Arlenis Sierra

Havana, February 17 (ACN) - The best road cyclist in America, Cuban Arlenis Sierra, finished sixth in the first stage of the Setmana Valenciana, crossing the line two seconds behind the winner and at the top of a massive finish.

Sierra clocked 2:58:02 hours, the same time as the competitors from fourth to 81st in crossing the finish line of this World Tour event, according to the results tables on the official website of the International Cycling Union.

Italian multiple world champion Elisa Balsamo was the first overall leader in this initial section.

Of the 153 riders of the 23 contending teams, only five did not finish the route, with an extremely eventful outcome.

The final acceleration was chaotic, in a tortuous approach to the finish line, said on Twitter the Movistar Team, whose competitors managed to be "safe at the finish".

The route was 119 kilometers (km) from Valencia to Sagunt, with a second-category mountain prize at the Alto de L'Oronet.

Movistar Team seeks to win the Setmana Valenciana, with a line-up led by the best road racer in the world, Dutch Annemiek van Vleuten, escorted by Sierra, also from the Netherlands, Floortje Mackaij, Colombian Paula Patiño, Norwegian Katrine Aalerud and Spaniards Sara Martín and Lourdes Oyarbide, in a race of 480 km in four days.