Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez pipped his friend Alejandro Valverde to win the Tour of Murcia on Saturday.

Astana’s Sanchez, 34, attacked on the final climb of the 209km race in south-eastern Spain in the region from which both he and Valverde hail.

Former world champion Philippe Gilbert of Belgium was third.

Favourite Valverde, a five-time winner of this race, lost touch with Sanchez 2km from the finish.

The tour used to be a stage race but having gradually been whittled down from five to two stages, was from 2013 turned into a one-day classic. – Agence France-Presse

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