GRENADA, Spain (AFP) - Spain's Santiago Perez, of the Phonak team, won his second consecutive stage on the Tour of Spain here following a two-year victory drought after the death of his fiancee.
Perez won the 29.6km 15th stage time-trial from Grenada to the summit finish at Sierra Nevada in the south of the country. Spain's Roberto Heras, of the Liberty team, retained the overall lead ahead of compatriot Alejandro Valverde.
Perez finished 1min 51sec ahead of third-placed Heras and 1:07 in front of Valverde, who was second, and jumped three places to third overall, 1:45 behind Heras. And Valverde, who almost quit the race earlier in the week because of a serious fall, did himself the world of good as he ate into Heras' lead and is now just 5sec adrift.
"I am delighted with the way it went today (Sunday)," said a smiling Valverde.
"I felt really at ease and the race is once again wide open.
"I will continue to eke away at the difference in time and I have now forgotten totally about the fall. The time-trial in Madrid next Sunday might not be suitable for me but anything is possible," he added.
Francisco Mancebo, second overall at the start of the stage, could only finish in fifth place, 3:18 behind the winner and dropped down to fourth overall.
Perez' fiancee Vanesa died in a car accident two years ago after which Perez, who had been showing great promise in the professional ranks and even won a stage on the 2002 Tour of Italy, failed to earn a victory till Saturday's 14th stage.