Luis León Sánchez (Rabobank) powers to his second straight Spanish time trial championship.(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Jesús Del Nero (NetApp)(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Jesús Rosendo (Andalucía-Caja Granada)(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Silver medalist Jonathan Castroviejo (Euskaltel-Euskadi) on the podium.(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Alberto Contador is congratulated by legendary Spanish cyclist Federico Bahamontes.(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
1959 Tour de France champion Federico Bahamontes on the podium with Alberto Contador.(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank Sungard) earned the bronze medal in Spain's time trial championship.(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank Sungard) congratulates time trial champion Luis León Sánchez (Rabobank).(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Top three at Spain's TT nationals (l-r): Jonathan Castroviejo, 2nd; Luis León Sánchez, 1st; Alberto Contador, 3rd(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Spain's elite men's TT podium (l-r): Jonathan Castroviejo, Luis León Sánchez and Alberto Contador.(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Gorka Izagirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi)(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Alejandro Marque (Onda)(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Fifth place finisher Jesús Herrada (Movistar Team)(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Luis León Sánchez (Rabobank) would successfully defend his TT title.(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Luis León Sánchez (Rabobank) in action during Spain's time trial championship.(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Jonathan Castroviejo (Euskaltel-Euskadi) during his silver medal performance(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Jonathan Castroviejo (Euskaltel-Euskadi)(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Silver medalist Jonathan Castroviejo (Euskaltel-Euskadi)(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank Sungard) would earn the bronze medal.(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank Sungard)(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank Sungard)(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Jose Iván Gutiérrez (Movistar Team) would finish one place shy of the podium in 4th place.(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
2011 Spanish time trial champion Luis León Sánchez (Rabobank)(Image credit: Rafael Gómez Alonso)
Luis León Sánchez (Rabobank) took his second successive Spanish time trial title – and his third in total – with a fine performance on the road to Vall d'Uixó, while pre-race favourite Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-SunGard) could only manage third.
In what was his first competitive outing since winning the Giro d’Italia in May, Contador struggled to match León Sanchez, and finished 1:12 down at the finish. Jonathan Castroviejo (Euskaltel-Euskadi) sprung something of a surprise to squeeze ahead of Contador and onto the second step of the podium.
The day belonged to León Sanchez, however, as he set a scorching pace right from the off. The Rabobank man was 19 seconds clear of Castroviejo and 24 ahead of Contador at the first intermediate check, just shy of the halfway mark.
In Luke Tuckwell's latest column for Cyclingnews, he recalls his memorable week in France, and how he went from tears in training to his first yellow jersey
