La Vuelta ciclista al Pais Vasco 2008

The La Vuelta ciclista al País Vasco 2008, (Tour of the Basque Country) is held in the fiercely independent Basque area of Northern Spain from April 7 to 12.

Stage two sent the riders from Legazpi to Erandio (153 Kms) on April 8. Once more wet weather was the order of the day.

Four riders had established a lead but by the time they began a final finishing circuit around Erandio, their advantage had fallen to 1.03. Knowing that they would soon be caught Michael Albasini (Liquigas) went away, but he was soon scooped up by the race.

In the final kilometres a number of attacks were launched, but none came to anything and despite a crash in the final kilometre the stage ended in a mass gallop won by Kim Kirchen (High Road) from Paulo Bettini (Quickstep).

Contador finished the stage in the main peloton and remains three seconds up on compatriot Ezequiel Mosquera of the Karpin-Galicia team in the overall standings, with Mosquera's team-mate Herrero a further five seconds adrift.

Contador said he was very pleased with his day's racing. "It might have come across as boring on the television but the rain showers that fell during the final kilometres made the stage dangerous," said the reigning Tour de France champion.

"Everyone was going very fast to earn precious seconds and luckily I did not fall," added Contador, whose team have been barred from this year's Grande Boucle as a result of doping scandals over the past two years.

Wednesday's third stage see the riders tackle a 195km run from Erandio to Viana.

1. Kim Kirchen (LUX) High Road 3hr 40min 42sec,
2. Paolo Bettini (ITA) Quickstep same time,
3. David Herrero (ESP) Karpin Galicia s.t.,
4. Rinaldo Nocentini (ITA) AG2Rs.t.,
5. Damiano Cunego (ITA) Lampre s.t.,
6. Francesco Gavazzi (ITA) Lampre s.t.,
7. Alexander Efimkin (RUS) s.t.,
8. Leonardo Duque (COL) s.t.,
9. Cadel Evans (AUS) Silence Lotto s.t.,
10. Iaaki Isasi (ESP) s.t.

General Classification
1. Alberto Contador (ESP) Astana 7hr 20min 4sec,
2. Ezequiel Mosquera (ESP) 3sec behind,
3. David Herrero (ESP) 8,
4. Damiano Cunego (ITA) s.t.,
5. Peter Velits (SVK) s.t.,
6. Kim Kirchen (LUX) s.t.,
7. Cadel Evans (AUS) s.t.,
8. Mikel Astarloza (ESP) s.t.,
9. Mauricio Ardila (COL) s.t.,
10. Maxime Monfort (BEL) s.t.