Spanish teamwork puts Igor to the fore

SPAIN took the honours on the fourth stage of the Tour de France yesterday with ONCE-Eroski claiming the team time trial and Gasteiz-born Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano taking over the yellow jersey.

ONCE came home in a time of one hour 19 minutes and 49 seconds to allow Gonzalez de Galdeano to move to the top of the general classification ahead of team-mate Joseba Beloki and US Postal Service’s Lance Armstrong, the man going for his fourth successive Tour title.

Gonzalez de Galdeano was quick to note the contribution of his teammates as he became the first Spaniard to wear the yellow jersey since the legendary Miguel Indurain set off on the prologue in 1996.