Update: Sept. 7 — “Valverde takes lead from Evans”
Enough of the flatland. The 2009 Vuelta a Espana bike race entered the mountains on Sunday, and the result of the terrain change was a reorganization of contenders for the leader's golden jersey.
Australia's Cadel Evans might have shaken himself out of this year's slump as he finished in 4th place on Sunday, 44 seconds behind Stage 8 winner Damiano Cunego. The effort by Silence-Lotto's Evans put him in the overall lead by just 2 seconds.
But who also climbed in the standings? US cyclist Tom Danielson of Garmin-Slipstream bettered himself into 4th place overall, just 13 seconds behind Evans.
The 128-mile stage from Alzira to the uphill finish at Alto de Aitana featured seven 2nd and 3rd category climbs which tore up the cyclists in the bike race.
A six-man breakaway set the pace. The last survivor of that group was David Moncoutié of Cofidis. Italy's Cunego, riding for Lampre, passed him in the closing uphill mile of the race.
Saxo Bank's Fabian Cancellara couldn't protect his golden jersey, which he had regained after Saturday's individual time trial. And comeback cyclist Alexander Vinokourov couldn't make the cut and fell way off the pace.
Six more stages like this, or worse, before the Vuelta ends on Sept. 20.
Top 10 overall
1. Cadel Evans (Australia)
2. Alejandro Valverde (Spain) at 2 seconds behind
3. Samuel Sanchez (Spain) at 8 seconds
4. Tom Danielson (US) at 13 seconds
5. Robert Gesink (Netherlands) at 29 seconds
6. Ivan Basso (Italy) at 46 seconds
7. Damiano Cunego (Italy) at 1:26
8. Haimar Zubeldia (Spain), at 1:37
9. Ezequiel Mosquera (Spain), at 1:46
10. Juan Jose Cobo (Spain) at 2:03
81. Tyler Farrar (USA) at 19:44
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