ZARAGOZA,(Spain), Sept 10: Italy’s Alessandro Petacchi of the Fassa Bortolo team on Wednesday became the first rider ever to win at least two stages in each of the major Tours in the same year when he won the fifth stage of the Tour of Spain here on Wednesday.

Petacchi, who also triumphed in the third stage, won a mass sprint ahead of Spaniard Angel Edo and New Zealand’s Julian Dean following the 166.7km ride from Burgos.

Petacchi won six stages in the Tour of Italy and four in the Tour de France this year, and had earlier in the week become the first man since compatriot Pierino Baffi to win on each of the major stage races 45 years ago.

The race was controlled by Petacchi’s team and the Telekom team of Erik Zabel, who did not let the breakaway riders take more than a three minute lead.

Spaniard Isidro Nozal of the ONCE team holds the overall lead.—AFP