Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling team rider Gianni Meersman was 5th in the field sprint of 164.2km La Vuelta a España Stage 12 on Thursday.
OPQS rider Tony Martin — who already had a legendary 175km solo ride in the 6th stage of La Vuelta — also went on the attack with about 14km to go in the stage. This time, however, the peloton did not let Martin get much room, and he sat up to be reabsorbed by the peloton.
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky ProCycling) tried to get a jump on the peloton by launching his sprint early in the final kilometer, but World Champion Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) bridged to Boasson Hagen and beat him to the line in the final meters. Maximiliano Richeze (Lampre-Merida) was 3rd.
OPQS looks next to a medium mountain Stage 13 on Friday.
