La Vuelta ciclista al Pais Vasco 2008

The fifth stage of the Tour of the Basque Country went from Vitoria to Gasteiz/Orio (162 Kms) on April 11

Contador swims into the finish

The stage was won by the Italian Damiano Cunego (Lampre) who beat overall leader Alberto Contador in the final sprint. Third was Netherlander Thomas Dekker (Rabobank).

The decision as to the stage win was made on the last climb of the day, 14 km before the finish. On the up-to 26 percent steep climb, on which some riders had trouble staying on their bikes, six riders, including Cunego and Contador got away. Peter Velits had to let the favorites go on the narrow and steep road of the Alto de Aia.

Andrea Grivko (Milram) had bad luck after joining a promising escape with Egoi Martinez (Euskatel) and the Austrian Bernhard Kohl (Gerolsteiner). After a mechanical problem, the Ukrainian fell back into the main peloton, which had shrunk to some 50 riders. Kohl and Martinez were overtaken by the peloton just before the last climb.

Saturday's closing stage will decide the overall winner of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. The riders will face a 20 km time trial over a challenging course with start and finish in the northern Spanish harbor city of Orio, about 15 km west of San Sebastian.

Race leader AlebertoContador (Astana) said after this mountainous stage held in terrible weather - “The climb of Aia was steep and difficult, but too short to provoke changes in the GC. However, it must have been big spectacle for the public.”

1. 1. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 4h 02min 48sec,
2. Alberto Contador (ESP/AST) at 0:00,
3. Thomas Dekker (NED/RAB) 0:05,
4. Kim Kirchen (LUX/THR) 0:05,
5. Davide Rebellin (ITA/GST) 0:05,
6. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/GCE) 0:05,
7. Ezequiel Mosquera Miguez (ESP/KGZ) 0:16,
8. Maxime Monfort (BEL/COF) 0:16,
9. Mikel Astarloza (ESP/EUS) 0:20,
10. Igor Anton (ESP/EUS) 0:22,

General Classification
1. Alberto Contador (ESP/Astana) 20hr 34min 49sec,
2. Damiano Cunego (ITA) at 08s,
3. Kim Kirchen (LUX) 13,
4. Davide Rebellin (ITA) 13,
5. Thomas Dekker (NED) 13,
6. Ezequiel Mosquera (ESP) 19,
7. Maxime Monfort (BEL) 24,
8. Mikel Astarloza (ESP) 30,
9. Igor Anton (ESP) 30,
10. Cadel Evans (AUS) 35.