Stage 12 Results
1 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step – 4.42.44
2 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner – 0.01
3 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre
4 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre
5 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana
6 Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi – 0.04
7 Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Gerolsteiner
8 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC – Saxo Bank
9 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana
10 Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi
General classification after stage 12
1 Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi – 45.48.33
2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana – 0.11
3 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana – 0.29
4 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC – Saxo Bank – 1.38
5 Ezequiel Mosquera Miguez (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia – 2.10
6 Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi – 2.23
7 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank – 3.22
8 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner – 3.40
9 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre – 4.09
10 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne – 4.10
Links to news sites…
“Bettini charges to second stage victory in the rain
By Susan Westemeyer, with additional reporting by Bjorn Haake in Suances
Paolo Bettini of Team Quick Step charged out of the leading group on the difficult curving uphill finish in Suances to take the win one second ahead of Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) and Lampre’s Damiano Cunego. The loser on the rainy day was Alejandro Valverde, who fell back with about 50km to go and ended up cinceding over three minutes. Egoi MartÃnez successfully defended his leader’s jersey going in to the final rest day.
Bettini’s second Vuelta 2008 stage win came on the day that he announced he was leaving Quick Step after 10 years due to a financial dispute. He denied that revenge motivated him for the victory, though. “It’s true, I will not be riding for Quick Step next year,” he said. “I am disappointed about this but it didn’t give me extra motivation. From the beginning of the Vuelta, I had marked the stages to Toledo and Suances before the race. That is all the motivation a professional rider needs!” Read more from CyclingNews.com…
“Italy’s Bettini doubles up in Tour of Spain
(CNN) — Paolo Bettini scored his second win of this year’s Tour of Spain on a rain-soaked 12th stage which ended in bitter disappointment for home hope Alejandro Valverde.
Quick Step’s Bettini showed he is fine form ahead of the defense of his world road championship crown by surging clear of a decimated peloton to win from fellow Italians David Rebellin and Damiano Cunego.
Race favorite Alberto Contador also gained a precious few seconds by finishing in fifth on the stage.” Read more from CNN International…
