Italian Alessandro Petacchi underlined his sprinting expertise by scooping his fourth stage victory in the Tour of Spain today, edging out Germany's Erik Zabel at the end of stage 13.
While Petacchi showed the way in the 172.4-km run from El Ejido and Malaga, Spaniard Roberto Heras retained the overall lead despite finishing in 37th place.
Fassa Bortolo rider Petacchi outsprinted Zabel by nearly a bike length, with Spain's Pedro Horrillo third and Australian Stuart O'Grady fourth.
Petacchi finished the stage in four hours one minute and 55 seconds. The Italian had won five stages in 2003 but with just eight more to come in this year's race, he feels he is unlikely to surpass the achievement. "If you look at what's left to race between here and Madrid, there's only one flat stage left," he said.
Filed by Barry J Whyte
