Moncoutie's late attack pays off

France's David Moncoutie claimed the eighth stage of the Tour of Spain in convincing fashion as Spain's Igor Anton took over the overall classification lead.

Moncoutie of Cofidis finished the eighth stage of the race, a 190-kilometre ride from Villena to Xorret de Cati that included five mountain passes, in 5hrs, 14min and 32sec, 54sec ahead of Xacobeo Galicia's Serafin Martinez, BBOX Bouygues Telecom's Johann Tschopp and Ag2R-La Mondiale's Jose-Luis Arrieta.

The stage took place against a sombre background.

A minute's silence was observed before the start in memory of Team Sky masseur Txema Gonzalez who died in hospital in Seville on Friday, five days after he was taken to hospital suffering from a bacterial infection that developed into sepsis.

Team Sky pullled out of the Tour of Spain in the wake of his death and Anton dedicated his red jersey win to the 43-year-old.

"This is the only decision which we could have taken. It is the right decision, to show our respect to Txema," the British team's principal Dave Brailsford said.

On Saturday, the 35-year-old Moncoutie was part of a five-man group that broke away early in the stage but after the final climb the breakaway group split apart and he was able to out-ride his rivals to be the first across the finish line.

"I hope to be one of the best climbers of this Vuelta," said Moncoutie.

Omega Pharma-Lotto's Philippe Gilbert, who had held the red jersey since the third stage, was involved in an early tumble that allowed Anton, who finished the stage in seventh place, to take over the overall lead.

The Spaniard leads on count-back from Katusha's Joaquin Rodriguez with one of the pre-event favourites, Italy's Vincenzo Nibali, just two seconds back.

"I am surprised. If I did not become the leader it would not be a trauma," said Anton.

"I am not obsessed now with being the leader. You have to work hard, the Vuelta is long."

The ninth stage takes the riders 187.7 kilometres from Calpe to Alcoy and includes a third category climb just seven kilometres from the finish line.

Stage eight results:
1, David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis 5:14:32, 2. Serafin Martinez (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 0:00:54, 3. Johann Tschopp (Swi) BBOX Bouygues Telecom, 4. Jose-Luis Arrieta (Spa) Ag2R-La Mondiale, 5. Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 0:01:29, 6. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo, 7. Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi, 8. Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana 0:01:32, 9. Xavier Tondo (Spa) Cervélo Test Team, 10. Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervélo Test Team 0:01:35

Overall classification:
1. Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 32:28:49, 2. Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha, 3. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:00:02, 4. Xavier Tondo (Spa) Cervélo Test Team 0:00:42,. 5 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Caisse d’Epargne 0:01:10, 6. Ruben Plaza (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 0:01:15, 7. Ezequiel Mosquera (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 0:01:18, 8. Nicolas Roche (Irl) Ag2R-La Mondiale 0:01:19, 9. Peter Velits (Svk) Team HTC-Columbia 0:01:26, 10. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) Team HTC-Columbia