Spanish cyclist Daniel Moreno of Katusha team moments before winning the ninth stage of the Vuelta on Sunday.(Photo: Javier Lizon EPA)
VALDEPENAS DE JAEN, Spain (AP) — Daniel Moreno took the lead of the Spanish Vuelta on Sunday after winning his second stage in six days with an impressive uphill push to separate from the pack.
The Katusha rider broke away on the steep ramp to the finish line to snatch the leader’s red jersey from Nicolas Roche by one second in the overall standings.
Moreno also won the fourth stage on Tuesday. He finished Sunday’s ninth stage, a 163-kilometer (104-mile) mountainous ride from Antequera to Valdepenas de Jaen, with a time of 4 hours, 18 minutes, 57 seconds.
Fellow Spaniards Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez, also of Katusha, crossed next four seconds later.
“I can’t ask for more,” said the 32-year-old Moreno, who has never led the Vuelta before. “I pushed forward and was able to get there in the end, even if I had my doubts during the last meters.”
After coasting through rolling olive groves, the course took the riders up a category-two climb that broke the peloton into pieces.
Those left in the leading group following the nervy descent faced a 2-kilometer uphill stretch with the incline reaching 30 degrees where Moreno launched his attack.
With overnight leader Roche now one second behind Moreno, Giro d’Italia winner Vincenzo Nibali is third at 19 seconds behind.
Valverde moved into fourth at 22 seconds back, while Rodriguez is 56 seconds off his teammate’s leading pace.
Despite becoming the new leader, Moreno said he was still riding to support Rodriguez’s chances of winning his first grand tour.
“Of course, we only have one leader,” Moreno said. “Tomorrow we have a tough day and we hope that both Purito (Rodriguez) and I have a good day.”
Monday’s stage is a 187-kilometer (116-mile) mountainous ride starting in Torredelcampo and finishing with a special-category climb to a summit finish at Alto Hazallanas.
The three-week race finishes in Madrid on Sept. 15.
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