Petacchi clinches fourth stage win
 |  Petacchi outsprints Zabel to clinch his fourth stage win in the Tour of Spain |
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MALAGA, Spain -- Italian Alessandro Petacchi underlined his sprinting expertise by scooping his fourth stage victory in the Tour of Spain on Friday, 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 37th.
Fassa Bortolo rider Petacchi outsprinted Zabel by nearly a bike length, with Spain's Pedro Horrillo third and Australian Stuart O'Grady fourth, in a time of 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.
"This year's course is so mountainous that even if I don't win any more stages, taking four stages this year is as good as five last year.
"Right now, I'm the fastest in this year's Tour of Spain, even if I didn't come here as strong as I wanted to be."
On Friday, Petacchi recorded the 12th Tour of Spain stage win of his career and his 21st victory of the season.
Zabel had the consolation of regaining the points jersey from O'Grady.
Olympic time trial gold medallist Tyler Hamilton, the pre-race favorite, did not start the stage as he was suffering from an upset stomach.
