Big battle before ITT showdown
08 April 2011

Movistar Team spent another stage as the main attackers in the Vuelta al País Vasco. The Basque tour completed its fifth day of racing with strong heat -over 30ºC- still blowing hard on the riders' stamina before tomorrow's final, decisive 24km ITT in Zalla.

The telephone squad made their moves from the very start and broke the bunch into pieces through the ascent to Urkiola (Cat. 1), whose summit was made first by Beñat Intxausti. The Basque rider was later chased down by a short peloton that would increase its units in the downhill after the battle in the first hour of racing, but the Blue squad still saw some attempts by one of Movistar Team’s leaders, David López, during the Alto de Beci climb, 15k from the finish.

The try by the rider from Barakaldo, alongside Poels and Vanendert, ended with 3km from the finishing straight, where Gavazzi (LAM) claimed the sprint victory -with Kiryienka in 6th place- after Óscar Freire was relegated. The showdown on Spanish soil will come tomorrow, with ten riders in ten seconds’ distance and three Movistar Team members within those: Tondo (6th), López (7th) and Intxausti, 9th.