tour.basque.country

Spaniard Mikel Landa won the second stage of the Tour of the Basque country on home soil on Tuesday to claim the overall lead by a second from Dutch rider Wilco Kelderman.

Team Sky’s Landa edged out Kelderman with a late burst on the 174.3km stage from Markina-Xemein to Garrastatxu, after they broke away from the chasing pack in the final two kilometres of a demanding 2.7km climb to the finish.

Landa’s teammate Sergio Henao claimed third with Giro d’Italia champion Alberto Contador 11 seconds back in fifth.

Other race favourites Nairo Quintana and Fabio Aru also lost significant time on Landa as they finished 15 and 22 seconds behind respectively.

The six-stage race continues on Wednesday with a 193.5km ride from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Lesaka.

 

Results from the 174.3km second stage of Tour of the Basque Country from Markina-Xemein to Amurrio on Tuesday:

1. Mikel Landa (ESP/SKY) 4hr 43min 17sec, 2. Wilco Kelderman (NED/LNL) at 1sec, 3. Sergio Henao (COL/SKY) 5, 4. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/BMC) 9, 5. Alberto Contador (ESP/TIN) 11, 6. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) 13, 7. Rui Costa (POR/LAM) 15, 8. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) same time, 9. Robert Gesink (NED/LNL) s.t., 10. SĂ©bastien Reichenbach (SWI/FDJ) s.t.

Selected others

11. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) s.t., 15. Fabio Aru (ITA/AST) 22 

Overall standings

1. Mikel Landa (ESP/SKY) 8hr 37min 38sec, 2. Wilco Kelderman (NED/LNL) 1, 3. Sebastian Heano (COL/SKY) 5, 4. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/BMC) 9, 5. Alberto Contador (ESP/TIN) 11, 6. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) 13, 7. Rui Costa (POR/LAM) 15, 8. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) s.t., 9. Robert Gesink (NED/LNL) s.t., 10. SĂ©bastien Reichenbach (SWI/FDJ) s.t.

Selected others

11. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) s.t., 15. Fabio Aru (ITA/AST) 22 

– Agence France-Presse

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