MADRID, April 8, 2011 – Italy’s Francesco Gavazzi of Lampre won the
fifth stage of the Tour of the Basque Country Friday after veteran Spanish
sprint ace Oscar Freire was disqualified.

Spain’s Joaquin Rodriguez held on to the race lead after finishing 11th
with the same time as the stage winner.

Freire, of the Rabobank team, was first across the line in a mass sprint
finish at the end of the 177-kilometre ride from Eibar to Zalla in northern
Spain, ahead of Gavazzi and Belgian Kristof Vandewalle of Quick Step.

But the 35-year-old Spaniard, a three-time World Road Race champion, was
disqualified for receiving an illegal push from teammate Luis Leon Sanchez,
following an appeal by Lampre.

The judges, who had initially declared Freire the winner, named Gavazzi the
winner after viewing video evidence.

The stage, which featured several mountain passes, including one category
one-rated climb, was marked by a number of breakaways.

Rodriguez, of Team Katusha, must now try and hold on to his lead in the
Saturday’s final stage, a 24-km time-trial in Zalla.

Stage:
1. Franceso Gavazzi (ITA) Lampre, 4hr 27min 03sec, 2. Kristof Vandewalle
(BEL) Quickstep, 3. John Gadret (FRA) AG2R. 4. Pim Ligthart (NED) Vacansoleil,
5. Egoitz Garcia (ESP) Caja Rural, 6. Vasili Kiryienka (BLR) Movistar, 7.
Ryder Hesjedal (CAN) Garmin, 8. Damiano Caruso (ITA) Liquigas, 9. Chris Horner
(USA) Radioshack, 10 Samuel Sanchez (ESP) Euskatel, all same time
Selected:
11. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP) Katusha, same time

General classification
1. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP) Katusha 21hr 39min 46sec, 2. Andreas Kloden
(GER) Radioshack, same time, 3. Samuel Sanchez (ESP) Euskaltel s.t., 4. Chris
Horner (USA) Radioshack, at 01sec, 5. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN) Garmin at 6sec, 6.
Xavier Tondo (ESP) Movistar, s.t., 7. David Lopez (ESP) Movistar, s.t., 8.
Robert Gesink (NED) Rabobank, s.t., 9. Benat Intxausti (ESP) Movistar, at
09sec, 10 Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ) Astana, at 10sec

Selected: 11. Andy Schleck (LUX) Leopard-Trek, at 18sec

File Photo: Corvos