Oscar Freire’s eighth career stage win at the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol gave Rabobank its ninth win of the young 2011 season on Thursday. Freire sprinted to a second-straight stage win on his Giant TCR Advanced SL at the five-day stage race in Spain, which is commonly known as the Ruta del Sol (Route to the Sun).

Freire’s fast start to the season is the latest in a string of Rabobank wins that has made them the hottest team in road racing this year. The 35-year-old outsprinted fellow Spaniard and 2008 Olympic Champion Sammy Sanchez to win the fifth and final stage, a 162.7km race from Córdoba to Antequera. Freire’s win also earned him the overall Ruta del Sol points title.

The win by Freire, a three-time World Champion, follows on the heels of Robert Gesink’s overall win at the Tour of Oman last Sunday. Freire’s fellow Rabobank sprinters Michael Matthews and Theo Bos have also earned stage victories this year. In all, the team has nine wins in 2011.

Next up for the Rabobank squad is Saturday’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad road race, the traditional kick-off to the racing season in Belgium. The team will be led there by Lars Boom, who won the opening time trial at the Tour of Qatar earlier this month.