Valverde gets better of Wiggins and Sky in Ruta del Sol
Movistar's leader Valverde takes the win at the Ruta del Sol as Team Sky place four riders in the top ten - Wiggins sixth fastest on the same time as Geraint Thomas - Richie Porte in eighth place
Alejandro Valverde wins 2014 Ruta del Sol prologue
By Simon Richardson
published 19 February 14
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) won the prologue at the Ruta del Sol today, mounting a strong start to the defence of his title.
The Spaniard was the last man to start the 7.3km prologue around Almeria with the time of his team mate Jon Izaguirre as a target. Izaguirre himself had set a time four seconds faster than Team Sky's Vasil Kiryienka who had been at the top of the leaderboard for some time.
Kiryienka's time had held strong even as his team mates Geraint Thomas and Bradley Wiggins crossed the line. the pair were one second slower than the Belarusian suggesting his time might be good enough to win.
But then Izaguirre and soon after Tom Dumoulin beat his time, before Valverde came in 13 seconds faster than Kiryienka.
Tomorrow's stage heads through the mountains with six classified climbs on the 186.8km route. The race finishes on Sunday in Fuengirola.
Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol: prologue. Almeria to Almeria 7.3km
1. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar in 8-22
2. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Giant-Shimano at 7 secs
3. Jon Izaguirre (Spa) Movistar at 9 secs
4. Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky at 13 secs
5. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky at 14 secs
6. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky at 14 secs
7. Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky at 15 secs
8. Javier Moreno (Spa) Movistar at 15 secs
9. Simon Geschke (Ger) Giant-Shimano at 16 secs
10. Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Trek Factory Racing at 16 secs
Overall classification after prologue
Alejandro Valverde on the podium after winning the opening prologue of the 2014 Ruta del Sol
(Image credit: Graham Watson)
Richie Porte placed 8th in the opening prologue of the 2014 Ruta del Sol
Bradley Wiggins placed 6th in the opening prologue of the 2014 Ruta del Sol
Simon Richardson
Editor of Cycling Weekly magazine, Simon has been working at the title since 2001. In that time he has written product reviews, features and news. He has covered the Tour de France more times than he can remember along with two Olympic Games and many other international and UK domestic races. Once an aspiring bike racer himself, he can still be seen at his club's evening races through the summer.
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