael Berhane (Eri) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
61 Gavin Mannion (USA) Rally UHC Cycling
62 Senne Leysen (Bel) Roompot-Charles 0:16:53
63 Daniel Viegas (Por) Kometa Cycling Team
64 Mathieu Burgaudeau (Fra) Direct Energie
65 Yoann Offredo (Fra) Wanty-Gobert
66 Petr Rikunov (Rus) Gazprom–Rusvelo
67 Alexander Porsev (Rus) Gazprom–Rusvelo
68 Thimo Willems (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 0:18:32
69 Paul Ourselin (Fra) Direct Energie
70 Yuriy Natarov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
71 Matteo Dal-Cin (Can) Rally UHC Cycling
72 Lars Boom (Ned) Roompot-Charles
73 Denis Nekrasov (Rus) Gazprom–Rusvelo
74 Juan Antonio Lopez-Cozar Jaimez (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country
75 Stepan Kuriyanov (Rus) Gazprom–Rusvelo 0:18:53
76 Unai Cuadrado Ruiz De Gauna (Spa) Equipo Euskadi 0:25:45
77 Peio Goikoetxea Goiogana (Spa) Equipo Euskadi
78 Mikel Alonso Flores (Spa) Equipo Euskadi
79 Jokin Aranburu Arruti (Spa) Equipo Euskadi
80 Dzmitry Zhyhunou (Blr) Equipo Euskadi
81 Justin Timmermans (Ned) Roompot-Charles
82 Mathias De Witte (Bel) Roompot-Charles
83 Nuno Matos (Por) Burgos-BH
84 Txomin Juaristi Arrieta (Spa) Equipo Euskadi
85 Urko Berrade Fernandez (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country
DNS Simon Geschke (Ger) CCC Team
DNS Filippo Fortin (Ita) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Jon Aberasturi Izaga (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
DNF Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Carlos Barbero (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF Will Barta (USA) CCC Team
DNF Jack Bauer (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott
DNF Pawel Bernas (Pol) CCC Team
DNF Carlos Betancur (Col) Movistar Team
DNF Thomas Boudat (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Juan Camacho Del Fresno (Spa) Kometa Cycling Team
DNF Xavier Cañellas Sanchez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
DNF Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Kevin Deltombe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
DNF Tom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty-Gobert
DNF Alex Dowsett (GBr) Katusha-Alpecin
DNF Alexander Evtushenko (Rus) Gazprom–Rusvelo
DNF Jose Antonio Garcia Martin (Spa) Kometa Cycling Team
DNF Beñat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country
DNF Axel Journiaux (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Daniel Lopez Parada (Spa) Burgos-BH
DNF Mauricio Moreira (Uru) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
DNF Manuel Peñalver Aniorte (Spa) Burgos-BH
DNF Edward Planckaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
DNF Antonio Puppio (Ita) Kometa Cycling Team
DNF Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Samuele Rubino (Ita) Kometa Cycling Team
DNF Juraj Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Enrique Sanz Unzue (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country
DNF Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Willem Jakobus Smit (RSA) Katusha-Alpecin
DNF Rein Taaramäe (Est) Direct Energie
DNF Aaron Van Poucke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
DNF Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Wanty-Gobert
DNF Loïc Vliegen (Bel) Wanty-Gobert
DNF Victor Lafay (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Zico Waeytens (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits

Final General Classification :
1 Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team 8:29:38
2 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team
3 Pello Bilbao (Spa) Astana Pro Team 0:00:10
4 Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:13
5 Omar Fraile (Spa) Astana Pro Team 0:00:16
6 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team
7 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:19
8 Jose Herrada (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
9 Oscar Rodriguez Garaicoechea (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country
10 Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:01:35
11 Aime De Gendt (Bel) Wanty-Gobert 0:01:39
