Saxo Bank's Alberto Contador won his second mountain stage in the Argentinean stage race, Tour de San Luis ahead of Levi Leipheimer (Omega-Pharma Quick Step).
The American's team did everything they could to put their opponents under pressure by taking the lead of the pack on today's 160 kilometer long and mountainous fifth stage and with 25 kilometers from the uphill finish on Mirador del Sol, the pace was picked up which made most of the peloton's riders explode at the foot of the climb.
Contador noticed the fatigue of the other riders and took off with five kilometers to go and was only followed by the American leader and Daniel Diaz (COQ) but, on the finish line, he made no mistake and took a stunning stage win.
”As the leading team, Quick Step took the responsibility of the pacemaking in the field and a whole lot of riders were simply exhausted as we hit the foot of the climb. Alberto made a relative early escape, first alone and later he was followed by Levi (Leipheimer) and Diaz (Daniel) while Schumacher and Nibali cracked on the final kilometers. It was a terrific re-match after yesterday's time trial and I guess there's hardly any better climber than Alberto in the peloton here and we're more than content with our two stage wins in the race. Levi is a powerful guy and I don't think it's realistic that we can take back the leader's jersey,” said Team Saxo Bank's Philippe Mauduit after the stage.
Contador is now second overall, 46 seconds behind Leipheimer.
Tomorrow's stage starts with a 1700 meter climb and finishes 200 kilometers later at an altitude of just 500 meters above sea level in the town of Quines.
Tour de San Luis Stage 5
1. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa/Saxo Bank) 4:19:59
2. Daniel Diaz (Arg/San Luis Somos Todos) @ .02
3. Levi Leipheimer (USA/Omega Pharma-QuickStep) @ .05
4. Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (Col/Androni Giocattoli) @ .25
5. Marcos Garcia (Spa/Caja Rural) @ .44
6. Stefan Schumacher (Ger/Christina Watches-Ofone) @ s.t.
7. Magno Prado Nazaret (Bra/Funvic-Pidamonhangab)@ .51
8. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/Liquigas-Cannondale) @ .56
9. Adrián Palomares Villaplana (Spa/Andalucia) @ .58
10. Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez (Col/Androni Giocattoli) @ 1:02
General Classification After Stage 5
1. Levi Leipheimer (USA/Omega Pharma-QuickStep) 17:27:52
2. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa/Saxo Bank) @ .46
3. Daniel Diaz (Arg/San Luis Somos Todos) @ 1:31
4. Stefan Schumacher (Ger/Christina Watches-Ofone) @ 1:36
5. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/Liquigas-Cannondale) @ 1:50
6. Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (Col/Androni Giocattoli) @ 2:13
7. Magno Prado Nazaret (Bra/Funvic-Pidamonhangab) @ 2:39
8. Luis Mansilla (Chi/Chile) @ 3:24
9. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra/Omega Pharma-QuickStep) @ 3:44
10. Cayetano José Sarmiento Tunarrosa (Col/Liquigas-Cannondale) @ 4:43