2016 UCI World Tour, race 9 of 28 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Race details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dates | 4–9 April 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stages | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance | 852.2 km (529.5 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Winner | Alberto Contador (ESP) | (Tinkoff) | |
Second | Sergio Henao (COL) | (Team Sky) | |
Third | Nairo Quintana (COL) | (Movistar Team) | |
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Points | Sergio Henao (COL) | (Team Sky) | |
Mountains | Diego Rosa (ITA) | (Astana) | |
Sprints | Nicolas Edet (FRA) | (Cofidis) | |
Team | Team Sky |
The 2016 Tour of the Basque Country (Spanish: Vuelta al Pais Vasco, Basque: Euskal Herriko itzulia) was a road cycling stage race that took place in the Basque Country between 4 and 9 April 2016. It was the 56th edition of the Tour of the Basque Country and the ninth event of the 2016 UCI World Tour.
The race took place over mountainous terrain and was suitable for climbers. The first five stages were mountainous; the sixth and final stage was a hilly individual time trial. The defending champion was Joaquim Rodríguez (Team Katusha), with Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team), Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) and Sergio Henao (Team Sky) also among the favourites for the overall victory.
Luis León Sánchez won the opening stage, but lost the lead the following day on the first uphill finish to Mikel Landa (Sky). Landa lost the lead on Stage 4, with Wilco Kelderman (LottoNL–Jumbo) taking over the lead. On the second uphill finish of the race on the penultimate day, Henao took over the lead after escaping with Contador. Contador then won the time trial on the final stage and beat Henao to the overall victory by 12 seconds, with Quintana a further 23 seconds behind in third. Henao won the points classification, while Nicolas Edet (Cofidis) won the intermediate sprints competition and Diego Rosa (Astana) the mountains classification.