 Bettini delivered a devastating sprint over the final kilometre |
Olympic road race champion Paolo Bettini won a tight sprint finish to claim stage 16 of the Tour of Spain. The Italian held off compatriot Alessandro Petacchi and Spain's Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero to edge the 162-km stage from Leon to Valladolid.
The result meant home favourite Roberto Heras, who is seeking an unprecedented fourth straight title, maintained his overall lead after coming home in 10th.
There are five stages left of the Tour which ends in Madrid on Sunday.
Stage 16 results:
1. Paolo Bettini (Italy / Quick-Step) 3 hours 40 minutes 56 seconds
2. Alessandro Petacchi (Italy / Fassa Bortolo) same time
3. Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero (Spain / Phonak) same time
4. Joaquin Rodriguez (Spain / Saunier Duval) same time
5. Samuel Sanchez (Spain / Euskaltel) same time
6. Mauricio Ardila (Colombia / Davitamon - Lotto) same time
7. Erik Zabel (Germany / T-Mobile) same time
8. Pablo Lastras (Spain / Illes Balears) same time
9. Thomas Ziegler (Germany / Gerolsteiner) same time
10. Roberto Heras (Spain / Liberty Seguros) same time
Overall classification:
1. Roberto Heras (Spain / Liberty Seguros) 65 hours 28 minutes 36 seconds
2. Denis Menchov (Russia / Rabobank) +4:30"
3. Carlos Sastre (Spain / Team CSC) +4:50"
4. Francisco Mancebo (Spain / Illes Balears) +6:45"
5. Carlos Garcia Quesada (Spain / Comunidad Valenciana) +8:02"
6. Oscar Sevilla (Spain / T-Mobile) +11:16"
7. Ruben Plaza (Spain / Comunidad Valenciana) +11:39"
8. Tom Danielson (United States / Discovery Channel) +12:15"
9. Juan Miguel Mercado (Spain / Quick-Step) +13:32"
10. Santos Gonzalez (Spain / Phonak) +14:20"
MMIX
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