Rabobank's Denis Menchov virtually assured himself of his second overall victory in the Vuelta a Espana with a second-place finish in the penultimate stage, a 20-kilometre time-trial in Collado Villalba.

The Russian finished 12 seconds behind Samuel Sanchez, whose time of 22 minutes 11 seconds saw him claim his second stage victory in succession, and more importantly, leapfrog Cadel Evans and claim the final podium spot with just Sunday's procession back to Madrid remaining.

Sweden's Magnus Backstedt had set the early pace, blasting through the first 7-kilometres a staggering 33 seconds ahead of the entire field, though paid the price for his efforts toward the end of the course, and soon saw his time bettered by Karpin Galicia's Santos Gonzalez.

Dutch time-trial champion Stef Clement then blazed through the finish four seconds quicker, just as Evans powered away off the start ramp.

Evans may have been looking at a possible attack on Carlos Sastre, who lay 47 seconds ahead before the time-trial, though the Australian looked to be paying the price for a draining season as he struggled to impose himself in one of his favoured disciplines.

Sastre managed to conserve his losses to 41 seconds on Sanchez to hold on to second place, while Ezequiel Mosquera, without doubt the revelation of the race, maintained his advantage over Vladimir Efimkin to finish fifth.

Clement's time was always likely to come under threat from the big guns at the end, and the writing was on the wall when Sanchez went through the second checkpoint five kilometres from the finish three seconds ahead of the field.

The Basque built his lead over the closing stages, moving ahead of Evans, while Menchov also superseded the time of Clement after a huge burst down the home straight.

Eurosport