Ventoso retains lead in Vuelta de Castilla
Fran Ventoso retained the lead Thursday with a second straight stage win in the Vuelta de Castilla and Leon, while fellow Spaniard Alberto Contador improved to ninth overall through two legs.
Spanish cyclist Fran Ventoso won his second straight stage of the Vuelta de Castilla and Leon on Thursday while Tour de France champion Alberto Contador's 14th-place finish moved him to ninth overall after two legs.
Ventoso scored his fourth stage victory of the season for Movistar by taking the 213-kilometre leg in five hours six minutes 23 seconds to edge Portuguese rival Sergio Ribeiro and Russel Downing of Britain in a sprint finish.
Contador also finished in the same time to stay in contention for a fourth title.
Ventoso holds the overall lead of the five-stage race with a time of 9:19.20.
Contador, the defending champion, will look to Friday's mountain stage to gain an advantage over the field.