Oscar Sevilla (Rock Racing) took the overall victory in the Vuelta a Chihuahua on Sunday. He kept his six-second lead on the final flat stage into Chihuahua over Gregorio Ladino (Tecos Trek) and Rui Costa (Caisse d’Epargne). Javier Benítez (Contentpolis-Ampo) won the final bunch sprint and took his third stage of this year’s race.

“It’s very difficult to win three stages,” Benítez said after the race and thanked his whole team. “Staff as well as teammates gave me confidence. Today’s stage wasn’t too difficult, so everybody was fresh at the finish. This made it my most difficult day,” Benítez said on the organizer’s website.

Benítez beat Takashi Miyazawa (Meitan Hompo) and Cristian Benenati (ISD) after the 118km of the final stage.

Sevilla also thanked his mates. “When you win you are euphoric, but without then team I couldn’t have succeeded. It’s an important win which makes me want to fight on.” Sevilla, who is accused of doping, said there was a lot of hypocrisy in the world of cycling. “The win wasn’t easy, but not too difficult with the team, especially Mancebo.” Sevilla is now looking to get some rest and get ready to defend his title in the Clásico RCN.

There was an initial break with Gregor Gazvoda (Meitan-Hompo), Héctor Espasandín (Xacobeo-Galicia), Andrew Randell (Planet Energy) and Andrew Bajadali (Kelly Benefit), Arquímedes Lam (Alpura Delicias) and José Ochoa (Arenas Afamado). Their maximum lead was only 1’39.

The break was caught in the second of five finishing circuits, leaving the finishing straight open for the sprinters.

Results final stage, Delicias-Chihuahua (118km)

1.  Javier Benitez (Contentpolis-Ampo)                     2h32’03
 2. Takashi Miyazawa (Meitan Hompo)                                st
 3. Cristian Benenati (ISD)
 4. Guillaume Boivin (Planet Energy)
 5. Michael Van Stayen (Rabobank)

Final general classification

1 Oscar Sevilla (Rock Racing)                                   20h32’43
2 Gregorio Ladino (Tecos Trek)                                          0’06
3 Rui A. Da Costa (Caisse d’Epargne)                              1’03
4 Dario Cioni (ISD)                                                                 5’13
5 Daniel Moreno (Caisse d’Epargne)                                 7’18
6 Michael Rasmunssen (Tecos Trek)                                7’20
7 Francisco Mancebo (Rock Racing)                                  7’39
8 Jesus Del Nero (Fuji-Servetto)                                         7’54
9 Ezequiel Mosquera (Xacobeo Galicia)                            7’58
10 Alberto Losada (Caisse d’Epargne)                              8’01