Second title for Contador denies hopeful Valverde

The 29-year-old Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank rider maintained a one minute, 17-second advantage over his rival and fellow Spaniard in the 115-kilometre race.

The Tour was Contador’s first since he was banned after testing positive for clenbuterol in the 2010 Tour de France.

The final leg was won by John Degenkolb – his fifth triumph in this year’s competition – in two hours, 44 minutes and 57 seconds, with the German rider finishing strongly to outsprint the rest of the field.

Contador finished 54th in the 21st stage and although Valverde came sixth he will have to settle for second.

Joaquin Rodriguez finished third overall, 21 seconds behind Valverde while Britain’s Chris Froome was fourth, almost nine minutes back.*

n Yorkshire cyclo-cross riders were given a masterclass by reigning National Trophy Series champion Paul Oldham, the Hope Factory Racing rider from Lancashire, who came over the border to take victory for a second consecutive week at Oakbank School in Keighley yesterday.

It initially looked as though Oldham, who easily won round one last week, might have a bit of competition this time as Adam Martin of Cestria Cycles got off to a flying start.

But Oldham’s quality showed through and he stormed to the front and finished the race in 59.20, almost two-and-a-half minutes in front of second-placed Ian Wilkinson of Endura Racing.

Halifax teenager Jack Clarkson was once again a top-10 finisher as he secured fifth.

In track racing, David Brearley (Cottingham Coureurs) won two of the senior races at the Universal Cycle Centre Track League meeting at Quibell Park in Scunthorpe this week.

Brearley beat Scunthorpe Poly CC duo Callum Rogers and Anthony Nash in the 10-lap scratch, as well as the 20-lap version.

In other events, Peter Kennedy won the 12-lap points race from Dinnington rival Richard Baldwin.