MADRID, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Joao Almeida (UAE-Team Emirates) was confirmed as the clear winner of the Itzulia cycle race on Saturday after winning the final stage of the race.
The Portuguese rider went into the day with a 30-second lead in the overall classification over Max Schachmann (Soudal-Quick Step) and never looked like surrendering that on a difficult day of riding in difficult conditions.
Saturday's final stage began and ended in the town of Eibar and took in seven climbs, including three first category ascents, in 152 kilometers, much of which was ridden in pouring rain.
Much of the stage was a carbon copy of Thursday's stage, with a small breakaway taking a relatively small-time gap off the main group, before Thursday's stage winner Ben Healy (EF Education) again trying his luck 45 kilometers from home.
Almeida was in the chasing group of seven riders and was accompanied with team-mates Isaac Del Toro and Marc Soler who were able to protect him from any attacks from Enric Mas (Movistar).
Mas and Almeida caught Healy on the last climb, with the three destined to duel it out for the stage win, before Mas (who was riding for a place on the podium) and Almeida left Healy on the last slopes of the day with six kilometers left on the stage.
Almeida and Mas tackled a slippery final descent together, with Almeida comfortably outsprinting Mas, with Healy in third.
Almeida's overall winning margin was a minute and 52 seconds over Mas, who forced Schachmann into third place overall.
