Eibar, Spain, April 8 (AFP/APP): Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel grabbed the overall lead on the Tour of the Basque Country on Friday after finishing third in the fifth and penultimate stage behind Spanish winner Carlos Rodriguez.
Rodriguez, 21, made his break 14km from the line claiming his first professional victory with a solo finish on the final climb, seven seconds clear of Colombian Ineos teammate Daniel Felipe Martinez.
Evenepoel crossed in third a further two seconds adrift after the 164km stage over rugged terrain from Zamudio to Mallabia which culminated in a slippery climb in wet conditions.
Race favourites, including Primoz Roglic of Slovenia, the defending champion, and French world champion Julian Alaphilippe, were nearly a minute and a half off the pace.
“It happened as we had planned,” insisted Roglic, despite being left behind with a few other leading riders on the last pass, the Alto de Karabieta, 16km from the finish.
Quick-Step rider Evenepoel has a two-second advantage on Felipe Martinez heading into Saturday’s sixth stage finale which includes seven climbs over a 135.7km run between Eibar and Arrate.
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