Nicolas Roche and Daniel Martin have contested their first serious race following the Olympics and just their second since last month’s Tour de France, with both finishing in the top 20 in the San Sebastian Classic in Spain today, Tuesday.
Both Irishmen were in a lead group of 30 riders that hurtled in towards San Sebastian to contest victory in the closing stages after 234km of racing, with Martin putting in a massive effort for victory in the closing stages and showing great form for his late season campaign.
The peloton was whittled down on the final climb of the day up the Jaizikbel. Despite some attacking over the top and on the descent, nothing managed to stay clear until Rabobank’s Luis León Sánchez had a solo dig with around 10km remaining.
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He never gained much more than 10 seconds, but had the legs to stay clear all the way and took a convincing win.
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Indeed the only real challenge to the flying Spaniard came from Martin, who attacked the peloton in the closing stages. He got to within 150 metres of Sanchez with 3km remaining but could not close the last part of the gap and was absorbed by the peloton.
Australia’s Simon Gerrans (Orica GreenEdge), the winner of Milan-San Remo in the early season, won the sprint for second from the small peloton just seven seconds behind.
Roche (Ag2r) was 16th while Martin (Garmin-Sharp) was just two places further back in 18th, both on the same time as Gerrans.
Result: San Sebastian Classic (234km, August 14th)
1 Luis León Sánchez (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team 5:55:34
2 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team 0:00:07
3 Gianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
4 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Sharp
5 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
6 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team
7 Mads Christensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank
8 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team
9 Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha Team
10 Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre - ISD
11 Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
12 Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - Sharp
13 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
14 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) RadioShack-Nissan
15 Rafal Majka (Pol) Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank
16 Nicholas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale
17 Daniele Ratto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
18 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - Sharp
19 Rafaél Valls Ferri (Spa) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
20 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling
21 Jesús Hernández (Spa) Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank
22 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling
23 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team
24 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling
25 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
26 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team
27 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
28 Tiago Machado (Por) RadioShack-Nissan 0:00:11
29 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 0:00:25
30 Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:00:35
31 Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:03:42
32 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
33 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
34 Andre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Caja Rural
35 Alexandr Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
(86 finishers)
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