September 18, 2005 – Fassa’s Alessandro Petacchi took a quick win today, over T-Mobile’s Erik Zabel in the final stage of the Tour of Spain. Canada’s Michael Barry showed his skills again with an eighth on the same course that will be used for next weekend’s World Championships – a foreshadowing, perhaps?

Liberty’s Roberto Heras finished safely in the pack, taking his fourth Tour of Spain in his career.

Stage 18

Results
1 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 3.34.41 (38.15 km/h)
2 Erik Zabel (Ger) T-Mobile Team
3 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner
4 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
5 Jimmy Casper (Fra) Cofidis, le credit par telephone
6 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Davitamon – Lotto
7 Bram De Groot (Ned) Rabobank
8 Michael Barry (Can) Discovery Channel
9 Arnaud Coyot (Fra) Cofidis, le credit par telephone
10 René Haselbacher (Aut) Gerolsteiner

Overall

Final General classification

1 Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) Liberty Seguros-Würth Team 82.22.55 (40.74 km/h)
2 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 4.36
3 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 4.54
4 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Illes Balears-Caisse d’Epargne 5.58
5 Carlos Garcia Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 8.06
6 Ruben Plaza Molina (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 11.36
7 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) T-Mobile Team 13.22
8 Tom Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel 16.38
9 Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Davitamon – Lotto 18.15
10 Juan Miguel Mercado (Spa) Quick Step – Innergetic 18.31
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57 Michael Barry (Can) Discovery Channel 1.50.14