Sanchez wins Tour of Basque

Onati - Olympic champion Samuel Sanchez won the Tour of the Basque Country by overtaking fellow Spanish cyclist Joaquin Rodriguez during Saturday's final stage.

Sanchez, riding for local favourite Euskatel-Euskadi, cruised through steady rainfall to clock the fastest mark in the 18.9km time trial around the medieval village of Onati.

Rodriguez was runner-up overall 12 seconds back, while Bauke Mollema of the Netherlands came third in the race's 52nd edition.

Rodriguez entered the sixth and final day nine seconds ahead of Sanchez, but the Movistar rider finished the stage in sixth place, 21 seconds off the winner's pace.

"I'm very happy with my performance," Rodriguez said. "I'm not a specialist of races against the clock, but I think I'm improving. That's obviously good news for big stage races.

"Unfortunately, Sanchez today was really great. He knows these routes very well."

The 34-year-old Sanchez came in third in the event both in 2007 and 2009.

Results on Saturday from the sixth and final stage of the Tour of the Basque Country, a 18.9km time trial in Onati (with rider, nationality, team and time):

1. Samuel Sanchez, Spain, Euskaltel-Euskadi, 28 minutes, 48 seconds.

2. Bauke Mollema, Netherlands, Rabobank, six seconds behind.

3. Tony Martin, Germany, Omega Pharma-Quickstep, :07.

4. Marco Pinotti, Italy, BMC Racing, :15.

5. Damiano Cunego, Italy, Lampre-ISD, :16.

6. Joaquin Rodriguez, Spain, Katusha, :21.

7. Stef Clement, Netherlands, Rabobank, :22.

8. Travis Meyer, Greenedge Cycling, :24.

9. Moreno Moser, Italy, Liquigas-Cannondale, :28.

10. Jean-Christophe Peraud, France, AG2R La Mondiale, :31.

Overall Standings (After 6 of 6 stages):

1. Samuel Sanchez, Spain, Euskaltel-Euskadi, 20 hours, 58 minutes, 15 seconds.

2. Joaquin Rodriguez, Spain, Katusha, 12 seconds behind.

3. Bauke Mollema, Netherlands, Rabobank, :42.

4. Damiano Cunego, Italy, Lampre-ISD, :47.

5. Tony Martin, Germany, Omega Pharma-Quickstep, :54.

6. Lars Petter Nordhaug, Norway, Sky Team, 1:03.

7. Jean-Christophe Peraud, France, AG2R La Mondiale, 1:07.

8. Michele Scarponi, Italy, Lampre-ISD, 1:19.

9. Christopher Horner, United States, RadioShack-Nissan, 1:27.

10. Simon Spilak, Slovenia, Katusha, 1:29.