Sánchez joined Dutch team Rabobank for the 2011 season.
Once again he won the Spanish National Time Trial Championships, and he also won Stage 9 of the Tour de France, but was unable to repeat his high overall placing of 2010, managing only 57th overall.
Likewise, he rode the Vuelta a España and finished 53rd overall.

Remaining with Rabobank into 2012, Sánchez won Stage 6 of Paris–Nice after a long breakaway with veteran Jens Voigt, his fourth stage victory in the event.
He also won two consecutive stages of the Tour de Romandie; on the first of these, he took the win over Lotto–Belisol's Gianni Meersman, almost pushing him in the barriers on the right side, but the commissaires judged the sprint to be legal.
He led the race going into the final time trial, but put in a poor ride and dropped to tenth overall.
Sánchez won the Spanish National Time Trial Championships again, and he won  Stage 14 of the Tour de France, which included two category 1 climbs.
He was in a breakaway with 4 other riders including Peter Sagan (Liquigas–Cannondale) when he launched a solo attack 11.5 kilometres (7.1 miles) away from the finish line to take the solo victory with a margin of 47 seconds on the chasers.
Sánchez came close to a second victory on Stage 18 after he and Nicolas Roche attacked from the peloton in the final 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) overhauled the breakaway group and looked to have held off the chasing peloton only for Mark Cavendish to sprint past the pair in the final 200 metres (660 feet).
On the following stage, Sánchez set the third fastest time in the time trial, with only the final two riders to set a time, Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins, beating Sánchez.

Sánchez was selected to represent Spain in the Olympic Games in both the road race and the time trial.
His time trial was wrecked by two mechanical problems, including losing his chain as he left the start ramp.
He went on to win the Clásica de San Sebastián, with a strong solo attack over the closing kilometres, while his teammates Mollema and Gesink disrupted the chase.
He resisted to the peloton's return during his 9-kilometre (5.6-mile) solo ordeal, never getting more than 20 seconds of an advantage over the group.

In 2013, Rabobank left cycling as a sponsor and the team became Blanco Pro Cycling.
At the beginning of February, the team decided to suspend Sánchez indefinitely, saying that they will investigate the past relationship between the rider and Eufemiano Fuentes, a doctor under trial for providing athletes with doping substances and performing blood transfusions.
After a few weeks, Sánchez was reinstated in the team, and returned to race in the Tour of Belgium, where he won a stage.
Sánchez planned to skip the Tour de France and focus on the Vuelta a España.
Sánchez joined Dutch team Rabobank for the 2011 season. Once again he won the Spanish National Time Trial Championships, and he also won Stage 9 of the Tour de France, but was unable to repeat his high overall placing of 2010, managing only 57th overall. Likewise, he rode the Vuelta a España and finished 53rd overall.
Remaining with Rabobank into 2012, Sánchez won Stage 6 of Paris–Nice after a long breakaway with veteran Jens Voigt, his fourth stage victory in the event. He also won two consecutive stages of the Tour de Romandie; on the first of these, he took the win over Lotto–Belisol's Gianni Meersman, almost pushing him in the barriers on the right side, but the commissaires judged the sprint to be legal. He led the race going into the final time trial, but put in a poor ride and dropped to tenth overall. Sánchez won the Spanish National Time Trial Championships again, and he won  Stage 14 of the Tour de France, which included two category 1 climbs. He was in a breakaway with 4 other riders including Peter Sagan (Liquigas–Cannondale) when he launched a solo attack 11.5 kilometres (7.1 miles) away from the finish line to take the solo victory with a margin of 47 seconds on the chasers. Sánchez came close to a second victory on Stage 18 after he and Nicolas Roche attacked from the peloton in the final 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) overhauled the breakaway group and looked to have held off the chasing peloton only for Mark Cavendish to sprint past the pair in the final 200 metres (660 feet). On the following stage, Sánchez set the third fastest time in the time trial, with only the final two riders to set a time, Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins, beating Sánchez.
Sánchez was selected to represent Spain in the Olympic Games in both the road race and the time trial. His time trial was wrecked by two mechanical problems, including losing his chain as he left the start ramp. He went on to win the Clásica de San Sebastián, with a strong solo attack over the closing kilometres, while his teammates Mollema and Gesink disrupted the chase. He resisted to the peloton's return during his 9-kilometre (5.6-mile) solo ordeal, never getting more than 20 seconds of an advantage over the group.
In 2013, Rabobank left cycling as a sponsor and the team became Blanco Pro Cycling. At the beginning of February, the team decided to suspend Sánchez indefinitely, saying that they will investigate the past relationship between the rider and Eufemiano Fuentes, a doctor under trial for providing athletes with doping substances and performing blood transfusions. After a few weeks, Sánchez was reinstated in the team, and returned to race in the Tour of Belgium, where he won a stage. Sánchez planned to skip the Tour de France and focus on the Vuelta a España.
Luis León Sánchez