Sneaky Sanchez snags win
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ByEurosport
Published 08/09/2006 at 15:33 GMT
Samuel Sanchez squeezed out of a small group of favourites after the final climb in Cuenca to win the 13th stage of the Vuelta a Espana on Friday. Sanchez attacked with 8-km left to ride and held off a late charge, though Alejandro Valverde increased his
CYCLING 2006 Samuel Sanchez Euskaltel
Image credit: Imago
Thirteen has proven to be Sanchez' lucky number, as the Spanish Euskaltel rider won the same stage at the Tour of Spain last year.
After a small group of elite riders broke off of the peloton during the final cobbled Cat. 3 climb up the Alto de Castillo, Sanchez made his move on the dangerous winding descent.
Norway's Thor Hushovd took second-place in front of Valverde, but the podium finish gave the Spaniard valuable bonus seconds to pad his overall lead and tighten his hold on the gold jersey.
Much of the race's main hopefuls were in the final group when Sanchez attacked, including Spaniards Valverde and Carlos Sastre, Kazakhs Andrey Kashechkin and Alexandre Vinokourov, and Italians Paolo Bettini and Danilo Di Luca.
But Sanchez timed it right, giving himself just enough to keep the Vuelta's top riders at bay.
"If you don't take risks, you don't win and today I took those risks." Sanchez said.
He added: "This victory eases the pressure on our team. We had started as one of the big favourites, but after all our leaders lost time, stage wins were the only real option."
Thanks to the bonus seconds Valverde now leads Kashechkin by 35 seconds and Sastre by 52 seconds going into Saturday's critical 33-km time trial.
"Every little counts." Valverde told reporters. "If I am still in the lead tomorrow afternoon, I'll be satisfied."
Vino is still in fifth and now one minute and 46 seconds behind the Spaniard in the GC. The Astana leader predicted that Saturday's time trial would be a good one for him.
"I expect to gain a minute on Valverde," Vinokourov said.
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