Valverde puts heat on Tour leaders
14 April 2012
Alejandro Valverde threw down the gauntlet to the other contenders in the Tour of Spain cycle race by winning stage three between Burgos and Soria.
The 24-year-old Spaniard was the fastest of a group of 11 riders in a sprint to the line.
Valverde's final acceleration put him several bike lengths clear of Australian Olympic gold medallist Stuart O'Grady.
Benoit Joachim, of Luxembourg, who was left out of Armstrong's US Postal team for the Tour de France, is the new overall leader, 16 seconds ahead of Dutchman Max Van Heeswijk.
