Overall favourite Alejandro Valverde was left fuming Monday after fellow Spaniard Oscar Freire ended his hopes of victory in the first stage of the Tour of the Basque Country. Caisse d'Epargne rider Valverde was lively in the latter stages of the undulating 152km ride around Zierbena, quickening the pace and forcing a decisive selection in the peloton. But his hopes of beating a 25-strong lead group to victory in a sprint finish were upset by Rabobank's speed specialist Freire, a former three-time world champion. In the closing metres of the home straight Freire veered sharply to the left of the road. Valverde, in his wake, tried to come up the inside of the barriers but appeared to be blocked. Just as Freire raised his arms in triumph, Valverde raised his in protest a few metres from the finish, and went to have words with Freire afterwards. Freire's win, only two weeks after his third career victory in the Milan-SanRemo one-day classic, means he will start Tuesday's stage a 217km ride from Zierbena to Viana, as race leader. Valverde is among the favourites for the overall crown in the six-stage event, which ends Saturday with a 22 km time trial in Orio. 