Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez, winner of four Tour de France stages but dogged in recent years by alleged links to doping, claimed men’s road race gold at the European Games yesterday.

The 31-year-old Astana rider prevailed in a sprint battle for the line with Ukraine’s Andriy Grivko, an Astana team-mate, taking silver and Czech Petr Vakoc the bronze medal.

Another Spaniard, Jesus Herrada, was fourth after providing sterling assistance to Sanchez, who claimed a bronze medal in the individual time trial in Baku, on Thursday.

Sanchez knew he had victory in the bag metres before the finish line at Freedom Square, sitting up and raising both hands in triumph at the end of the 215.8 km race around the streets of the capital.

Sanchez and Herrada, who gave his team-mate a perfect lead-out and allowed him to launch his powerful surge 100 metres from the finish that Grivko and Vakoc were unable to counter, shared an emotional embrace.

“I told him this European Games gold medal was for him, and for the team,” Sanchez told reporters.

“I know him from sharing rooms, not only this week but from the World Championships and he’s a great team-mate and a promising rider.”

Malta was represented by Maurice Formosa in the men’s road race yesterday.

There were 60 riders who completed the race and another 65, including Formosa, who did not finish.