VITORIA, Spain — South African rider Daryl Impey won the second stage of the Tour of Basque Country Tuesday, beating Francesco Gavizzi of Italy and Angel Vicioso of Spain in a sprint finish. Gavizzi overtook the overall lead from first-stage winner Simon Gerrans, Vicioso in second and Peter Velits third. Impey finished the 170-km ride from Elgoibar to Vitoria in 4 hours, 23 minutes, 31 seconds. The Orica-Greenedge rider also won this stage in last year's race. Gavizzi and Vicioso finished with the same time. Former Tour de France winner Alberto Contador finished in the main bunch with the same time and sits 13th overall. Puerto trial ends, judgment in six weeks The Spanish doctor on trial for allegedly running a doping ring in cycling made his final defense Tuesday before the judge retired to consider her verdict which is due in around six weeks. Eufemiano Fuentes and four other defendants, including his sister Yolanda, have been appearing in a Madrid court since late January, nearly seven years after anabolic steroids, transfusion equipment and blood bags were seized as part of an investigation code-named “Operation Puerto”. The proceedings have attracted international attention because some of Fuentes's clients were successful professional riders, including American Tyler Hamilton who gave evidence in February. Anti-doping authorities, who are represented in court, hope the trial will lead to evidence of wrongdoing by athletes in sports other than cycling being made available. Fuentes, who denies doping, said in his opening testimony he also had clients in sports including soccer, tennis, athletics and boxing. He told reporters last month he might be willing to name the clients whose blood was found in the seized bags. As Spain's current anti-doping legislation was not in force in 2006 when the police raids took place, the five are being tried for violating public health regulations. — Agencies
