/world sport
ALTO DE ABANTOS, Spain -- Euskatel's Samuel Sanchez produced an epic ride to win Friday's 19th stage of the Tour of Spain between Avila and the mountain top finish at Alto de Abentos over 133 kilometers.
Home rider Sanchez prevailed from a small elite group of overall contenders which included Russia's Denis Menchov who kept his hold on the race leader's gold jersey.
Spaniard Carlos Sastre took the oppportunity to move into second place overall.
He overtook Australian Cadel Evans who came in one minute 25 seconds behind the leading group on the first category final climb and slid to third place.
Sastre is 47 seconds ahead of Evans going into the 20km time trial at Collado Villalba, the penultimate stage of this year's Vuelta before the arrival in Madrid on Sunday.
Sanchez, who also won the 15th stage, held off fellow Spaniard Daniel Moreno in a sprint finish.
Menchov, who holds a three minutes and two seconds lead over Sastre, crossed the line three seconds behind Sanchez and Moreno.
"I was aware that Menchov was coming up close behind, so I pushed hard," der Sanchez said. E-mail to a friend 
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