Intxausti wins Vuelta a Asturias

Beñat Intxausti emerged victorious overall in the Vuelta a Asturias today through second place on the last stage. Rémy Di Gregorio took out the win atop the mythical climb of Naranco, while an Euskaltel bereft of Jon Izagirre's services were forced to settle for sixth place through Amets Txurruka.

Going into the stage, Izagirre was naturally the team's protected rider what with lying second overall and demonstrating such impressive form the day before. His crash and subsequent abandon meant the team needed to improvise, and Peio Bilbao was soon on the attack along with Russian Shalunov, but the powerful duo never got far. Once the final climb of the Naranco started, Amets Txurruka was right up there with Intxausti, Di Gregorio, Moncoutié et al. for quite a while, but had to let go in the last few clicks. The diminutive climber eventually crossed the line in sixth place, while Urtasun was an astonishing eighth and Bilbao 13th.

On GC, Txurruka naturally became the team's top finisher in sixth - his best general classification result in his career - while Urtasun ended up eighth after another strong Vuelta and Bilbao came home tenth.

As for Orbea, future Euskaltel man Omar Fraile was their top rider in 28th.

Stage results (Orbea riders in cursive):

• (1, Rémy Di Gregorio (Cofidis), 40:30:05)
• 6, Amets Txurruka, 0:48
• 8, Pablo Urtasun, 0:59
• 13, Peio Bilbao, 1:33
• 22, Miguel Minguez, 2:04
• 26, Omar Fraile, 2:36
• 33, Pierre Cazaux, 3:32
• 36, Mikel Bizkarra, 4:15
• 45, Xabier Zabalo, 5:42
• 54, Haritz Orbe, 9:28
• 55, Igor Merino, s.t.
• 70, Victor Cabedo, 14:47
• 77, Illart Zuazubiskar, 16:58
• 78, Aritz Etxebarria, s.t.
• 86, Adrián Sáez, s.t.
• 87, Aritz Bagües, s.t.

General classification (Orbea riders in cursive):

• (1, Beñat Intxausti (Movistar), 10:55:33)
• 6, Amets Txurruka, 1:14
• 8, Pablo Urtasun, 1:41
• 10, Peio Bilbao, 2:16
• 17, Miguel Minguez, 3:12
• 26, Pierre Cazaux, 5:56
• 28, Omar Fraile, 6:24
• 37, Mikel Bizkarra, 8:50
• 43, Igor Merino, 11:08
• 52, Xabier Zabalo, 13:35
• 63, Victor Cabedo, 18:57
• 65, Adrián Sáez, 19:04
• 66, Haritz Orbe, 19:56
• 85, Illart Zuazubiskar, 30:48
• 91, Aritz Etxebarria, 32:54
• 93, Aritz Bagües, 33:06

Euskaltel finished second in the team rankings, Orbea ninth. 

Full results here.