US Postal rider Roberto Heras won his second Tour of Spain on Sunday after finishing among the pack on the final stage in Madrid. Alessandro Petacchi of Italy won the stage, the tour's 21st, for his fifth stage victory.
Isidro Nozal of the ONCE-Eroski team, who lost the race leadership to Heras on Saturday, finished second.
Alejandro Valverde of Kelme finished third to complete an all-Spanish podium.
Heras, who was 34th in this year's Tour de France, also won the Tour of Spain in 2000. "To win it twice is incredible," he said.
"The team has been brilliant this season. This time it was different," he added.
"We had to fight every single day and we won it in the last one."
Nozal, who had led the tour from Heras for 15 stages, and was one minute 55 seconds ahead of him on Saturday.
But Heras took over after gaining 2:23 and was in no mood to relinquish his advantage.
Germany's sprint king Erik Zabel topped the points table with the king of the mountains' jersey going to Colombia's Felix Cardenas.
Stage 21 results:
1. Alessandro Petacchi (Italy) Fassa Bortolo 3 hours 51 minutes 19 seconds
2. Erik Zabel (Germany) Team Telekom
3. Fred Rodriguez (Italy) Vini Caldirola
4. Alexandre Usov (Belarus) Phonak
5. Angel Edo (Italy) Milaneza-MSS
6. Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero (Spain) Domina Vacanze
7. Patrick Calcagni (Italy) Vini Caldirola
8. Alejandro Valverde (Spain) Kelme
9. Carlos Torrent (Spain) Paternina-Costa Almeria
10. Angelo Furlan (Italy) Alessio
Final standings:
1. Roberto Heras (Spain) US Postal 69:31:52
2. Isidro Nozal (Spain) ONCE 28 seconds behind
3. Alejandro Valverde (Spain) Kelme 2:25
4. Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spain) ONCE 3:27
5. Francisco Mancebo (Spain) Ibanesto.com 4:47
6. Manuel Beltran (Spain) US Postal 5:51
7. Michael Rasmussen (Denmark) Rabobank 5:56
8. Felix Cardenas (Spain) LaBarca 2-Cafes Baque 6:33
9. Unai Osa (Spain) Ibanesto.com 6:51
10. Luis Perez (Spain) Cofidis 7:56
MMIX
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