Australia's Simon Clarke won the mountainous fourth stage of the Tour of Spain on Tuesday while Spain's Joaquin Rodriguez took the overall leader's red jersey. Clarke edged ahead of Germany's Tony Martin in the final meters of the 160.6-kilometer run between Barakaldo and the Estacion de Valdezcaray ski resort, which ended in the second summit finish of the race.

The 26-year-old GreenEdge rider completed the stage in four hours, 30 minutes and 26 seconds, with Martin of the Omega Pharma-Quickstep team just two seconds behind. "It is my first win as a professional, I've been a pro for four years. I have tried so many times, I have so many second and third places, I am just so happy," Clarke said. The two were part of a five-strong breakaway group early in a stage marked by tough weather with strong winds and temperatures that soared up to 102 Fahrenheit.
 
Kazakhstan's Assan Bazayev of the Astana Pro Team finished in third, 22 seconds behind Clarke. Rodriguez took the lead from Spain's Alejandro Valverde, who was caught up in a crash involving several cyclists about two hours from the finish that caused him to drop out of the top ten. Valverde of Movistar crashed just as a group of riders from Team Sky hit the front of the group in a crosswind section.

The Sky riders controversially continued their quick pace instead of waiting for Valverde to get back on his bike. The 21-stage race finishes on September 9 in Madrid. The Vuelta is one of cycling's three 'major tours' along with the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia.

Stage Results:
   1. Simon Clarke (AUS)                                 4h30min 26sec
   2. Tony Martin (GER)                                     at 0:02s
   3. Assan Bazayev (KAZ)                                      0:22
   4. Marcos García (ESP)                                      0:55
   5. Nicolas Roche (IRL)                                      0:55
   6. Linus Gerdemann (GER)                                0:57
   7. Laurens ten Dam (NED)                                  0:57
   8. Andrej Zeits (KAZ)                                         1:01
   9. Bauke Mollema (NED)                                      1:04
   10. Jan Bakelants (BEL)                                      1:04
   11. Przemyslaw Niemiec (POL)                            1:04
   12. Tomasz Marczynski (POL)                             1:04
   13. Steve Morabito (SUI)                                     1:04
   14. André Cardoso (POR)                                      1:04
   15. Chris Froome (GBR)                                       1:04
   16. Winner Anacona (COL)                                     1:04
   17. Maxime Monfort (BEL)                                     1:04
   18. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP)                                  1:04
   19. Sergio Henao (COL)                                       1:04
   20. Kevin Seeldraeyers (BEL)                                 1:04
   Selected
   21. Alberto Contador (ESP)                                   1:04
   39. Alejandro Valverde (ESP)                                 1:59

Overall Results:
 1. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP)                         13h18min 45sec
   2. Chris Froome (GBR)                                  at   0:01
   3. Alberto Contador (ESP)                                   0:05
   4. Bauke Mollema (NED)                                      0:09
   5. Robert Gesink (NED)                                      0:09
   6. Rigoberto Uran (COL)                                     0:11
   7. Daniel Moreno (ESP)                                      0:14
   8. Nicolas Roche (IRL)                                      0:24
   9. Alejandro Valverde (ESP)                                 0:36
   10. Laurens ten Dam (NED)                                    0:46
   11. Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (ESP)                               0:47
   12. Sergio Henao (COL)                                       0:52
   13. Winner Anacona (COL)                                     0:53
   14. Steve Morabito (SUI)                                     0:53
   15. Tomasz Marczynski (POL)                                  0:55
   16. Igor Anton (ESP)                                         0:57
   17. Daniel Navarro (ESP)                                     0:57
   18. Kevin Seeldraeyers (BEL)                                 1:17
   19. Andrew Talansky (USA)                                    1:26
   20. Bart De Clercq (BEL)                                     1:33