Ben Swift rounded off the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon in perfect style for Team Sky by sprinting to victory in Spain.
Tondo hangs on for overall triumph
Ben Swift rounded off the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon in perfect style for Team Sky by sprinting to a convincing victory in Medina del Campo.
The 23-year-old was guided into position brilliantly when a breakaway group including team-mate Alex Dowsett was hauled back inside the final two kilometres, and after a strong turn on the front from Russell Downing he rode away from Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) and Rubén Pérez (Euskaltel) to claim his third win of the season by a couple of bike lengths.
Xavier Tondo (Movistar) was also in that front group to ensure he wrapped up the general classification with a nine-second advantage over Bauke Mollema (Rabobank), whilst Igor Antón (Euskaltel) rounded out the podium in third place.
Team Sky had been active right from the off with Chris Froome present in an early move before Dowsett infiltrated the main escape of the day. It was the ideal situation for the neo-pro to be in as he had arranged for the squad to wear red Oakley Jawbones in order to commemorate World Haemophilia Day, and gained a great deal of air-time to support his fellow sufferers around the globe.
When time appeared up for Dowsett and his eight accomplices, the 22-year-old produced two huge attacks but was ultimately pegged back on the outskirts of the destination town, and that was when his team-mates emerged to take over the mantle.
The lead out which followed was executed faultlessly and Downing guided Swift onto the long closing straight before peeling off and allowing his fellow Yorkshireman to power on to another memorable win.
Dario Cioni meanwhile, was credited with the same time as Swift and finished the race as Team Sky's highest-ranked rider overall in seventh position.
A full reaction from Swift can be found on Team Sky's official website by clicking
HERE.
