Winless run extended after Rioja miss

Euskaltel will line up for Monday's Vuelta al País Vasco opener without a single win to their name as Juan José Lobato came up short in Sunday's Vuelta a La Rioja.

Caja Rural's speedy Italian Francesco Lasca came away with the win in a race that'll be best remembered for the peloton being sent in the wrong direction with 50 kilometres to go, leading the race officials to pause the race and then restart it once the riders had been directed back on track.

When the pack was sent the wrong way, three Euskaltel riders were in a breakaway group off the front alongside four Movistar riders and seven (!) of Orica-GreenEdge: Jorge Azanza, Mikel Astarloza and JJ Lobato. That move didn't stick, though, and neither did one including Euskadi's Jon Larrinaga, meaning a sprint finish was inevitable.

In the dash for the line, Lasca prevailed ahead of Michael Matthews (Orica) and Ken Hanson of Optum. Lobato came through for sixth, while Euskadi's Unai Iparragirre showed he's got speed as well with tenth.

Results (full results here):

• (1, Francesco Lasca (Caja Rural), 3:55:50)
• 6, Juan José Lobato, s.t.
• 10, Unai Iparragirre (Euskadi), s.t.
• 13, Carlos Barbero (Euskadi), s.t.
• 23, Pablo Urtasun, s.t.
• 28, Mikel Astarloza, s.t.
• 31, Jorge Azanza, s.t.
• 32, Haritz Orbe (Euskadi), s.t.
• 35, Aritz Bagües (Euskadi), s.t.
• 36, Garikoitz Bravo, s.t.
• 40, Mikel Nieve, s.t.
• 43, Gorka Verdugo, s.t.
• 45, Miguel Mínguez, s.t.
• 47, Igor Merino (Euskadi), s.t.
• 50, Mikel Aristi (Euskadi), s.t.
• 57, Mikel Iturria (Euskadi), s.t.

Photo: Iñaki Azanza