CARLOS WINS FINAL STAGE IN BASQUE COUNTRY

ITZULIA BASQUE COUNTRY - STAGE 6 » EIBAR › EIBAR, 137.8KM

Carlos Rodriguez pulled off a superb final day performance at the Tour of the Basque Country to win stage six and move up to second place overall.

The Grenadier was present when the accelerations began in the GC group, measuring his efforts well before jumping clear alongside Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates).

The pair combined well on the final run-in, with Ayuso taking overall victory and Rodriguez winning the stage in Eibar. 

A close battle between the lead duo and the chasing pack, which included the yellow jersey of Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), meant the final podium positions went right down to the wire. In the end Carlos finished a single second ahead of Skjelmose, and 42 seconds back on Ayuso.

Brandon Rivera headed up the road early on as part of the day's big breakaway of 23 riders. The move was eventually reeled in as the pace rose in the GC ranks in the final kilometres.