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Xavier Tondo wins at Mirador del Sol in Argentina
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Andalucia's Xavier Tondo won the fifth stage of Argentina's Tour de San Luis on Friday, a 205-kilometer route from San Francisco del Montea de Oro to Merlo (Mirador del Sol).
Stage 5: San Francisco del Monte de Oro to Merlo
205km (110.7 miles)
Winner's average speed: 38.9 kph. (24.2 mph)
Sprints leader: Sebastian Haedo (Colavita), 11 points; Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) is second with 7 points
Mountains leader: Stage winner Tondo took over the mountain jersey with 17 points, followed by Sebastian Haedo with 14 points.
Best young rider (Under 23): Ignacio Pereyra (Argentina U23 team)
Team GC: Diquigiovanni leads, followed by Andalucia and Argentina-A
Peloton: Five riders abandoned: Diego Vera (retired), Jose Aravena (retired), Tom Zirbel (DNS), Joao Correira (retired)
The tough stage included a category 2 climb to Alto de Cantana at the mid point, and then a category 1 finish climb up to 1160 meters at Mirador de Sol.
Tondon held off Jorge Giancinti (Argentina-A) and stage 4 winner Jose Serpa (Diquigiovanni) for the win. Italian Ivan Basso (Liquigas) was sixth, 11 seconds back. The top American was Bissell's Ben Jacques-Maynes in 15th, 49 seconds back. Jacques-Maynes is now the top American on GC, in seventh, as teammate Tom Zirbel, who had been in sixth, did not start the stage. Bissell's Joao Correira also abandoned the race.
Argentina's Alfredo Lucero continues to lead the GC, with a 1:05 lead over teammate Jorge Giancinti with two stages remaining.
Stage 6 is a relatively flat 121-kilometer circuit race in Potrero de los Funes, while Sunday's 167-kilometer final stage is a hillier three laps on a circuit in San Luis.
