CASTELLON, Spain (AP) — Alberto Contador left the Spanish nationals without a victory after Jose Joaquin Rojas edged the triple Tour de France champion in his final preparation before next month's classic.
Rojas bolted past Contador 200 meters (yards) from the finish in the stifling heat and held on to win the 197-kilometer (123-mile) road race by one second in 5 hours, 1 minute, 25 seconds.
"I ran my race," said Contador after his final tune-up before the start of the Tour on July 2. "He ran a strong race, and it was going to be practically impossible for me to reach the finish line by myself. It was a tough race, especially because of the intense heat."
Koldo Fernandez was third.
Contador, competing for the first time since last month's Giro d'Italia victory, finished third in Friday's timetrial.
"It wasn't a race that really suited my characteristics so I can still leave here happy," Contador said. "The objective for the five days leading up to the Tour are to rest."
The Spanish cyclist is cleared to race in the Tour despite a failed drug test at last year's Tour.
The Spanish cycling federation cleared Contador of a positive drug test he blamed on contaminated meat, but the International Cycling Union and the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed that decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Contador's hearing is set for August.
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