Larrinaga lands Basque opener

Javier Ruíz de Larrinaga continued his flawless start to the season by taking out Saturday's Basque cyclo-cross opener in Lezama, Bizkaia.

The MMR-Spiuk rider took his fourth consecutive triumph after previous successes in Llanes, Medina de Pomar and Villarcayo, and finally looks to be close to his form of old that brought his three Spanish titles in a row between 2009 and 2011.

In pouring rain in Lezama, according to BiciCiclismo, the 32-year-old first kept the impressive Erlantz Uriarte under control in the opening part before dispatching of Orbea's Aitor Hernández in the finale to be beat the former Euskaltel climber into second once again.

In Karrantza on Sunday, Larrinaga will hope to go one better than last year when he was beaten to the top step by Hirumet-Taldea's Egoitz Murgoitio.

Results, elite:

• 1, Javier Ruíz de Larrinaga (MMR-Spiuk), 1:00:18
• 2, Aitor Hernández (Ermua Orbea), 0:11
• 3, Erlantz Uriarte (Garaje Paco), 1:47
• 4, José Antonio Díez Arriola (Tus Bicis Maglia Sport), 2:30
• 5, Asier Arregi (Bizikleta.com), 2:42

Sub-23: Ismael Félix (EnBici-Stevens). Juniors: Alex Aranburu. Women: María Mercé Pacios.

Photo: Deia