Samuel Sanchez (capture-the-peloton.com)

GRANADA, Sep 16 (CP) - Euskaltel rider Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez has won stage fifteen in the Vuelta a España, beating fellow Spaniard Manuel Beltran in a sprint of two. Race leader Denis Menchov's position was never threatened.

After a couple of flat stages, the climbing bikes were dusted off and made ready for a tough ride from Villacarrillo to Granada.

The 205 kilometers long course was dominated by the Alto de Monachil, with its peak at twenty kilometers from the finish.

A large lead group of twenty riders, including Cunego, Bettini, Zubeldia and Bennati, had a small advantage over the peloton at the start of that climb.

Belgian Jürgen van Goolen also formed part of the lead group and took the points on two earlier climbs. Thanks to this, the Discovery Channel rider conquered the lead in the Mountains Classification.

Cunego and Spaniard Lopez Garcia attacked from the front group on the Monachil, and the duo soon had a considerable advantage.

But this wasn't good enough yet for Cunego, and the Italian then also dropped his companion.

By doing so however, the Italian wasted most of his energy and was soon surpassed by first Beltran, and then Samuel Sanchez.

Beltran was first at the top of the Monachil, after which he was rejoined by Samuel Sanchez and even Damiano Cunego.

But in the following descent, Cunego surprisingly had to let go again and the Italian was now really without a chance to win this stage.

A group with favorites, with Menchov and Sastre, closed in as well however and the two Spaniards up front now had more to worry about than just Cunego.

Cunego was caught at the three-kilometers banner, where the pursuit group trailed the leaders by thirty seconds.

This lead remained stable though, and the two Spaniards would get to battle for the stage victory.

Euskaltel's Sanchez had the better legs at the finish and crossed the line ahead of Beltran.

Barredo and Antón had attacked from the group as well and took the third and fourth places respectively.

Menchov's lead was never really threated, and the Russian is to begin the third and final week wearing the Golden Jersey.

© Jonathan Roorda