Italian Damiano Cunego claimed his second mountains victory of this year’s Tour of Spain when he stamped his climbing prowess over the rain-hit 14th stage held over 157km from Grenada to La Pandera Sunday.

Spanish race leader Alejandro Valverde of Caisse d’Epargne had to fight to keep the gold jersey but emerged defiant after resisting attacks from Samuel Sanchez, Ezequiel Mosquera, Cadel Evans and Robert Gesink on the final day in the high mountains.

As the battle for final race glory went on in his wake, Cunego, Lampre’s diminutive but explosive climber, defied the rainy conditions to produce a series of stinging attacks which put paid to his stage rivals’ victory hopes.

Cuenego Powers Up The Last Mountain Day

The former Giro d’Italia champion has already given up on challenging for the overall race lead but showed his class by soloing over the finish line at the 1840 metre high Sierra de la Pandera summit.

“I have won two extraordinary stages, it’s great for my confidence,” said Cunego.

It was Cunego’s second victory in this year’s race after also winning stage eight, the first day in the high mountains at Alto de Aitana.

Denmark’s Jakob Fuglsang of the Saxo Bank team finished second on the stage at 2min 23sec while Sanchez, of the Euskaltel team, was over three minutes off the pace to take third place in the overall standings.

Dutch rider Gesink is 31sec behind Valverde with Sanchez standing 1min 10sec off the lead with Italy’s Ivan Basso, of Liquigas, in fourth, at 1min 28sec and Australia’s Cadel Evans, of the Silence team, in fifth, at 1min 51sec.

Gesink All But Out Of Gas Trying To De-Throne Valverde

“It was a difficult stage until the end,” said Valverde who was fifth on the day.

“I stayed calm because I knew I could get back (to the leaders). I knew also that they were at the limit.”

With the world championships just around the corner (Sept 23-27), Switzerland’s Fabian Cancellara of the Saxo Bank team joined Tom Boonen and Oscar Freire in pulling out of the Tour of Spain.

Cadel Evans At The Summit Finish

Valverde Retains The Golden Jersey