2018 Klasika Primavera de Amorebieta (1.1), Spain
64th Edition: Sunday, April 8, 2018
Klasika Primavera podium history | 2017 edition | 2019 edition | Start list
Amorebieta - Amorebieta, 171.6 km
Andrey Amador wins just in front of his teammate Alejandro Valverde
The race: Here's the report from winner Andrey Amador's Movistar team.
Andrey Amador was able to bring a victory to his daughter Gretta, born two months ago, and taste the sweet flavor of victory for the second time in Movistar Team colours, almost six years after his stage win in the 2012 Giro d’Italia. The 31-year-old allrounder from Costa Rica showed his impressive form on Sunday’s Klasika Primavera de Amorebieta (171km), covered under the rain almost entirely and controlled all-day-long by the telephone squad. Early work from Jaime Castrillo, Rafa Valls, Winner Anacona and Rubén Fernández, plus some attacks by Carlos Betancur to spice things up in the opening climbs, led to Andrey’s decisive one-two move alongside Alejandro Valverde, less than 20km before the finish.
The two Blues jumped from a 20-rider selected field at the third climb to Montecalvo, and after getting together into the descent to Zugastieta, they started a ‘duo TT’ which Strakhov (LOK) tried to bring back. The Russian, however, wasn’t able to connect with the duo at the Autzagane ascent, and the two Movistar Team riders crossed the finish in Zornotza with 10″ over a five-man pursuit where Carlos Betancur got incredibly close to a podium sweep: 4th, behind Colombia’s Wilmar Paredes (MZN).
Amador’s sucess in the 13th for the Spanish outfit -the fifth blue to claim a win in 2018, after Valverde, Landa, Soler and Dayer Quintana-, 14 if we consider the quick ‘response’ by his team-mate Mavi García in Noja, minutes later. For Valverde, this result in Amorebieta is a further confirmation of his excellent form before the upcoming Ardennes trio.
REACTION / Andrey Amador:
“I’m super happy – I almost can’t believe I’ve won, because I had spent so much time without a victory. However, I knew I had things right, trained so hard in the winter – I just needed some good luck. I crashed hard in Harelbeke, hurt my ribs, wasn’t able to do well in he first classics and ended up missing both De Ronde and Roubaix. But see, I was then taken to an alternate calendar after this and, I’ve just taken this win in Amorebieta… Just incredible!
“The team was sensational today, and the first thing I’ve got to do is thank them all, and especially Alejandro. He’s a big champion, but above all, a great man. He didn’t want the victory, otherwise I’d have finished second! (laughs). We controlled the race well, made a big selection into the first couple of climbs and I got into a group of four, five riders. I decided to accelerate later on and once I was alone, I just continued to push. I saw Alejandro coming back, waited for him and we covered those last kilometers together.
“This victory really makes me confident for what’s to come. Now it’s time to work hard for Alejandro in the Ardennes, and then ride the Tour de Romandie. I did some good preparations for this first half of the season and feel strong, both my legs and my mind. I just lacked that extra luck, and it finally came today. This victory goes to my little baby, Gretta. She’s changed everything in my life, and made me focus even more and try to be an example for her in every single aspect.”
