September 8, 2004 – Banesto’s Denis Menchov took the fifth stage of the Tour of Spain today, a tough stage over Fassa’s Aitor Gonzalez and Kelme’s Alex Valverde. USPS’s Manuel Beltran is now in the leader’s jersey.
Results

1. Denis Menchov (Rus) Illes Balears-Banesto 5.07.44
(36.4 km/h)
2. Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Fassa Bortolo 0.03
3. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme
4. Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir
5. Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC
6. Cadel Evans (Aus) T-Mobile Team 0.09
7. Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto
8. Isidro Nozal (Spa) Liberty Seguros
9. Manuel Beltran (Spa) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor
10. Angel Gomez (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria

General classification after stage 5

1. Manuel Beltran (Spa) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 18.47.16
2. Floyd Landis (USA) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor
3. Denis Menchov (Rus) Illes Balears-Banesto 0.04
4. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 0.09
5. Cadel Evans (Aus) T-Mobile Team 0.16
6. Benoit Joachim (Lux) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 0.23
7. Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 0.39
8. Carlos Garcia Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 0.47
9. Victor Hugo Peña (Col) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor
10. Tyler Hamilton (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.50