Leipheimer Wins Tour of Spain Fifth Stage, And Takes Overall Lead
CIUDAD REAL, Spain, Sept 3, 2008 (AFP) - American rider Levi Leipheimer of Astana took the lead of the Tour of Spain on Wednesday after winning the fifth stage, an individual time trial on a 42.5 kilometer course in Ciudad Real.
Leipheimer, who was third in the Vuelta in 2005, finished 12 seconds ahead of France’s Syvain Chavanel of Cofidis and 33 seconds ahead of Italy’s Manuel Quinziato of Liquigas after he blasted the final 14 kilometres of the course.
Spain’s Alberto Contador, the winner of the Tour de France in 2007 and the Tour of Italy this year, finished fourth in the time trial, 49 seconds behind his Astana teammate.
“I was very strong today. But Contador is the leader of the team,” said Leipheimer who along with Germany’s Stefan Schumacher of Team Gerolsteiner had been one of the favourites to win the race’s first individual time trial.
“Will I work for him? Yes, yes. I am going to work for him,” he added.
Contador is one of the favourites to win the race this year along with compatriots Carlos Sastre of CSC Saxo Bank, the winner of this year’s Tour de France, and Alejandro Valverde of Caisse d’Epargne.
Valverde appeared to run out of steam towards the end of time trial and finished in fifth at 59 seconds from Leipheimer while Sastre finished a distant 15th, one minute and 30 seconds behind the leader.
But Valverde said he was nonetheless pleased to come in just 10 seconds behind Contador.
“We salvaged one of the most dangerous days of the Vuelta so we are pleased with that we have achieved,” he said.
The sixth stage of the Vuelta will be held Thursday, a 150.1 kilometer course from Ciudad Real to Toledo which includes one climb worth points.
Last year’s champion, Russia’s Denis Menchov, is not participating. The
3,133 kilometer-long Tour of Spain finishes in Madrid on September 21.
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