Complete Results:
171.6 kilometers raced at an average speed of 41.822 km/hr
| 1 | AMADOR Andrey | Movistar | 4hr 6min 11sec |
| 2 | VALVERDE Alejandro | Movistar | s.t. |
| 3 | PAREDES Wilmar | Manzana Postobon | @ 10sec |
| 4 | BETANCUR Carlos | Movistar | s.t. |
| 5 | STRAKHOV Dmitry | Lokosphinx | s.t. |
| 6 | VELOSO Gustavo Cesar | W52/FC Porto | s.t. |
| 7 | SCHULTZ Nick | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | s.t. |
| 8 | EVTUSHENKO Alexander | Lokosphinx | 0:26 |
| 9 | HIGUITA Sergio Andres | Manzana Postobon | 0:30 |
| 10 | SUAZA Bernardo | Manzana Postobon | s.t. |
| 11 | MCNULTY Brandon | Rally Cycling | s.t. |
| 12 | FERNÁNDEZ Rubén | Movistar | s.t. |
| 13 | RODRIGUEZ Oscar | Euskadi Basque Country | s.t. |
| 14 | ELLSAY Nigel | Rally Cycling | 0:33 |
| 15 | SIERRA Yecid Arturo | Manzana Postobon | s.t. |
| 16 | VDOVIN Alexander | Lokosphinx | 2:56 |
| 17 | RUBIO Diego | Burgos-BH | 3:29 |
| 18 | ORONTE Emerson | Rally Cycling | s.t. |
| 19 | BARCELO Fernando | Euskadi Basque Country | s.t. |
| 20 | GARCIA Ricardo | Team Euskadi | s.t. |
| 21 | INKELAAR Kevin | Polartec-Kometa | s.t. |
| 22 | OSORIO Juan Felipe | Manzana Postobon | s.t. |
| 23 | FERRARI Fabricio | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | s.t. |
| 24 | TXOPERENA Beñat | Euskadi Basque Country | s.t. |
| 25 | VINHAS Rui | W52/FC Porto | s.t. |
| 26 | GUTIERREZ Jose | Massi-Kuwait Team | s.t. |
| 27 | REGUERO Gabriel | VIB Sports | s.t. |
| 28 | AZURMENDI Ibai | Team Euskadi | s.t. |
| 29 | SILVA Joaquim | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | s.t. |
| 30 | BIZKARRA Mikel | Euskadi Basque Country | s.t. |
| 31 | CARPENTER Robin | Rally Cycling | 3:33 |
| 32 | RODRIGUES Joao | W52/FC Porto | 3:34 |
| 33 | STASH Mamyr | Lokosphinx | 3:36 |
| 34 | FERNÁNDEZ Egoitz | Team Euskadi | 3:38 |
| 35 | LOPEZ Juan Antonio | Team Euskadi | s.t. |
| 36 | SOKOLOV Dmitry | Lokosphinx | 3:45 |
| 37 | MARTIN Gotzon | Team Euskadi | 4:18 |
| 38 | FONTE César | W52/FC Porto | 4:30 |
| 39 | ANDERSON Ryan | Rally Cycling | 4:32 |
| 40 | CARVALHO Antonio | W52/FC Porto | s.t. |
| 41 | CELANO Danilo | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | s.t. |
| 42 | CUBERO Jorge | Burgos-BH | 6:31 |
| 43 | VALIENTE Eric | VIB Sports | s.t. |
| 44 | REIS Rafael | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 7:20 |
| 45 | MITRI James | Burgos-BH | s.t. |
| 46 | SAMOLENKOV Artem | Lokosphinx | s.t. |
| 47 | SVESHNIKOV Kirill | Lokosphinx | s.t. |
| 48 | GOIKOETXEA Peio | Team Euskadi | s.t. |
| 49 | JUARISTI Txomin | Team Euskadi | s.t. |
| 50 | CAMACHO Juan | Polartec-Kometa | 10:15 |
| 51 | BALLESTEROS Miguel | Polartec-Kometa | s.t. |
| 52 | PENA Wilson Estiben | Polartec-Kometa | s.t. |
| 53 | PARRA Jordan Arley | Manzana Postobon | s.t. |
| 54 | SALAS Ibai | Burgos-BH | 12:28 |
| 55 | BARRENETXEA Ander | Euskadi Basque Country | s.t. |
| 56 | VILELA Ricardo | Manzana Postobon | s.t. |
| 57 | COSTA Axel | VIB Sports | s.t. |
| 58 | HABTOM Awet | Polartec-Kometa | s.t. |
| 59 | MAGNER Ty | Rally Cycling | 12:30 |
