Valverde seizes Romandie title with final stage win

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Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) claimed his first overall victory at the Tour of Romandie by finishing the race as victor of the final stage in Sion, Switzerland, on Sunday afternoon.

Valverde outsprinted Igor Antón (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and stage four winner Simon Spilak (Lampre-Farnese Vini). The powerful trio had escaped earlier with Denis Menchov (Rabobank) on the slopes of the Ovronnaz, a Category 1 ascent 20 kilometres before the finish. Menchov finished the stage fourth.

“I've been able to take advantage of the good condition I had in the Classics, even if I am beginning to feel a little bit tired," said Valverde after his win. "But that's normal considering the fact that I am racing since January. Now I will take a short break to rest with my family before starting training again to prepare the next objective, which should be the Dauphiné Libéré”

The eventual margin of the leading group caused a reshuffle in the final general classification. Overnight leader Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) was unable to close the gap to the leaders in the final kilometres of the stage and finished 23 seconds down, losing his grip on the yellow jersey. Valverde assumed the lead, with Spilak and Menchov moving into second and third, respectively.

"I felt very good and my legs were just perfect to counter-attack behind Antón on the final climb," said Valverde. "When [Michael] Rogers was dropped I knew my chances of winning to were good, even if Spilak and Menchov, who also very close in the classification, were still there with me.

“Today it was possible to win the race thanks to the time bonus, but it was too risky to try and win such an important race in the sprint because you never know what can happen.”

It was the second overall title of the year for Valverde, who sealed the general classification competition at the Tour Méditerranéen in February.

Rain again sends peloton packing

With a second day of torrential rain, the first hour of racing was marked by abandons. Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) departed the race after seven kilometres, one of the first of an eventual 56-rider exodus from the final stage of the race.

While their colleagues were climbing off their bikes, a lead group of six riders was climbing its way towards the first of three Category 1 summits punctuating the stage's profile. Oliver Zaugg (Liquigas-Doimo), Jean-Christophe Péraud and Charlie Wegelius (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Mauricio Ardila (Rabobank), Sergio Paulinho (RadioShack), Alexander Efimkin (Ag2R-La Mondiale) and Thibaut Pinot (Française Des Jeux) were the first to crest the Anzère with a 50-second gap to the peloton.

Omega Pharma-Lotto's representation in the group swelled as Jan Bakelants joined the leaders. However, the wet conditions made the descent off the Anzère a treacherous affair and the race split up even further; Wegelius and Bakelants losing contact with the front of the race, as Péraud, Zaugg, Efimkin and Paulinho formed the selection out front.

With the obstacle of the Crans-Montana cleared, Bakelants rejoined the lead group and the quintet opened a 3:20 gap. Behind them Wegelius was still battling to make contact, with Pieter Weening (Rabobank) and Rene Mandri (AG2R-La Mondiale) also part of the chase. By the time they had passed through the first outward loop from Sion, the trio had cut the gap to just over a minute.

Caisse d'Epargne takes control

The peloton were also taking a very active interest in the chase, with Caisse d'Epargne leading the retrieval of all those in front of the main group. With 30 kilometres to race, the escapees had all been returned to the bunch. Little known Russian Dmitry Kozontchuk (Rabobank) attempted to break free, but with the final climb offering Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) a launch pad for victory, his team would have none of it.

Attacks from Artem Ovechkin (Katusha), Tiago Machado (RadioShack) and John Gadret (AG2R-La Mondiale) on the lower slopes of the final climb were met with similarly icy response. However, the Portuguese and French riders' move was enough to unsettle the front of the race, where Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) was doing his best to mark his opponents. Igor Antón (Euskaltel-Euskadi) countered Machado and Gadret, and moved out to a 14-second gap.

Behind, Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne), Simon Spilak (Lampre-Farnese Vini) and Denis Menchov (Rabobank) had moved away from the Rogers group and were pressing what was now a GC-leading advantage.

By the summit of the Ovronnaz, Antón held a 21-second lead over his three chasers, with Rogers-led peloton at a further 27 seconds back. The lead group became four on the descent back in towards Sion. The cooperation of the leaders stretched their advantage out to 50 seconds, with 10 kilometres to go. Valverde claimed the final sprint point of the day, ensuring he would win the overall so long as he finished with Rogers.

But Valverde wasn't interested in matching his Australian rival. By the time they reached the final kilometre, the leaders still held a decisive gap. Aware of Valverde's sprint prowess, Antón attacked inside the final kilometre. However, the Caisse d'Epargne captain had the measure of his opponent and came past him at the line to claim his third stage victory of the season.