Vuelta España Stage 17: Santander > Fuente De, 187kms

Thomas Peterson is feeling the pace today - and what a pace it is..!

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Travis Meyer and Allan Davis are also hurting at the back...

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Cristiano Salerno knows what it's like to be spat out by a peloton doing almost 80-kilometres-per-hour on the flat..!

This is what's happpening - Saxo Bank have attacked at the front..!

The Katusha team is in a state of panic with Joachim Rodriguez caught in the second half of the peloton...

This looks like a good escape with Richie Porte, Kevin Seeldraeyers and Tony Martin in it - in fact they've all been dropped..!

With a truce called by Saxo and Katusha, a real escape has been let loose, it contains Danny Pate, Lars Boom, and Leonardo Duque...

Ian Stannard and Simon Clarke are laughing - they've survived the 'war' and think the fighting's all over..!

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The fight has started again, with the whole Garmin team chasing the escape down very fast..!

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Despite the seriousness of the action, Vincente Reynes manages to play games with Michael Kreder - slow down, he says!

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Radio Shack have lent themselves to the same cause as Garmin's - whatever cause it is..!

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Sergio Paulinho and other Saxo Bank riders have attacked on the first real climb, overtaking the escape and opening up gaps behind them...

Alberto Contador now attacks on the following ascent of the Collado La Hoz - with 50-kilometres still to go..!

Rodriguez and Valverde have been completely caught out by Contador's attack...

Robert Gesink has also been dropped - and he has Chris Froome in this chasing group...

Ben Swift is trying to pace Froome back along the valley towards the final climb...

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Contador has joined Paulinho in front, they lead Rodriguez by almost one minute now...

Alberto Losada is the only Katusha guy with Rodriguez - but he's getting no help from anyone in the chase..!

Piero Tiralongo has attacked with Contador with 23-kilometres to go..!

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Rodriguez is doing his own chasing now - but Valverde isn't interested in helping him...

Contador attacks Tiralongo and sets off for the finish with almost 20-kilometres to go..!

Sergio Henao is chasing Contador with Bakelandts, Nocentini and Verdugo with him...

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Valverde has come from behind, dropping Rodriguez, and caught the Henao group chasing Contador..!

Rodriguez is over two-minutes down now, and he has two Saxo Bank riders sitting on his tail...

Contador is climbing the gradual ascent to the finish, but it's hurting him like never before...

Valverde is actually closing in on Contador - he'll almost catch him at the finish..!

Yes! Alberto Contador wins stage seventeen after one of the most spectacular days the Vuelta has ever seen..!

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An agonised Rodriguez crosses the line 2' 38" down - with Jesus Hernandez unable to stop smiling just behind..!

Alberto Contador has become the new race-leader after his extraordinary exploits today - he leads Valverde by almost two-minutes..!

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