POSTHUMA SCORES MAJOR WIN AT RUTA DEL SOL

Team Rabobank defends lead in exciting final stage

Dutch rider Joost Posthuma won the five-day Ruta del Sol stage race in Spain on Thursday, giving Team Rabobank a major victory in one of Europe’s most important early-season events.

Posthuma posted a strong performance in the prologue time trial on February 15, riding his prototype Giant TT bike to second place. The 27-year-old took over the leader’s jersey the following day by finishing in the front group on the 169-kilometer Stage 1 road race from La Guardia to Humilladero.

Team Rabobank, riding Giant TCR Advanced SL team bikes, defended Posthuma’s GC lead over the next three stages. Thursday’s final stage, a mountainous, 168-kilometer trek from Torrox Costa to Antequera, was a battle to the end. Posthuma finished in the front group, 9 seconds behind breakaway stage winner Davide Rebellin, to win the overall by just 2 seconds.

The Ruta del Sol is the first major race on the European calendar. In its 55th year, the Ruta is typically a showcase for early-season fitness before Europe’s prestigious spring classics.