Gallopin To Victory

Last updated : 27 July 2013 By Covsupport News Service

Radio Shack's Tony Gallopin has won the Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian.

The annual Basque race attracted a strong field for this 232km long event and saw Olivier Kaisen (Lotto Belisol), Luca Wackermann (Lampre-Merida), Matthias Krizek (Cannondale) and Francisco Aramendia (Caja Rural) open up an eleven minute lead with Wackermann taking the second category climb at Alto Garate, the first category Alto de Jaizkibel and the second category Alto de Arkale after 176.8kms.

They were finally caught on the ascent of the Alto de Jaizkibel, some eighteen kilometres later after some good work from Nairo Quintana and the pressure of Roman Kreuziger, Tony Gallopin, Alejandro Valverde, Moreno Moser, Arnold Jeannesson and Ireland's Nicholas Roche who came fourth on the climb at Alto de Jaizkibel and then took second on the Alto de Arkale after 217.5kms, in a group of thirteen riders.

Halfway up that Alto de Arkale, Radio Shack's Tony Gallopin attacked on his own and he stayed away, taking a thirty second lead into the seafront where the Frenchman was able to celebrate his win in a time of 5.39.02.

Twenty eight seconds later, Alejandro Valverde of Movistar, won the sprint for second ahead of Saxo Tinkoff's Roman Kreuziger, Mikel Nieve and Nicolas Roche.