Astana Pro Team wins Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia

ASTANA. KAZINFORM Astana Pro Team has conquered the two-day Spanish race Vuelta Ciclista a la Región de Murcia Costa Cálida, taking not only the final general classification of the race, but also all secondary classifications, the team's press service informs.

Luis Leon Sanchez took stage 2 win as well as became the overall winner of the race, taking also the point classification. Yesterday's stage winner Pello Bilbao stepped on the third place of the final podium, while Jakob Fuglsang won the jersey of the best climber. Astana Pro Team won the final team classification.

The second stage of the Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia started in Beniel and finished in the city center of Murcia. The stage was characterized by two hard climbs: Alto Collado Bermejo (7.2 km, 7.1%) more or less in the middle of the distance and Alto de la Cresta del Gallo (4.4 km, 6.5%), a short but very steep climb with only 12 km to the finish line.

It was the reigned world champion Alejandro Valverde, who launched an attack on the steep slopes of Alto de la Cresta del Gallo and only Luis Leon Sanchez could answer to this move. On the top of the climb Valverde has got a small gap, but later the Astana rider was able to close it, joining the world champion in front of the race for the last few kilometers. In the sprint, Luis Leon Sanchez took a very beautiful victory, outsprinting Valverde and taking the final win in the general classification of the Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia.

Pello Bilbao, who finished 5th in this stage, completed the final podium with third place. Also, Omar Fraile and Jakob Fuglsang finished 5th and 6th in the overall classification.

Besides, Luis Leon Sanchez won the point classification and Jakob Fuglsang won the king of mountain jersey, while Astana won the team classification of the race.