Video: Dan Martin pipped for Catalunya summit win by Valverde
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) powers past Dan Martin (QuickStep) for victory at Volta A Catalunya in La Molina.
By Brian Canty
Dan Martin has finished second on the mountain-top finish of the Volta A Catalunya. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) powered around him to win the day.
Irishman Martin looked poised to take the win as he launched his trademark kick in the final few hundred metres and gapped those left in the front – except the Spaniard.
Valverde has denied Martin a number of big wins over the years and today he did the same again.
It is a bitter pill for Martin to swallow, particularly as his team was so far off the pace in the team time-trial yesterday and his general classification hopes look to be over.
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He came into today’s stage as one of the hot favourites for victory having won here 12 months ago.
Today, his Quick-Step Floors team rallied around him and safeguarded him in the early part of the 188-kilometre journey from Mataro to La Molina.
They had a somewhat easier day than most of their rivals as they had Belgian Pieter Serry in the breakaway.
The three escapees survived until around 10 kilometres to go when the road to the ski station really ramped up. And it was mainly thanks to the work of Team Sky that they were pegged back.
Peter Kennaugh was particularly prominent on the front of the bunch as he set a ferocious tempo. He whittled the front group down significantly.
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Dan Martin was always present, however, alongside the likes of Alberto Contador, Geraint Thomas, Chris Froome, Romain Bardet and Adam Yates, amongst others.
Only the top GC men came to the finish in a cluster and the stage results meant Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) took the race lead.
He finished three seconds behind Valverde and Martin with several other general classification contenders.
Philip Deignan (Team Sky) finished in a small group in 92nd place, some 21:56 down.
Tomorrow's stage takes the riders from Llivia to Igualada in a southerly direction. It should be a somewhat easier day for the peloton despite a category two climb 14 kilometres from the finish.
. @alejanvalverde and a #WattageBazooka ! cheers for the excellent footage @Eurosport_UK #VoltaCatalunya pic.twitter.com/SEobWdhEXp
— GlobalCyclingNetwork (@gcntweet) March 22, 2017
Stage 3: Mataro-La Molina (188km)
1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 5:07:12
2 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors @s/t
3 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott 0:00:03
4 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
5 Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin
6 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky
7 Alberto Contador (Spa) Trek-Segafredo
8 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
9 Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale-Drapac 0:00:08
10 Davide Formolo (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac
General Classification
1 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 10:24:33
2 Samuel Sanchez (USA) BMC Racing Team at 41secs
3 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky at 44secs
4 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team at 45secs
5 Chris Froome GBr) Team Sky at 49secs
6 Marc Soler (Spa) Movistar Team at 1:10
7 Alberto Contador (Spa) Trek Segafredo at 1:13
8 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica Scott at 1:18
9 Bauke Mollema (Ned) trek Segafredo at 1:25
10 Jarlinson Pantan0 (Col) Trek Segafredo at s/t
14 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors at 2:02
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