Spain’s Alejandro Valverde nears Vuleta title with a stage left; Millar wins 20th stage

Spain’s Alejandro Valverde nears Vuelta title

TOLEDO, Spain — Alejandro Valverde is closing in on the Spanish Vuleta title with one stage to go.

The Spanish rider for Caisse D’Epargne cemented his overall lead Saturday with a seventh-place finish in a time trial won by Britain’s David Millar of Garmin-Slipstream.

Valverde finished in 35 minutes, 53 seconds. Spain’s Samuel Sanchez was five seconds behind and Australia’s Cadel Evans was nine seconds back.

“I feel liberated. With patience I think I could win a Tour de France,” Valverde said. “I wanted to win a big race. I knew I could do it.”

Valverde leads Sanchez in the overall standings by 55 seconds, and only a major setback in the final stage would prevent him from winning. Evans is third overall, 1:32 behind. Italy’s Ivan Basso is next, 2:12 back.

“The rider who failed the least is the one who has won, and I’m happy for him,” Sanchez said. “In the race we’re mortal enemies, but when the stages finish we are friends and send each other messages.”

The Vuelta ends Sunday in Madrid after a 69-mile ride from Rivas-Vaciamadrid.

In a race marred by doping problems, the Xacobeo-Galicia team said Saturday it fired its medical officer, Alberto Beltran. The Colombian-born doctor had been linked to three riders on another team who tested positive for the blood booster EPO.

Beltran had worked for Liberty Seguros, whose Spanish riders Isidro Nozal and Hector Guerra and Portuguese rider Nuno Ribeiro tested positive for the banned substance Aug. 3, the International Cycling Union said.