Vuelta a Burgos Stage 5: Astana's Lopez is second in final classification

- We had a clear goal - to try to win this race and of course, right now I am disappointed with my result. But, I think, as a team we did maximum today and I can be happy with the way I spent these five days and especially this final stage. I did my best on the last climb, I had to attack and counterattack to answer to the moves of my rivals. So, in the end, I just missed a bit to catch Sosa's wheel. Anyway, my form is growing up, it was a good week which helped me a lot in my preparation to the Vuelta a España, - said Miguel Angel Lopez.

Stage 5 of 141 km to Lagunas de Neila has started with a real war on the road with a lot of attacks from the peloton. A big group of riders went away with a few names dangerous for the general classification. Astana Pro Team did its best to control this group and finally to bring it back.

Later another group broke away, but Astana Team once again took the responsibility in the race on its own. On the bottom of Lagunas de Neila this group was almost neutralized, but new attacks exploded the peloton: firstly Igor Anton and Merhawi Kudus and later David De La Cruz tried to escape to win both, the stage and the general classification. At this moment Pello Bilbao provided a great help to Miguel Angel Lopez, working hard in front of the group during almost 5 km.

With 2,5 km to the top of the climb, Miguel Angel Lopez counterattacked to try to catch the break with only Ivan Ramiro Sosa following this move. Inside the final 500 meters, Sosa made an attack to win the stage and the final general classification. Astana's leader did his best but finished 19 seconds behind Sosa. With this result, Miguel Angel Lopez became second at the stage and in the overall of the race.

Besides the final podium, Miguel Angel Lopez won the green jersey of the point classification of the Vuelta a Burgos.