Jose Rujano might have learned at the Giro d'Italia on Friday that it pays to work with Alberto Contador, instead of drafting him.
The 29-year-old cyclist was the only cyclist in the peloton to catch race leader Contador's wheel on the tough final climb up the Grosslockner, the highest peak in Austria.
The Venezuelan had tried drafting Contador last Sunday on the final attack on the Mt. Etna summit, and Contador kicked it at the end and left Rujano in his dust.
On Friday, Rujano cooperated on the climb, letting Contador take a breather on his back wheel as the two put more time on Contador's rivals in the General Classification.
At the finish, Contador let Rujano finish first with a stage win, while Contador put more than a minute on his rivals.
The 167km (103 miles) race from Spilimbergo to Grosslockner shaped up as grueling day for a weekend full of epic climbing.
A 16-man breakaway survived out front over three categorized climbs, expect when one of their members briefly attacked and gained a minute.
The Euskaltel Euskadi team spent a lot of time at the front of the peloton, giving Contador's Saxo Bank teammates a rest.
A number of attacks, started by Michele Scarponi (Lampre) split the peloton on the final climb. ,
Once again, though, Contador looked like he could control the maglia rosa at will.
He currently sits 3:09 ahead of Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) and 3:16 ahead of Scarponi.
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