Spaniard David Arroyo outpowered Vasili Kiryienka of Belarus to win the 19th stage of the Vuelta a Espana while compatriot Alberto Contador retained the overall lead. The Caisse d’Epargne rider dropped Kiryienka 100 metres from the line on the uphill finish in Segovia to secure his team’s second stage win in two days. Belgian Nick Nuyens was third.
With just two days left before the finish in Madrid, Contador has an overall lead of one minute and 17 seconds over American Levi Leipheimer with Carlos Sastre of Spain in third place, three minutes and 41 seconds behind.
Already the winner of the Tour de France and the Tour of Italy, overall victory in Spain would make Contador the first rider to take a hat-trick of major Tours since France’s Bernard Hinault. Read the rest of this entry »