Stage 9: Viella - Sabiñánigo 198km
Vuelta 9: Stage win to Greg Van Avermaet
Greg Van Avermaet won stage 9 (AFP/Getty Images)
Spaniard Egoi Martinez of Euskaltel took the overall lead after Belgian rider Greg van Avermaet of the Silence team won the ninth stage of the Tour of Spain on Monday, a 200.8km ride between Viella and Sabiñánigo.
Van Avermaet won out after joining a dozen-strong breakaway and edged out Davide Rebellin of Italy and Spaniard Juan Antonio Flecha in a sprint finish.
Martinez, who was also in the mix in the dash for the line, took the leader's golden jersey off previous holder Levi Leipheimer as he picked up sufficient bonus seconds from the stage.
The peloton tried to force its collective way back in over the final few kilometres but they were unable to close an eight-minute intermediate gap and the leading group ended more than six minutes clear.
For full results, report and photos, visit Cyclingnews.com.
© AFP & BikeRadar 2008
STAGE 9 RESULTS
| 1 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel|Silence-Lotto) | ||
| 2 Davide Rebellin (Ita|Gerolsteiner) | ||
| 3 Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa|Rabobank) | ||
| 4 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita|AG2R La Mondiale) | ||
| 5 Damiano Cunego (Ita|Lampre) | ||
| 6 Xabier Zandio (Spa|Caisse d'Epargne) | ||
| 7 Patrice Halgand (Fra|Crédit Agricole) | ||
| 8 Andrea Tonti (Ita|Quick Step) | ||
| 9 Christophe Kern (Fra|Crédit Agricole) | ||
| General classification after stage 9 | ||
| 1 Egoi Martínez (Spa|Euskaltel-Euskadi) | ||
| 2 Levi Leipheimer (USA|Astana) | 0:00:11 | |
| 3 Alberto Contador (Spa|Astana) | ||
| 4 Alejandro Valverde (Spa|Caisse d'Epargne) | ||
| 5 Carlos Sastre (Spa|CSC-Saxo Bank) | ||
| 6 Ezequiel Mosquera (Spa|Xacobeo Galicia) | ||
| 7 Igor Antón (Spa|Euskaltel-Euskadi) | ||
| 8 Daniel Moreno (Spa|Caisse d'Epargne) |
