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LATEST NEWS: LA VUELTA A ESPANA STAGE 9: DAVID LOPEZ OVER KREUZINGER, ANTON STAYS IN RED
Road Bike Action and AFP
September 5, 2010
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David Lopez (Caisse d'Epargne) revels i his victory in Stage 9 of the 2010 Veulta a Espana.
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)
Spanish rider David Lopez of Caisse d'Epargne won the mountainous ninth stage of the Tour of Spain on Sunday while his compatriot Igor Anton retained the overall race leader's red jersey.
Lopez crossed the finish line on his own after breaking away from a small group of leaders with some five kilometers to go in the 187.7-km ride between Calpe to Alcoy in southeastern Spain. He completed the stage, which included seven climbs, including one just seven kilometers from the finish line, in 5 hours, 20 minutes and 51 seconds, six seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Czech rider Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas-Doimo).
"It is incredible, I fought for the victory with all my strength. More than need it, I believe we deserved it because we worked as a team," Lopez told reporters after completing his first stage victory at a major race. "It is without a doubt the biggest victory of my career. It still has not sunk in because I am not used to victories," he added.
Anton of Euskaltel finished in 16th place but was first in the overall race standings, ahead of Spanish rider Joaquin Fernandez even though they share the same overall time thanks to his better performance in previous stages.
Italy's veteran specialist sprinter Alessandro Petacchi pulled out of the stage after about 50 kilometers due to the injuries he suffered in a fall involving a number of leading riders during the eighth stage on Saturday.
 Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-Farnese Vini) pulls out after crashing in Stage 8. (Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)
"I am in pieces. My arm is very sore, I slept badly and my morale is low. I don't know how far I could go in this stage," the Lampre rider told reporters before the start of Sunday's stage. He won the seventh stage of the race on Friday, the 20th Tour of Spain stage win of his career.
The riders will have their first rest day on Monday since the 65th edition of the Tour of Spain got underway last Saturday with a team time trial through the streets of Seville.
The 21-stage race will resume on Tuesday with a 175.7-kilometer ride between Tarragona and Vilanova i la Geltru in northeastern Spain.
The Tour of Spain, the third of the big tours after the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, wraps up in Madrid on September 19.
Stage 9 Results:
Calpe - Alcoy 187.7 km
1. David Lopez (ESP/Caisse d'Epargne) in 5 hours 20 minutes 51 seconds
(average: 35,1 km/h)
2. Roman Kreuziger (CZE/Liquigas-Doimo) at 0:06
3. Giampaolo Caruso (ITA/Katusha) at 0:13
4. David Moncoutié (FRA/Cofidis) at 0:21
5. Blel Kadri (FRA/Ag2r-La Mondiale) at 0:27
6. Egoi Martinez (ESP/Euskatel-Euskadi) at 0:30
7. Jean Christophe Péraud (FRA/Omega Pharma-Lotto) at 0:55
8. Gonzalo Rabuñal (ESP/Xacobeo Galicia) at 2:36
9. Oscar Pujol (ESP/Cervelo TestTeam) at 3:52
10. Jelle Vanendert (BEL/Omega Pharma-Lotto) at 4:17
Overall Standings after Stage 9:
1. Igor Anton (ESP/Euskatel-Euskadi) in 37 hours 56 minutes 42 seconds
2. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/Katusha) at 0:00
3. Vincenzo Nibali (ITALiquigas-Doimo) at 0:02
4. Xavier Tondo (ESP/Cervelo TestTeam) at 0:42
5. Jean Christophe Péraud (FRA/Omega Pharma-Lotto) at 0:52
6. Rubén Plaza (ESP/Caisse d'Epargne) at 1:15
7. Ezequiel Mosquera Miguez (ESP/Xacobeo Galicia) at 1:18
8. Nicolas Roche (EIR/Ag2r-La Mondiale) at 1:19
9. Marzio Bruseghin (ITA/Caisse d'Epargne) at 1:22
10. Peter Velits (SVK/HTC-Columbia) at 1:26
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