MADRID, April 8, 2009 (AFP) – Spain’s Alberto Contador seized the overall leadership at the halfway point of the Tour of the Basque Country after launching a daring late attack to win Wednesday’s third stage.

The 2007 Tour de France winner finished nine seconds ahead of a trio of riders – Australia’s 2008 Tour de France runner-up Cadel Evans and Spaniards Samuel Sanchez and Antonio Colom.

Contador, who rides for Astana, covered the 172.5 kilometres from Villatuerta to Eibar in the Basque Country of northern Spain in a time of four hours, 16 seconds, 29 seconds.

Last year’s winner of the event, who is also the 2008 Giro d’Italia and Tour of Spain champion, takes over at the top of the overall classification from his countryman Luis Leon Sanchez, who won Monday’s first stage but finished 35 seconds behind Contador Wednesday.

Contador now has a nine-second overall lead over Samuel Sanchez, Evans and Colom. Fifth is Italian Damiano Cunego, 28 seconds adrift of the leader.

On the last hill climb of the stage, just a few kilometres from the finish, Contador launched an attack to which no other riders could respond.

“I am very happy because it’s always good to have a gap of a few seconds.
The differences have been minimal,” he said, adding that Saturday’s time trial, the final stage of the Tour, could be crucial.

“Now that I’m the leader I will try to win the event.”

He said aside from Luis Leon Sanchez, he saw his main rivals as Evans and Michael Rogers, another Australian and “who has been less mentioned.”

Thursday’s stage takes the riders 161 kilometres from Eibar to Guenes.

File Photo: CorVos Pro