Alejandro Valverde:

"Hihetetlen volt, nem is lehetn�k el�gedettebb. Szeretn�m megk�sz�nni a csapatomnak a munk�t, k�l�n�sen Joaqu�n Rodr�gueznek, fenomen�lisak voltak. Rodr�guez l�szol�s�ra Bennatinak reag�lni kellett, ami sokat kivett bel�le, r�ad�sul Serrano is t�madni pr�b�lt, nem v�rt tov�bb, �gy Rodr�guez el�k�sz�tette nekem a terepet.
Tulajdonk�ppen m�r megval�s�tottam a c�lomat, ami�rt j�ttem, �s ez �nbizalmat ad a tov�bbiakhoz is. R�ad�sul eny�m a trik� is, ami ezut�n j�n, csak r�ad�s. Tov�bbra is pr�b�lok nyerni szakaszokat.
Hogy meddig viselem az aranysz�n� trik�t, teljesen Bennatit�l f�gg, mit siker�l alkotnia a sprinteken." 

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) has a strong track record in the Vuelta, having finished second, third and fourth in previous editions. He's led the race, won four stages, but is yet to take his first Grand Tour victory. Solid rather than spectacular in the Tour de France, the weeks ahead will determine if he can progress to the top step of the podium.

Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) wants to raise his arms in the Vuelta
Photo ©: AFP

The race may also act as a Grand Tour reassurance for Damiano Cunego (Lampre), who had a disappointing Tour de France despite basing his season around hitting peak form for the race. His performances in the Vuelta will confirm if July was just a blip, or if he is no longer a contender for victories in three-week races. At 26, it is surely way too soon to write off the Italian climber.

A dark horse for overall victory is Igor Ant�n (Euskaltel Euskadi), who has been making steady progress in his career. He won a stage and placed fifteenth overall in 2006 and then finished eighth last year. This season, Ant�n was second overall in the Euskal Bizikleta this year and won a stage plus finished third overall in the Tour de Suisse.

Another rider who will be watched with interest is Robert Gesink (Rabobank). The 22 year-old is making his Grand Tour debut but, despite his young age and relative inexperience, has already shown exceptional promise. He has taken the best young rider's jersey for two years running in the Tour of California, also winning a stage and finishing ninth overall this year, and has also racked up a second place in the Tour of Poland, fifth in the Deutschland Tour, fourth in Flèche Wallonne and fourth in Paris-Nice. In the latter race he was second on the Ventoux stage this year, being beaten only by Cadel Evans after the Australian sat on him on the climb.

Alejandro Valverde takes a golden opportunity

Spanish Champion's Tour-like move garners race lead

By Gregor Brown

In an action similar to day one of the Tour de France, Spaniard Alejandro Valverde of Team Caisse d'Epargne moved into the Vuelta a España race leadership with a powerful and winning dash in the closing metres of stage two. The early surge of team-mate Joaqu�m Rodr�guez as the race approached the line in Ja�n allowed Spanish Champion Valverde to profit with a counter-move that could not be answered by Italians Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) or Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) – second and third. Greg Van Avermaet (Silence-Lotto) finished fourth and overnight race leader, Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas), finished fifth.

2. szakasz - Granada - Ja�n: 176,3 km

A spanyol Alejandro Valverde (k�p�nk�n) a Vuelta m�sodik szakasz�n szinte leut�nozta k�t h�nappal ezel�tti, a Tour de France-on ny�jtott teljes�tm�ny�t, amikor az emelked�vel v�gz�d�, de egy�bk�nt s�k szakasz hajr�j�ban, egy remek�l id�z�tett t�mad�snak k�sz�nhet�en els�k�nt �rt �t a c�lvonalon �s az �sszetettben is �tvette a vezet�st.

 Az olaszok, Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) �s Alessandro Ballan (Lampre), akik a m�sodik �s harmadik helyen v�geztek, ez�ttal sem b�rtak az �sszetett gy�zelemre is es�lyesnek tartott spanyollal. A tegnapi csapatid�futam ut�n a mai napot az aranys�rga trik�ban t�lt� Pozatto az 5. helyen �rkezett. A tov�bbi favoritok, id�h�tr�ny n�lk�l, mind az els� csoportban v�geztek.

A szakasz elej�n 4 f� sz�k�tt meg, legnagyobb el�ny�k k�zel 5 perc volt, de 20 km-rel a c�l el�tt befogta �ket a f�mez�ny. A szok�sos sprintfelvezet�s helyett ezut�n izgalomd�s percek k�vetkeztek, t�bben is akci�ztak, az �r Roche �s a francia Moncutie tudott v�g�l ell�pni, de 5 km-rel a v�ge el�tt �ket is be�rt�k. A hajr�ban Rodriguez k�sz�tette el� a terepet egy l�sszal, amikor 300 m-rel a befut� el�tt a mez�ny fel�rt r�, csapatt�rsa, Valverde kontr�zott, ezt m�r senki nem tudta �rdemben lereag�lni.

A Tour de France-t�l elt�r�en, a Vuelt�n m�g megtartott�k az id�j�v��r�sokat, a szakaszgy�ztes �gy 20 mp b�nuszt kapott, mely el�g volt ahhoz, hogy a Caisse d'Epargne csapt kapit�nya �tvegye az aranys�rga trik�t.

Szakasz eredm�nye:

1 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 4.23.00 (40.221 km/h)
2 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 0.02
3 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre
4 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence - Lotto
5 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Liquigas

�sszetett �ll�sa:

1 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne             4.31.10
2 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Liquigas                                    0.13
3 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas
4 Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                0.15
5 Iñigo Landaluze Intxaurraga (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi             0.19