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Cunego climbs to victory

Image: Cunego: Deadly attack

Damiano Cunego produced a devastating attack near the summit of Alto de Aitana to win stage eight of the Tour of Spain.

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Evans takes overall lead after stage eight

Damiano Cunego secured victory in Tour of Spain's first mountain-top finish on Alto de Aitana after a devastating attack with two kilometres remaining. The Italian rider overtook Frenchman David Moncoutie, who had been in a long breakaway, and eventually powered away to win stage eight by 33 seconds. Moncoutie hung on to claim the runner-up spot with the contenders for overall victory breathing down on him. Exciting prospect Robert Gesink accelerated near the summit and managed to gain eight seconds on the rest of the favourites by the end of the stage. But it was Silence-Lotto rider Cadel Evans who took over the golden jersey of race leader after a strong time-trial on Saturday and a solid finish on the eighth stage.

Tight Battle

Evans led home a group containing himself, Alejandro Valverde and Samuel Sanchez that finished 44 seconds behind Cunego. Slovenian Tadej Valjavec came in a further six seconds back with accomplished climbers such as Ivan Basso and Joaquim Rodriguez in his wheel. Valverde moves up to second in the general classification with just a two second deficit to Evans while Sanchez is also now within 10 seconds of the lead. Previous leader Fabian Cancellara slipped back on the climb and lost several minutes while Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck abandoned 88 kilometres in. The battle for the golden jersey is sure to intensify on Monday as stage nine takes the riders across another mountainous route from Alcoy to Xorret de Cati. Stage eight results:
1 Damiano Cunego (Italy/Lampre) 6hrs 04mins 54secs
2 David Moncoutie (France/Cofidis) +33
3 Robert Gesink (Netherlands/Rabobank) +36
4 Cadel Evans (Australia/Silence-Lotto) +44
5 Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Caisse d'Epargne)
6 Samuel Sanchez (Spain/Euskaltel)
7 Tadej Valjavec (Slovenia/AG2R) +50
8 Ivan Basso (Italy/Liquigas)
9 Ezequiel Mosquera (Spain/Xacobeo)
10 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain/Caisse d'Epargne) Overall standings:
1 Cadel Evans (Australia/Silence-Lotto) 31hrs 05mins 02secs
2 Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Caisse d'Epargne) +2
3 Samuel Sanchez (Spain/Euskaltel) +8
4 Tom Danielson (U.S./Garmin) +13
5 Robert Gesink (Netherlands/Rabobank) +29

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