Ruta del Sol: Alberto Contador leads after first day with Chris Froome fourth

Alberto Contador leads Chris Froome by eight seconds and the race overall after the opening two stages of the Ruta del Sol in Spain.

The first day was split into two, with a 118.3km road stage in the morning being won by Lotto Soudal’s Pim Lightart.

Both Contador and Froome finished two seconds down on the Dutchman in the main bunch after avoiding a late crash.

In the afternoon, Javier Moreno won a rolling 8.2km time trial, beating runner-up Wilco Kelderman by two seconds and third-placed Jerome Coppel by four seconds.

Contador finished fourth, six seconds back, and now tops the general classification, level on time with second-placed Bob Jungels.

Contador content

Benat Intxausti is one second adrift in third, while Froome, who was 10th in the time trial, climbed to fourth overall. His fellow Briton and Team Sky team-mate Peter Kennaugh is sixth.

Contador said: “I am happy to have the leader’s jersey, but you can’t jump to conclusions. It was a short time trial, but it’s better to be ahead than behind.

"This thing is just starting, and we have two hard climbs, especially for this time of year. Above all, I am content because the legs felt good.”

The race continues on Thursday with a 191.7km rolling stage from Utrera to Lucena.

Stage 1a result

1 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Soudal, 3:01:44
2 Fabio Silvestre (Por) Trek Factory Racing, +2secs
3 Grega Bole (Slo) CC Sprandi Polkowice, same time
4 Michael van Staeyan (Bel) Cofidis, st
5 Tyler Farrar (USA) MTN-Qhubeka, st
6 Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Wanty-Groupe Gobert, st
7 Edward Theuns (Bel) Tosport Vlaanderen-Baloise, st
8 Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice, st
9 Daniele Ratto (Ita) UnitedHealthcare, st
10 Sjoerd van Ginneken (Ned) Team Roompot, st
Selected others
14 Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky, st
19 Alberto Contador (Esp) Tinkoff-Saxo, st

Stage 1b result

1 Javier Moreno (Esp) Movistar, 9:51
2 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo, +2secs
3 Jerome Coppel (Fra) IAM Cycling, +4
4 Alberto Contador (Esp) Tinkoff-Saxo, +6
5 Benat Intxausti (Esp) Movistar, +7
6 Bob Jungels (Lux) Trek Factory Racing, +8
7 Gorka Izagirre (Esp) Movistar, +11
8 Jerome Pineau (Fra) IAM Cycling, same time
9 Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky, +13
10 Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky, +14

General classification

1 Alberto Contador (Esp) Tinkoff-Saxo, 3:11:43
2 Bob Jungels (Lux) Trek Factory Racing, same time
3 Benat Intxausti (Esp) Movistar, +1sec
4 Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky, +8
5 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling, st
6 Peter Kennaugh (GB) Team Sky, +12
7 Ivan Basso (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo, +17
8 Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise, +18
9 John Degenkolb (Ger) Giant-Alpecin, +20
10 Michael Valgren (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo, st