Alejandro Valverde seals Tour of Catalonia victory with final stage win
Sunday 26 March 2017 15:50, UK
Alejandro Valverde sealed his second Tour of Catalonia victory in brilliant style by winning the seventh and final stage.
Valverde timed his final sprint to perfection to cross the line first at a hilltop overlooking Barcelona after 139km (89 miles) in the saddle.
He finished the week-long race more than one minute ahead of Alberto Contador and Marc Soler, who rounded out the all-Spanish podium.
The 36-year-old Valverde won two other stages in the race and triumphed despite receiving a one-minute time penalty on Wednesday, after race officials ruled that some Movistar riders pushed one another in Tuesday's team time trial.
Valverde also won the race in northeastern Spain in 2009, the same year he triumphed in the Vuelta a Espana to claim his sole Grand Tour title.
Three-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome fell out of contention for Tour of Catalonia glory during Saturday's penultimate stage and had to make do with 30th place.
Great Britain's Adam Yates finished fourth overall with Ireland's Daniel Martin two spots behind him, courtesy of his sixth-place in the closing stage.
Valverde began the final day with a commanding lead and launched a late attack alongside Martin with 3km to go on Sunday, before pipping Colombian Jarlinson Pantano at the finish line to claim his third stage win in a week.
He finished the race one minute and three seconds clear of Contador, with Valverde's Movistar team mate Marc Soler third overall, 1:16 adrift.
Valverde said: "Today I felt good after a really hard stage yesterday. Everything was easier today, because of the team.
"I knew Daniel (Martin) would attack when he did, as he always does that. I worked very hard to stay with him and in the end I won by a hair's breadth."
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