La Carretera belongs to the Spaniards

Feb 19, 2015 – Spaniard Juan Jose Lobato won a tight sprint to clinch stage two of the Ruta del Sol in southern Spain, while Alberto Contador retained his overall lead on Thursday.

AFP/Yuzuru Sunada

Lobato suffered a minor head injury when crashing during Wednesday’s first stage, but timed his run to the finish perfectly to take the 191.7km stage from Utrera to Lucena ahead of German sprint specialist John Degenkolb and Slovenian Grega Bole in a time of 4hr 51min 59sec.

Contador, a double Tour de France champion, had made a surprising burst for the line himself in the final kilometers, but finished among the peloton to maintain his overall lead. Movistar rider Benat Intxausti moves up to second just a second behind his compatriot after Luxembourg’s Bob Jungels lost ground on the leaders.

Britain’s Chris Froome remains eight seconds off the lead in third overall after finishing back in 12th on the day. Friday’s third stage sees the riders tackle a mountain finish for the first time in the five-day race with a 157.6km ride from Motril to Alto de Hazallanas.

Results Stage 2

1. Juan Jose Lobato (ESP/MOV) 4hr 51min 57sec
2. John Degenkolb (GER/TGA) at same time
3. Grega Bole (SLV/CCC) s.t.
4. Arthur Vichot (FRA/FDJ) s.t.
5. Eduardo Prades Reverte (ESP/CJR) s.t.
6. Daniele Ratto (ITA/UHC) s.t.
7. Peio Bilbao (ESP/CJR) s.t.
8. Edward Theuns (BEL/TSV) s.t.
9. Huub Duyn (NED/ROO) s.t.
10. Oliver Naesen (BEL/TSV) s.t.

General Classification

1. Alberto Contador (ESP/TCS) 8hr 03min 40sec
2. Benat Intxausti (ESP/MOV) at 01sec
3. Chris Froome (GBR/SKY) 08sec
4. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/IAM) s.t.
5. Peter Kennaugh (GBR/SKY) 12sec
6. Ivan Basso (ITA/TCS) 17sec
7. Edward Theuns (BEL/TSV) 18sec
8. John Degenkolb (GER/TGA) 20sec
9. Kanstantsin Siutsov (BLR/SKY) 21sec
10. Mikel Nieve (ESP/SKY) 28sec