Sánchez and Landa come up short in Burgos finale

Euskaltel were left empty-handed at the Vuelta a Burgos as the team's challenge unravelled on the way to Lagunas de Neila.

Hopes were high Mikel Landa and Samuel Sánchez could fight for what would have been an important stage and/or general classification win on the last day of the five-stage event, but the orange duo couldn't muster a reply when the GC favourites upped the tempo five clicks from the summit.

Nairo Quintana danced his way to both the stage and the overall title, while David Arroyo rolled back the years with a courageous display that netted him second. Despite exploding in the final two kilometres, Vincenzo Nibali hung on to fourth on the stage and the last place on the podium.

Landa and 'Samu' were both part of the 17-man elite group that hit the base of the climb together, but first Sánchez, then his younger team-mate, had to ease off as the pace kept increasing. Landa eventually crossed the line in eighth place, which was good enough for sixth overall, while Sánchez came home 11th, meaning he ended up eighth on GC.

With 13 days to go to the start of the Vuelta a España, both Euskaltel riders look to be well on course to play prominent roles in the year's last Grand Tour.

Young Team Euskadi rider Mikel Bizkarra had an outstanding ride, climbing with the best en route to 14th on the race's queen-stage.

Results (Team Euskadi riders in cursive):

• (1, Nairo Quintana (Movistar), 4:26:57)
• 8, Mikel Landa, 1:24
• 11, Samuel Sánchez, 2:00
• 14, Mikel Bizkarra, 3:24
• 38, Gorka Verdugo, 9:27
• 45, Jorge Azanza, 11:55
• 50, Peio Bilbao, s.t.
• 59, Carlos Barbero, 15:16
• 74, Igor Merino, 15:43
• 78, Illart Zuazubiskar, 19:06
• 80, Haritz Orbe, s.t.
• 82, Jon Larrinaga, s.t.
• 83, Aritz Bagües, s.t.
• 84, Ricardo García, s.t.
• DNF: Egoi Martínez, Pablo Urtasun and Unai Iparraguirre

Final general classification:

• (1, Nairo Quintana (Movistar), 19:29:22)
• 6, Mikel Landa, 1:24
• 8, Samuel Sánchez, 1:53
• 31, Mikel Bizkarra, 9:53
• 35, Gorka Verdugo, 11:33
• 42, Jorge Azanza, 14:09
• 46, Carlos Barbero, 15:16
• 60, Peio Bilbao, 18:16
• 65, Haritz Orbe, 20:28
• 80, Igor Merino, 25:08
• 85, Illart Zuazubiskar, 27:37
• 86, Aritz Bagües, 28:17
• 91, Ricardo García, 34:01
• 93, Jon Larrinaga, 34:28

Photo: Vavel