Jesús Herrada and Movistar Team were left empty-handed by the shortest of margins at the end of the 48th Tour du Limousin, whose overall victory went to Italian Sonny Colbrelli (BAR) after aggregate positions broke the tie between the two riders following four demanding stages.

The 164.7km final ride from Aixe-sur-Vienne to Limoges was covered on full stream right from the start, when the Mota del Cuervo-born rider had to protect his seven-second advantage as the Italian won the first intermediate sprint in front of him. A four-man breakaway - with Combaud (ARM), just 14" away in the standings - pevented any other fight in the remaning two sprints and left it to the bunch's choice, led early by José Luis Laguía's squad before Bardiani took the reins as Combaud was caught, to fight for the stage.

Lammertink (ROO) won the bunch sprint while Colbrelli, who had already got to within six seconds' distance in the beginning of the day, finished in 2nd place and tied the competition. The former Spanish champion, with a total 64 points, couldn't compete with Colbrelli's four top-ten finishes (22 pt) in as many days, meaning that the Movistar Team, which worked efficiently for the entire race, could only take the stage win and overall podium.

"I am naturally very disappointed to lose the general classification being in the same time as the winner," he told Directvelo. "This is the first time this has happened in a stage race. Sonny Colbrelli was ahead in the final stretch, I knew I was beaten if he finished second. There was almost no room to pass, but he was successful and I did not see him. 

"The team did ​​a very big job, and they are not rewarded for their efforts. It's a shame to lose this way because I think I had the legs to win. 

"I had hoped to do like in the past two years in the Tour of Poitou-Charentes when I won the fourth and final stage. It would have been enough to take victory. Second  is good but I think I have deserved better. I would have won if there would not have been bonuses. I will now compete in the Grand Prix de Plouay."