Greipel takes second consecutive stage at Vuelta

VINAROS, Spain -- Germany’s Andrei Greipel won a second straight stage at the Spanish Vuelta on Thursday to take the overall lead.

Greipel overtook Tom Boonen of Belgium in the final few yards to capture 108-mile fifth stage in 4 hours, 27 minutes, 54 seconds. The Team Colombia-High Road rider supplanted Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland as race leader. Cancellara had led since the opening time trial and dropped to fifth place.

Boonen, who rides for Quickstep, trails Greipel by six seconds in the standings after fading in the sprint finish.

Italy’s Daniele Bennati of Liquigas finished third. He is in third place overall, trailing Greipel by 17 seconds. Tyler Farrar of the United States finished fourth Thursday and is fourth in the standings.

Riders were coming off a rest day after the first four stages were run across the Netherlands and Belgium. The sixth stage Friday starts and ends in Xativa, a 109-mile stage with two testing mountain climbs.

Last year’s Vuelta champion, Alberto Contador, and Lance Armstrong skipped the three-week race that ends in Madrid on Sept. 20.