UCI WorldTour leader Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) strengthened his overall lead in the individual rankings after taking a third place in the Clásica Ciclista San Sebastian behind lone winner Adam Yates (Orica-GreenEdge.)

Yates broke away some eight kilometres from the finish of Spain’s biggest one-day race to claim the most important victory of his two-year professional career, 15 seconds ahead of Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) and Valverde in a group of some 15 riders behind.

The mountainous 220 kilometre Classic came down to the final steep ascent in the city of San Sebastián, where Yates went clear - and initially unaware, too, that he had made a move that would, having then sped through the city centre ahead of a chase group, ultimately propel him to victory.

“When I finished I didn’t know I’d won, I spoke to my sports director over the radio when I broke away but it was too quiet for me to hear properly,” Yates said. “I thought there was a break ahead of me up the road, but instead I went full gas and managed to win.”

“For sure this is the best win of my career, and it’s good because the last time I came here to the Clasica I crashed late on and broke my finger. Hopefully next year I can come back and defend this title.”

For Adam Yates victory had the added satisfaction of making the Orica-GreenEdge pro the first Briton to win the 35 year old Spanish Classic - ahead of two former champions in the race, Gilbert and Valverde, too.

For Valverde, although there was disappointment that he could not repeat his 2014 victory, he nonetheless strengthened his overall lead in the UCI WorldTour. Previously 60 points ahead of closest pursuer Chris Froome (Team Sky), the Spaniard’s advantage is now almost double that, with 532 points compared to Froome’s total of 422.

The only other significant change in the upper echelons of the UCI WorldTour individual classification was for Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha). Rodriguez’ fifth place in the race allows him moves into fifth spot in the  UCI WorldTour classification too, one place ahead of Team Sky’s Richie Porte. Adam Yates (Orica-GreenEdge) makes the biggest gain, though, thanks to the Clásica Ciclista San Sebastian, soaring from 110th place to 39th.

The UCI WorldTour nations classification shows even fewer changes, with both leader Spain and second placed Great Britain reinforcing their advantage by boosting their overall totals, amassing 1491 points and 973 points respectively. Britain’s margin over third placed Colombia has now increased to a total of 186 points, with France and Australia continuing to round out the top five. The only change of position in the entire top ten ranking, however, is by one place for Belgium, into eighth spot.

The UCI WorldTour teams classification remains almost equally stable, too. Orica-GreenEdge are the one team to make a significant advance, by two spots into eighth place. From first to seventh overall, though, there are no changes of position, with leaders Team Sky still forging ahead of Movistar Team and Team Katusha in second and third respectively.

Appearances are a little deceptive, though, given Team Sky’s total of 1219 points remains unchanged after the Clásica Ciclista San Sebastian, whilst Movistar Team have moved 50 points closer to their rivals and now are just 77 points behind. Katusha have also increased their total - and narrowed the gap on Team Sky as a result. As from the Tour de Pologne, starting on Sunday August 2nd, therefore, the three way battle for the teams classification leadership may well become even more intense.