Farrar wins Vuelta's Caravaca de la Cruz stage

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USA's Farrar won his first Grand Tour stage in the 11th stage of the Vuelta a España today in Caravaca de la Cruz, Spain. He out-sprinted Belgian Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto) and Italian Marco Marcato (Vacansoleil).

Team Liquigas controlled the advantage of the day's escape group to create a sprint finish for Daniele Bennati. It continued to lead for the majority of the final kilometres on the straight roads into Caravaca de la Cruz.

Bennati had two lead-out men on the front starting the final three kilometres. Only at the start of the final kilometre did Liquigas lose control. Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) started the sprint with Rabobank then taking over for Oscar Freire.

In a disorganised sprint Farrar came to the front early and remained there to claim a long sprint win.

Before the Vuelta, Farrar won one of the biggest one-day races for a sprinter, Vattenfall Cyclassics, August 16. His good form continued in the Eneco Tour, where he won three stages.

He was unable to win stages in his first two Grand Tours this year, the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, but placed second twice in each race.

Spaniard Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) kept the race leader's gold jersey he took on Monday's mountain stage to Xorret del Catí. He leads by seven seconds over Australia's Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto). Netherlands' Robert Gesink (Rabobank) is in third place at 36 seconds and USA's Tom Danielson (Garmin-Slipstream) is fourth at 51 seconds.

Caravaca de la Cruz counts for two USA wins

Stage 11 started in Murcia, home town of race leader Alejandro Valverde. It remained in the province of Murcia, travelling 200 kilometres westward towards Caravaca de la Cruz.

USA's David Zabriskie won the stage solo the last time the Vuelta visited Caravaca de la Cruz, in 2004.

Luxembourg's Fränk Schleck (Saxo Bank) abandoned the race before the start of the stage. The elder Schleck brother is travelling back home for knee surgery.

The 182 riders who started faced the Alto Collado Bermejo and Alto Campo de San Juan climbs. The road over Campo de San Juan topped out at 1225 metres and left 49.3 kilometres to race.

The climb of the Alto Collado Bermejo helped formed the first escape. Amets Txurruka (Euskaltel-Euskadi), David de la Fuente (Fuji-Servetto), David Moncoutié (Cofidis) and Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil) moved free at kilometre 39. De la Fuente was unable to follow the attacks by the other three despite being the leader in the mountains classification.

France's Moncoutié, Spain's Txurruka and Netherlands' Hoogerland led over the top of Collado Bermejo with 5:12 on the main group of race leader Valverde. Moncoutié took maximum points and the mountains lead by four points over De la Fuente.

The trio gained another four minutes to lead by 9:40 at kilometre 70.

The group took back a big part of the trio's advantage for the start of the final climb. The three riders had 1:30 for the start of the Campo de San Juan climb.

Ivan Basso's Liquigas team did the majority of the work on the climb. Oliver Zaugg and Sylvester Szmyd led for Basso - who started the day in fifth at 0:53 behind Valverde - and Bennati.

The trio survived to the top of the Campo de San Juan climb by 1:02. Moncoutié led Txurruka and Hoogerland over the top to take another 10 mountain points.

Previous race leader Cancellara, Rabobank's Oscar Freire and Juan Manuel Gárate, and De La Fuente lost contact with the main group on the climb. Cancellara worked hard to help the four re-join after the descent.

The main group caught the escape trio with 43.1 kilometres to race.

Frenchman Rémy Di Gregorio (Française des Jeux) immediately attacked. He had 24 seconds at 39 kilometres to race and 35 seconds four kilometres later.

Liquigas controlled Di Gregorio's advantage for its sprinter Bennati. They let Di Gregorio remain solo until 18 kilometres to race. German Linus Gerdemann (Milram) attacked immediately afterwards and led briefly before being brought back by the Liquigas led pack.

Valverde enjoys a rest

Valverde wore the gold jersey in 2006 and 2008, today was the 12th stage on which he had worn the precious fleece. He will face the first challenge to his overall lead in Friday's stage to Alto de Velefique. It finishes with a 13.3 kilometres ascent up the Velefique.

The riders enjoy the second of two rest days tomorrow in Almería, the start of Friday's stage 12.