Lobato shows form in season opener

New Euskaltel rider Juan José Lobato showed glimpses of his sprinting capabilities in today's precursor to the Tour Down Under, the People's Choice Classic.

The 24-year-old joined from Andalucía in the winter to bolster Euskaltel's sprint department, having earned a reputation as a budding top class sprinter with three impressive seasons behind him at the Professional Continental level.

He showed flashes of his ability Sunday morning, coming from far behind to finish a creditable 11th in a fractured dash for the line in which eventual victor André Greipel's Lotto-Belisol outfit split the leading group in two in the closing hundred metres.

The native of Trebujana, Cádiz, ended up just behind Yauheni Hutarovich and in front of big-name speedsters like Fenn, Farrar, Renshaw, Kittel and Van Hummel. Following not far behind were fellow Euskaltel debutants Jon Aberasturi in 30th and Gari Bravo in 33rd.

Today's results of course do not count towards the Tour Down Under proper, set to start Tuesday morning CET.

Results:

• (1, André Greipel (Lotto-Belisol), 1:04:01)
• 11, Juan José Lobato, 0:02
• 30, Jon Aberasturi, 0:08
• 33, Garikoitz Bravo, s.t.
• 49, Mikel Astarloza, s.t.
• 53, Juan José Oroz, s.t.
• 123, Gorka Izagirre, 1:08
• 124, Ion Izagirre, s.t.

Photo: Euskaltel Euskadi