Sanchez on song in Spain

Arrate - Spain's Olympic road race champion Samuel Sanchez won the third stage of the Tour of the Basque Country on Wednesday, a 164km ride from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Arrate.

The 34-year-old Euskaltel rider also took the overall lead from Jose Joaquin Rojas as he beat home compatriot Joaquim Rodriguez and American Chris Horner in a mountain-top finish.

Results from the 164km third stage of the Tour of the Basque Country from Vitoria to Arrate on Wednesday:

Stage

1. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/EUS) 3hr 58min 15sec (average: 41.3 kmh), 2. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) same time, 3. Chris Horner (USA/RSH) s.t., 4. Bauke Mollema (NED/RAB) 0:12, 5. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 0:12, 6. Tony Martin (GER/OPQ) 0:12, 7. Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM) 0:12, 8. Sergio Henao (COL/SKY) 0:12, 9. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO/AST) 0:12, 10. Lars Petter Nordhaug (NOR/SKY) 0:12, 11. Daniel Moreno (ESP/KAT) 0:12, 12. Simon Spilak (SLO/KAT) 0:12, 13. Rui Costa (POR/MOV) 0:12, 14. Hubert Dupont (FRA/ALM) 0:12, 15. Wout Poels (NED/VAC) 0:12, 16. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/GRM) 0:12, 17. Vasil Kiryienka (BLR/MOV) 0:12, 18. Jean Christophe Peraud (FRA/ALM) 0:12, 19. Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL/LTB) 0:12, 20. David Lopez (ESP/MOV) 0:12, 21. Tom Danielson (USA/GRM) 0:35, 22. Marco Pinotti (ITA/BMC) 0:50, 23. Christophe Riblon (FRA/ALM) 0:50, 24. Daniel Navarro (ESP/SAX) 0:50

Overall

1. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/EUS) 12hr 06min 06sec, 2. Chris Horner (USA/RSH) same time, 3. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) s.t., 4. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/GRM) 0:12, 5. Wout Poels (NED/VAC) 0:12, 6. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 0:12, 7. Vasil Kiryienka (BLR/MOV) 0:12, 8. Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL/LTB) 0:12, 9. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO/AST) 0:12, 10. Tony Martin (GER/OPQ) 0:12, 11. Lars Petter Nordhaug (NOR/SKY) 0:12, 12. Rui Costa (POR/MOV) 0:12