Mark Cavendish takes first win of the season at Tour de San Luis, Diaz wraps up second title

Mark Cavendish (Great Britain) took revenge on Fernando Gaviria in Sunday’s final stage of the Tour de San Luis, beating the Colombian after being runner-up twice to him in the first three stages. Dani Diaz (Argentina/Funvic Brasilinvest-São José dos Campos) finished safely in the pack to win his second home tour out of the last three editions.

The peloton had three circuits around broiling San Luis to roll, each with a Cat. 3 climb. A high-powered, nine-man breakaway containing Stage 5 winner Adriano Malori (Italy/Movistar), 2014 Vuelta a España stage winner Przemyslaw Niemiec (Poland/Lampre) and human grimace Thomas Voeckler (France/Europcar) shook loose early in the stage. However, the Colombian national team and Cavendish’s Etixx-QuickStep did the yeoman’s job of bringing the race back together with 10-km to go.

Lampre and Etixx’s battled to take control on the final straight. Gaviria did well to get in Cavendish’s rear pocket, but the Manxman would not be denied by the Colombian track rider for a third time; he hit the afterburners to win his first race of the season.

Diaz has now won the 2013 and 2015 editions, and also was runner-up to Levi Leipheimer in the 2012 race. Diaz finished 1:05 faster than Colombian Rodolfo Torres, who took consolation in the mountains title. 2014 champion Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) was third at +1:34.

Canadians Hugo Houle and Antoine Duchesne both came in with the sprint pack, Houle in 42nd, Duchesne in 88th. Houle finished 61st on GC–Ag2r’s third best placing–and Duchesne 98th.

2015 Tour de San Luis Final GC
1) Dani Diaz (Argentina/Funvic Brasilinvest-São José dos Campos)
2) Rodolfo Torres (Colombia/Team Colombia) +1:05
3) Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) +1:34
61) Hugo Houle (Canada/Ag2r) +26:54
98) Antoine Duchesne (Canada/Europcar) +41:12