Zaballa wins stage, overall at Asturias

The tale of the 2010 Vuelta Asturias provided one final twist as Constantino Zaballa (Loule - Louletano) claimed a solo victory in Oviedo on Sunday. Zaballa's victory also hoisted him into the top spot of the final general classification, the fourth such change in the overall of the five-stage race.

Zaballa finished stage five 1:36 ahead of Ezequiel Mosquera (Xacobeo Galicia) and 2:22 in front of Pasquale Muto (Miche).

In the final overall, Zaballa finished on top, 58 seconds clear of overnight leader Fabio Duarte (Columbia) and Beñat Intxausti (Euskaltel – Euskadi), who finished 1:17 down. Mosquera finished fourth overall.

Zaballa's stage victory came after a series of powerful attacks over the climbs that dotted the final 80 kilometres of the stage. He had joined overnight leader Fabio Duarte (Colombia), teammate Santi Perez, Mosquera, Andre Cardoso (Palmeiras Resort - Tavira) and David Gutierrez (Footon-Servetto) in an attack with 60 kilometres remaining.

Ten kilometres later, Zaballa lost his place in the escape on the ascent of the Alto de San Lorenzo, but rejoined Perez, Mosquera, Cardoso and Duarte on the descent. With the race leaders marking one another, Zaballa attacked. He built a lead of more than a minute, as Pasquale Muto (Miche) replaced Duarte in the lead group.

But Mosquera had left his run too late. After time trialling off the Tenbredo, Zaballa was checking the kilometres-to-go banners off quickly, 1:30 ahead of Mosquera. By now, Duarte had relinquished his lead, and the race was on to see who would replace him at the top of the leader board.

Within a few minutes that question had been answered as Zaballa celebrated his stage win, finishing 1:36 in front of Mosquera.