Juan José Haedo won the final stage of the Volta a Catalunya when he took the bunch sprint ahead of Robert Förster and Nicolas Roche. Joaquím Rodríguez defended his overall lead, ahead of Xavier Tondo and Rein Taaramae.
Saxo Bank's directeur sportif Dan Frost was pleased with the outcome. "It was a perfect day for us with a perfect finish. Unfortunately, there was a crash in the peloton only one and a half kilometers from the finish line, but the Haedo brothers were well-placed behind three Milram guys. On the final few hundred meters, JJ is simply the fastest of the bunch."
Frost took a positive summary of the Volta. "It has been a really good week for us. We have celebrated two stage victories and one second place. I am confident that the riders will now feel much more comfortable and relaxed in the races to come."
Förster came agonzingly close to give his Milram team a victory. "That last little bit of luck was missing today," he said at the finish. "The team worked well and everything went according to plan. Two kilometers before the finish line we took control of things." Weather factors were deciding the race. "Haedo was lucky, because he came from behind and had been protected from the wind. But better to lose while ahead than to be too far back and miss out entirely. This gives me motivation for the next races. The team has a super morale," Förster said.
Luis León Sánchez was slightly disappointed by missing the podium. "But I should be satisfied after I podiumed in Paris-Nice. I showed that I can be counted on in such stage races and that I fight everyday for the victory."
The Caisse d'Epargne was visible all week. "We tried to win a stage, but even if we didn't succeed, once again I could count on the support of the whole the team." Sánchez was supposed to rest until the Spring Classics, but decided to do the Circuit de la Sarthe.
"I don't like having too much time without competition."
Results stage 7 - Circuit Catalunya, 117.8km
1 Juan Jose Haedo (Team Saxo Bank) 2:32:21
2 Robert Förster (Team Milram)
3 Nicolas Roche (Ag2R-La Mondiale)
4 Davide Vigano (Sky Professional C.T)
5 Lucas S. Haedo (Team Saxo Bank)
6 Aitor Galdos (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
7 Manuel Cardoso (Footon-Servetto)
8 Paul Voss (Team Milram)
9 Andreas Stauff (Quick Step)
10 David Loosli (Lampre - Farnese Vin)
Final general classification
1 Joaquin Rodriguez (Team Katusha) 25h16'03
2 Xavier Tondo (Cervelo Test Team) at 0'10
3 Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) 0'43
4 Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse D`Epargne) 0'45
5 Nicolas Roche (Ag2R-La Mondiale) 1'20
6 Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Transitions) 1'20
7 Michel Kreder (Garmin - Transitions) 1'21
8 Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas-Doimo) 1'22
9 Janez Brajkovic (Team Radioshack) 1'25
10 Rémy Di Gregorio (Francaise Des Jeux) 1'26