Millar wins Vuelta's final time trial, Valverde leads

David Millar, Vuelta a Espana 2009, stage 20

David Millar notched up a narrow but impressive victory in the Tour of Spain's final time trial in Toledo, beating Euskaltel-Euskadi's Samuel Sanchez and Aussie Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto).

The stage itself was the last piece in the jigsaw for deciding the Tour of Spain's overall classification. As widely expected, Alejandro Valverde - seventh in the tt - is due to declared the overall winner, whilst Sanchez will take second and Evans finished third.

Millar looked more than comfortable throughout the 26 kilometre course starting and finishing in the ancient city of Toledo, taking his first individual win since the British National Time Trial Championships in 2007. It was also Garmin-Slipstream's third stage win of the race.

"For me it's huge to have done this," Millar said afterwards, "I've been working hard to get a win all year and I'm very proud of it."

"When I did the course this morning in the car it turned out to be much harder than I expected it to be from the route book."

"So I had to make up my tactics more or less on the spot, taking it a little bit steadier in the first part then going all out in the middle, but keeping a little bit back for the end."

"It was a beautiful course, with a little bit of everything."

Millar recognised that after several second places, the team had hit a purple patch recently, saying "we've had five or six wins in a row. It's strange but that happens sometimes with a team, suddenly there's a lot of victories."

Millar's victory confirms his great form for the World Championships, where he is expected to form part of the GB team in the road race next Sunday.

Results

Vuelta a Espana 2009: Stage 20, Toledo-Toledo ITT, 27.8km

1. David Millar (GB) Garmin-Slipstream in 35-53

2. Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 5sec

3. Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto at 9sec

4. Gustavo Cesar Veloso (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia at 20sec

5. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas at 30sec

6. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Silence-Lotto at 34sec

7. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne at 36sec

8. David Herrero (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia at 37sec

9. Jesus Del Nero (Spa) Fuji-Servetto at 40sec

10. Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil at 43sec

Overall classification after stage 20

1. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne in 84-10-32

2. Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 55sec

3. Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto at 1-32

4. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas at 2-12

5. Ezequiel Mosquera (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia at 4-27

6. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank at 6-40

7. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne at 9-08

8. Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Lampre at 9-11

9. Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervelo at 11-08

10. Juan Jose Cobo (Spa) Fuji-Servetto at 11-27

David Millar, Vuelta a Espana 2009, stage 20

Millar on his way to victory in the final Vuelta time trial

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Cycling Weekly's Rider Profiles: Index

Vuelta a Espana 2009: Stage reports

Stage 19: Gesink slides down overall

Stage 18: Deignan takes Irelands first Vuelta stage win in 21 years

Stage 17: Roux takes solo win

Stage 16: Greipel storms to third win

Stage 15: Boom solos to win

Stage 14: Valverde suffers but strengthens lead

Stage 13: Unlucky Evans loses time on rivals

Stage 12: Hesjedal wins second stage for Garmin

Stage 11: Farrar takes first grand tour victory

Stage 10: Gerrans takes breakaway victory

Stage nine: Cesar wins as Valverde leads in la Vuelta

Stage eight: Cunego takes first mountain stage of 2009 Vuelta

Stage seven: Cancellara outpaces Millar in TT

Stage six: Bozic surprises sprint rivals to take win

Stage five: Greipel wins again and takes race lead

Stage four: Greipel wins after big crash wipes out bunch

Stage three: Henderson wins stage

Stage two: Ciolek takes first road stage, Hammond third

Stage one: Cancellara wins Vuelta opener

Vuelta a Espana 2009: Photos

Stage 18 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 17 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 16 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 15 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 14 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 13 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 12 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 11 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 10 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage nine photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage eight photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage six photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage five photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage four photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage three photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage two photo gallery by Graham WatsonStage one photo gallery by Graham Watson

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