Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) took an optimistic view of his performance on the opening stage of the Ruta del Sol, focusing not on his sixth place finish - last out of the leading group behind Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), but on his series of attacks on the Alto de Monachil.
Contador had expressed some caution before the race start, saying that with no sprint or transition stages to warm up with, it would be difficult to judge how well he could perform on such a tough opening round. However, both Trek-Segafredo and their leader made his intentions clear from the gun on stage 1 and the long trek up from the Costa del Sol and across the Sierras of Andalucia.
Trek-Segafredo put riders on the front to pull back the seven-rider break of the day, with Haimar Zubeldia launching Contador on the lower slopes of the Alto de Monachil. Contador, clearly champing at the bit, launched four separate attacks on the ascent.
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The first attack could have been the most profitable, had he and Valverde agreed to collaborate once the Movistar rider bridged across. Instead, after a lengthy battle on the grindingly steep middle section of the category 1 climb, the false flat and last little rise to the summit, and then the long descent into Granada, six riders emerged with a slight lead.
Contador and Valverde were joined by Ion Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida), Diego Rosa and Wout Poels (Sky) to battle for the stage win on the long boulevard next to Granada's River Genil. Valverde, despite being the most closely marked, surged forwards for his 99th career victory, with Contador sixth.
"I have to be pleased with what I did today," Contador told reporters at the finish. "It was a very hard start to the year, and I managed to put in several attacks. The team worked very well, and we were brave.
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