| 60 | UDONDO Gotzon | Euskadi Basque Country | s.t. |
| 61 | SERRANO Gonzalo | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | s.t. |
| 62 | MALATSETXEBARRIA Oskar | Massi-Kuwait Team | s.t. |
Start list with back numbers, April 7, 2018:
| MOVISTAR | |
| 1 | AMADOR Andrey |
| 2 | ANACONA Winner Andrew |
| 3 | BETANCUR Carlos |
| 4 | CASTRILLO Jaime |
| 5 | FERNANDEZ Rubén |
| 6 | VALLS FERRI Rafael |
| 7 | VALVERDE Alejandro |
| BURGOS-BH | |
| 11 | RUBIO Diego |
| 12 | SALAS Ibai |
| 13 | MITRI James |
| 14 | ROBREDO Alvaro |
| 15 | MAMYKIN Matvei |
| 16 | CUBERO Jorge |
| 17 | SESSLER Nicolas |
| CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA | |
| 21 | CELANO Danilo |
| 22 | SCHULTZ Nicholas |
| 23 | FERRARI Fabricio |
| 24 | REIS Rafael Ferreira |
| 25 | SILVA Joaquim |
| 26 | SERRANO Gonzalo |
| 27 | BENITO Miguel |
| EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY-MURIAS | |
| 31 | BARRENETXEA URIARTE Ander |
| 32 | BIZKARRA ETXEGIBEL Mikel |
| 33 | PRADES REVERTE Eduard |
| 34 | BARCELÓ ARAGÓN Fernando |
| 35 | TXOPERENA MATXIKOTE Beñat |
| 36 | RODRIGUEZ GARAIKOETXEA Óscar |
| 37 | UDONDO SANTAMARIA Gotzon |
| MANZANA POSTOBON | |
| 41 | PARRA ARIAS Jordan Arley |
| 42 | SIERRA SANCHEZ Yecid Arturo |
| 43 | OSORIO ARBOLEDA Juan Felipe |
| 44 | PAREDES ZAPATA Wilmar Andrés |
| 45 | HIGUITA GARCIA Sergio Andres |
| 46 | SUAZA ARANGO Bernardo |
| 47 | VILELA Ricardo |
| TEAM EUSKADI | |
| 51 | FERNÁNDEZ Egoitz |
| 52 | GARCIA Ricardo |
| 53 | GOIKOETXEA Peio |
| 54 | LÓPEZ-COZAR Juan |
| 55 | JUARISTI Txomin |
| 56 | AZURMENDI Ibai |
| 57 | MARTIN Gotzon |
| POLARTEC KOMETA | |
| 61 | BALLESTEROS Miguel Angel |
| 62 | PENA Wilson Steven |
| 63 | CANTON SERRANO Isaac |
| 64 | HABTOM Awet |
| 65 | SEVILLA Diego Pablo |
| 66 | CAMACHO DEL FRESNO Juan |
| 67 | INKELAAR Kevin |
| DARE GAVIOTA | |
| 71 | GONZALEZ BAEZA Hector |
| 72 | KOCH Leon |
| 73 | SANCHEZ CABALLERO Oscar |
| 74 | ORSET Jonas |
| 75 | FOLDVIK Odin |
| 76 | GARCIA MARTINEZ Eduardo |
| JAVA PARTIZAN | |
| 81 | TIGRINE Mehdi |
| 82 | KEUSER Andreas |
| 83 | FORD Martin |
| 84 | GALOVIC Andrej |
| 85 | SCHILS Dominic |
| LOKOSPHINX | |
| 91 | SOKOLOV Dmitry |
| 92 | SAMOLENKOV Artem |
| 93 | STRAKHOV Dmitrii |
| 94 | EVTUSHENKO Alexander |
| 95 | STASH Mamyr |
| 96 | SVESHNIKOV Kirill |
| 97 | VDOVIN Alexander |
| MASSI - KUWAIT TEAM | |
| 101 | CASENY CATALA Ruben |
| 102 | MALATETXEBARRIA Oskar |
| 103 | FERRER Jorge |
| 104 | REDONDO Hilari |
| 105 | GUTIERREZ José Manuel |
| RALLY CYCLING | |
| 111 | ANDERSON Ryan |
| 112 | CARPENTER Robin |
| 113 | ELLSAY Nigel |
| 114 | JOYCE Colin |
| 115 | MAGNER Tyler |
| 116 | MCNULTY Brandon |
| 117 | ORONTE Emerson |
| VIB SPORTS | |
| 121 | VALIENTE BONAFE Eric |
| 122 | REGUERO CORRAL Gabriel |
| 123 | WAIS Ahmad |
| 124 | COSTA SORIA Axel |
| 125 | AL MOAKEE Tarek |
| 126 | AYACHI Seif Eddine |
| W52/FC PORTO | |
| 131 | VINHAS Rui |
| 132 | FONTE César |
| 133 | FERREIRA Tiago |
| 134 | CARVALHO Antonio |
| 135 | RODRIGUES Joao |
| 136 | CESAR VELOSO Gustavo |
| 137 | SÁNCHEZ REBOLLIDO Ángel |