At the end of today’s heated battle, which covered 160.6 km from La Toma to Merlo, Alberto Contador (SAX) managed to claim his second stage win at the Tour de San Luis. Daniel Diaz (SAN) and Levi Leipheimer (OME) took the other two spots on the winners podium. Leipheimer continues to lead in the overall standings. Team NetApp’s best rider is Markus Eichler and he is in 27th place. 

Jerome Baugnies crossed the finish line today in 22nd place. Baugnies, who has bounced back from a gastro-intestinal infection, was able to keep pace with one of the lead groups. He conquered the steep summit finish to Mirador del Sol just two minutes behind the day's winner. 

“It wasn't a very interesting race for us today. The heat and wind posed the big challenge once again, before the very steep mountain at the end had to be conquered," reported Jens Heppner. Two smaller groups pulled away with a headwind blowing at an angle. They were caught just before the steep summit finish.

“The next-to-last stage tomorrow has it all. Just 57 km into it, a category-1 mountain classification awaits us. And then we still have to cover nearly 150 km to the finish line. The route will take us over a plateau. So all the riders who fall behind on the mountain will find it very difficult to catch up with the bunch later. And that’s why the guys will do all they can to cross the first mountain with the bunch. If Andreas, Markus, Grischa and Jerome manage to do that, then we’ll be in a good position to set something up for the final sprint,” said Jens Heppner, describing the 201-km stage from Lujan to Quines.   

stage 1, 23 January: San Luis – Villa Mercedes, 189.3 km 
stage 2, 24 January: Fraga – Juana Koslay, 145.3 km
stage 3, 25 January: Estancia Grande – Mirador del Potrero, 168.2 km
stage 4, 26 January: ITT San Luis, 1.,5 km
stage 5, 27 January: La Toma – Merlo 160.6 km
stage 6, 28 January: Lujan – Quines, 201 km
stage 7, 29 January: San Luis – San Luis, 167.1 km 

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