Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) won the final stage time trial in the 2012 Vuelta al Pais Vasco in Spain to secure the overall win ahead of Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha).
Rodriguez started the final stage on Saturday in the overall lead, but simply couldn't match Sanchez's pace on the hilly and technical 18.9 kilometre final test against the clock.
Double stage winner Rodriguez came in sixth, some 21 seconds adrift of Sanchez but held on to enough time to take second overall.
Dutchman Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) finished the final stage in second spot, and took third overall.
Sky's Lars Petter Nordhaug completed the race in sixth place overall in the WorldTour-level race, 1-03 behind Sanchez.
Results
Vuelta al Pais Vasco 2012, stage six: Onati to Onati, 18.9km time trial
1. Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
2. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank at 6 secs
3. Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 7 secs
4. Marco Pinotti (Ita) BMC Racing at 15 secs
5. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-ISD at 16 secs
6. Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha at 21 secs
7. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank at 22 secs
8. Travis Meyer (Aus) GreenEdge at 24 secs
9. Moreno Moser (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale at 28 secs
10. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale at 31 secs
Final overall classification
1. Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
2. Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha at 12 secs
3. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank at 42 secs
4. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-ISD at 47 secs
5. Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 54 secs
6. Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Sky at 1-03
7. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) A2gr La Mondiale at 1-07
8. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-ISD at 1-19
9. Christopher Horner (USA) RadioShack-Nissan at 1-27
10. Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha at 1-29
Related links
Stage two: Impey attacks to take Pais Vasco stage two
Stage one: Rojas wins Pais Vasco opening sprint
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