Valverde wins queen stage, eyes 3rd Tour of Valencia title

Spain's Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) won the queen stage of the 69th Tour of Valencia, virtually assuring himself of a third title at this road cycling race.

Valverde chased down Britain's Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) over the final uphill climb to the finish line to take the lead; he then rode the last 100 meters all alone to end the fourth stage with a time of four hours, 48 minutes and 34 seconds, reports Efe.

Yates finished second, four seconds behind Valverde, in the most demanding stage of the race, held in the eastern Spanish autonomous community of Valencia.

Heading into Sunday's fifth and final stage from Paterna to the city of Valencia, Valverde has a 14-second lead in the general classification over Spain's Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) and a 26-second-lead over Denmark's Jakob Fuglsang (Astana).

Saturday's result marked the 37-year-old Valverde's second stage win at this year's Tour of Valencia and the 110th overall in his professional cycling career.

Valverde also won the Tour of Valencia in 2004 and 2007.

--IANS

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