Spaniard Alejandro Valverde of the Caisse d’Epargne team took the overall race lead after winning the second stage of the Tour of Spain on Sunday, a 176.3km run from Granada to Jaen.
The 28-year-old finished the stage in four hours and 23 minutes, two seconds ahead of Italy’s Davide Rebellin and another Italian, Alessandro Ballan of Lampre.
“The stage was especially suited for sprinters but I knew I would have my chances,” said a smiling Valverde, who was greeted at the finish line by about a dozen family members, including his eight-month-old twin sons Ivan and Alejandro.
PHOTO: EPA
Valverde, who finished second during the Tour of Spain in 2006, is one of the favorites to win the race this year along with compatriots Alberto Contador, last year’s Tour de France champion, and Carlos Sastre.
“We once again saw a Valverde full of life, arriving at the finish line as only he knows how,” said Sastre, the winner of this year’s Tour de France.
The peloton remained tightly together until the final 5km when there were several attempts at a breakaway. With just 1km until the finish line Joaquin Rodriguez of Valverde’s Caisse d’Epargne tried to surprise the peloton with an attack but he failed to open up much of a gap and was countered with a sprint by Riccardo Serrano of Tinkoff. In the final 200m Valverde responded with his own sprint, which took him to the finish line.
“There was a moment when I thought Joaquin would win it alone,” said Valverde, who took over the leader’s golden jersey from Italy’s Filippo Pozzato.
Last year’s champion, Russia’s Denis Menchov, is not participating. The 3,133km Tour of Spain finishes in Madrid on Sept. 21.
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