Defending champion Sanchez wins Burgos opener

Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi), the 2010 Vuelta a Burgos champion, opened the 2011 edition in fine fashion as he powered to victory atop the category three San Juan del Monte climb to claim stage 1. Sanchez was the only rider able to respond to the attack by Joaquím Rodríguez (Katusha) with 500m to go and the recently crowned Tour de France mountains classification winner outkicked the Katusha rider in the final push to the finish line.

"I'm satisfied with this second place," said Rodriguez. "Unfortunately, once again, I wasn't able to win because I found a rider which, in this period, is stronger than me. Samuel Sanchez arrived from a brilliant Tour de France where he was one of the protagonists and won the King of Mountain classification, so now he's in a better shape than me.

"The whole team worked very well, in the final part of the stage we were brilliant, pulling the group and imposing our pace. I know this finishing line very well because I won here in 2009 and I was second in 2005. I tried to anticipate my sprint with 500 metres to go, but unfortunately Sanchez was better than me.

"I'm happy anyway since my form and my teammates' is improving fast. With this team we can aim to win the race's general classification. It would be a boost to morale for each of us before taking part in the Vuelta".

Sergio Pardilla (Movistar) outsprinted Denis Menchov (Geox-TMC) for third place four seconds behind Sanchez and Rodríguez.

With no time bonuses on offer at the finish line, the general classification mirrors the finishing order with Sanchez taking the first leader's jersey at the Vuelta a Burgos. Rodríguez holds second overall, tied on time with Sanchez, with Pardilla in third four seconds back.

The stage was dominated by an early break containing Kenny De Ketele (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator), José Luis Roldan (Andalucia Caja Granada) and Yoann Offredo (FDJ). When their advantage dropped below one minute inside of 20km to go Offredo set off alone in search of stage honours. While his two breakaway companions sat up and awaited the peloton, the Frenchman fought valiantly, but ultimately succumbed to the peloton's chase effort, led by Euskaltel-Euskadi, with 6.5km remaining.

De Ketele and Roldan would be rewarded for their stint in the break, however, with the sprint classification and mountain classification leads respectively.

A couple of individual attacks by Skil-Shimano riders took place over the next four kilometres, but the peloton was back together at the base of the finishing climb with two kilometres to go. Katusha set a fierce tempo in support of their general classification hopeful Joaquím Rodríguez and the Spaniard made his move inside of the final kilometre, but Samuel Sanchez was ever-attentive in defense of his overall ambitions.