Gilbert takes stage, Contador leads
Belgium's world championship favourite Philippe Gilbert claimed a second stage win in the Tour of Spain on Friday while Alberto Contador stayed on course for a second outright victory in the race.
Gilbert powered out of a front group of about 35 riders some 500 metres from the finish on a shallow but steady uphill climb.
Britain's Ben Swift tried to follow the 30-year-old BMC rider but could not match the pace, with Spanish duo Alejandro Valverde and Dani Moreno storming past him to take second and third respectively.
Already victorious in Barcelona on stage nine, Gilbert said his second win in Spain confirmed he was on track for his big target - the world championship road-race in the Netherlands on September 23.
"For sprinters, this race is too hard to prepare for the world championship but for me it is perfect," Gilbert told reporters.
"I don't know if my condition is better now or in Barcelona, it has been a hard Vuelta with a lot of transfers.
"But this is just the build-up I need."
After a very slow first four hours of racing, Gilbert said the finale over several cobbled sections and with tight corners had been "very tense".
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PERFECT JOB
"Fortunately the bunch split, there were only about 90 guys in the front and I had three teammates with me.
"(Teammate) Mauro (Santambrogio of Italy) crashed but the other two did a perfect job keeping the right tempo and I could finish off their work well."
Race leader Contador lost 17 seconds to second-placed Valverde after his rival snatched time bonuses and the front group split on the final uphill.
"I hope I'm not wrong, but I don't think it'll be important," said the Spaniard.
Contador heads into the race's final high mountains stage on Saturday to the Bola del Mundo summit finish with a one minute 35 seconds advantage over Valverde, while Joaquim Rodriguez is third, at two minutes and 21 seconds.
The Saxo Bank-Tinkoff leader, who lives near Saturday's finish and trains regularly in the area, said he did not know the Bola del Mundo climb well because it was "too hard, normally I avoid it.
"I'm sure they'll attack me from the gun, I'll have to be careful."
Following Contador's return to racing after his doping suspension ended on August 5, victory on Sunday in his home town of Madrid would net him a fifth Grand Tour win, including the Tour de France in 2007 and 2009 and the 2008 Vuelta.
STAGE RESULTS
1. Philippe Gilbert(Belgium/ BMC Racing) 4:56:25"
2. Alejandro Valverde(Spain/ Movistar) +1"
3. Daniel Moreno(Spain/ Katusha)
4. Joaquim Rodriguez(Spain/ Katusha)
5. Gianni Meersman(Belgium/ Lotto) +3"
6. Bauke Mollema(Netherlands/ Rabobank)
7. Jan Bakelants(Belgium/ RadioShack)
8. Ben Swift(Britain/ Team Sky)
9. Rinaldo Nocentini(Italy/ AG2R)
10. Sergio Henao(Colombia/ Team Sky)
11. Alberto Contador(Spain/ Saxo Bank)
12. Gorka Verdugo(Spain/ Euskaltel)
13. Robert Gesink(Netherlands/ Rabobank)
14. Przemyslaw Niemiec(Poland/ Lampre)
15. Michel Kreder(Netherlands/ Garmin) +6"
16. Igor Anton(Spain/ Euskaltel)
17. Lloyd Mondory(France/ AG2R)
18. Andrew Talansky(U.S./ Garmin)
19. Laurens ten Dam(Netherlands/ Rabobank)
20. Maxime Bouet(France/ AG2R)
OVERALL STANDINGS
1. Alberto Contador(Spain/ Saxo Bank) 77:21:49"
2. Alejandro Valverde(Spain/ Movistar) +1:35"
3. Joaquim Rodriguez(Spain/ Katusha) +2:21"
4. Chris Froome(Britain/ Team Sky) +9:48"
5. Daniel Moreno(Spain/ Katusha) +11:29"
6. Robert Gesink(Netherlands/ Rabobank) +12:00"
7. Laurens ten Dam(Netherlands/ Rabobank) +12:58"
8. Andrew Talansky(U.S./ Garmin) +13:09"
9. Igor Anton(Spain/ Euskaltel) +13:52"
10. Benat Intxausti(Spain/ Movistar) +15:13"
11. Gorka Verdugo(Spain/ Euskaltel) +15:54"
12. Nicolas Roche(Ireland/ AG2R) +16:30"
13. Sergio Henao(Colombia/ Team Sky) +18:07"
14. Tomasz Marczynski(Poland/ Vacansoleil) +18:14"
15. Przemyslaw Niemiec(Poland/ Lampre) +19:13"
16. Maxime Monfort(Belgium/ RadioShack) +19:15"
17. Bart De Clercq(Belgium/ Lotto) +19:21"
18. Rinaldo Nocentini(Italy/ AG2R) +20:24"
19. Winner Anacona(Colombia/ Lampre) +21:11"
20. Maxime Bouet(France/ AG2R)