12 Nick van der Lijke (Ned) Roompot-Charles
13 Mathias Le Turnier (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
14 Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
15 Antonio Jesus Soto Guirao (Spa) Equipo Euskadi
16 Garikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country
17 Dmitrii Strakhov (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin 0:01:44
18 Cristian Rodriguez Martin (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
19 Riccardo Zoidl (Aut) CCC Team
20 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Katusha-Alpecin
21 Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Mitchelton-Scott 0:02:16
22 José Rojas (Spa) Movistar Team 0:02:54
23 Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
24 Ruben Fernandez (Spa) Movistar Team 0:02:59
25 Laurens ten Dam (Ned) CCC Team
26 Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:04:13
27 Oscar Riesebeek (Ned) Roompot-Charles 0:04:26
28 Serge Pauwels (Bel) CCC Team
29 Nikolai Cherkasov (Rus) Gazprom–Rusvelo 0:05:41
30 Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Direct Energie
31 Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
32 Juan Pedro Lopez Perez (Spa) Kometa Cycling Team
33 David Gonzalez Lopez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:07:03
34 Damien Howson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:07:17
35 Aaron Verwilst (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 0:07:48
36 Emerson Oronte (USA) Rally UHC Cycling
37 Robert Stannard (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:07:56
38 Jonas Koch (Ger) CCC Team 0:08:03
39 Hector Carretero (Spa) Movistar Team
40 Rafael Valls (Spa) Movistar Team 0:08:08
41 Kyle Murphy (USA) Rally UHC Cycling 0:09:35
42 Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha-Alpecin
43 Sjoerd van Ginneken (Ned) Roompot-Charles 0:10:50
44 Cyril Barthe (Fra) Euskadi Basque Country
45 Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Burgos-BH 0:12:08
46 Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha-Alpecin 0:12:33
47 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Bora-Hansgrohe
48 Robin Carpenter (USA) Rally UHC Cycling
49 Dion Smith (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott 0:12:38
50 James Mitri (NZl) Burgos-BH 0:12:57
51 Alvaro Cuadros Morata (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
52 Michael Albasini (Swi) Mitchelton-Scott 0:13:03
53 Emmanuel Morin (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:15:20
54 Jetse Bol (Ned) Burgos-BH
55 Nigel Ellsay (Can) Rally UHC Cycling
56 Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Gazprom–Rusvelo 0:15:32
57 Gavin Mannion (USA) Rally UHC Cycling
58 Jorge Cubero Galvez (Spa) Burgos-BH 0:15:59
59 Petr Rikunov (Rus) Gazprom–Rusvelo 0:19:46
60 Senne Leysen (Bel) Roompot-Charles
61 Alexander Porsev (Rus) Gazprom–Rusvelo
62 Yoann Offredo (Fra) Wanty-Gobert
63 Natnael Berhane (Eri) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:20:10
64 Isaac Canton Serrano (Spa) Kometa Cycling Team 0:20:29
65 Paul Ourselin (Fra) Direct Energie 0:21:25
66 Yuriy Natarov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
67 Lars Boom (Ned) Roompot-Charles 0:21:39
68 Ryan Anderson (Can) Rally UHC Cycling 0:22:06
69 Daniel Viegas (Por) Kometa Cycling Team 0:26:32
70 Mathieu Burgaudeau (Fra) Direct Energie
71 Denis Nekrasov (Rus) Gazprom–Rusvelo 0:26:34
72 Stepan Kuriyanov (Rus) Gazprom–Rusvelo 0:26:55
73 Thimo Willems (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 0:28:11
74 Matteo Dal-Cin (Can) Rally UHC Cycling
75 Juan Antonio Lopez-Cozar Jaimez (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country
76 Mathias De Witte (Bel) Roompot-Charles 0:28:38
77 Unai Cuadrado Ruiz De Gauna (Spa) Equipo Euskadi 0:28:50
78 Txomin Juaristi Arrieta (Spa) Equipo Euskadi
79 Justin Timmermans (Ned) Roompot-Charles 0:35:24
80 Nuno Matos (Por) Burgos-BH
81 Jokin Aranburu Arruti (Spa) Equipo Euskadi
82 Peio Goikoetxea Goiogana (Spa) Equipo Euskadi
83 Dzmitry Zhyhunou (Blr) Equipo Euskadi
84 Mikel Alonso Flores (Spa) Equipo Euskadi
85 Urko Berrade Fernandez (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country