Millar loses yellow jersey

Botero is the overall leader of the Tour of Spain

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Britain's David Millar lost the lead of the Tour of Spain after being held up by a high-speed crash in the fourth stage.

Millar's hopes of holding on to the yellow jersey ended when the peloton was scattered by a pile-up just two kilometres from the finish.

Erik Zabel went on to win the the 175km stage between Leon and Gijon for his third victory in three days.

The crash happened just in front of me and l had to take my feet out of the pedals

David Millar

But the overall lead is now held by Colombia's Santiago Botero.

Millar is four seconds behind Botero with third placed Pedro Horrillo a further seven seconds adrift.

"I was near Botero when the crash happened just in front of me and l had to take my feet out of the pedals," said Millar.

"I was well placed but only he got through."

Zabel, winner of the sprint prize in the Tour de France for the past six years, hit the front with 50m to go and held off a late surge from Spain's Oscar Freire.

Gruelling ascent

Botero finished 16 seconds down on the leading group of nine riders but five ahead of Millar to snatch the lead.

"Taking the jersey so soon is a surprise but it is also a prize, a prize for being attentive and staying in front every day after finishing second in the first stage," said Botero.

Spanish race favourites Roberto Heras and Joseba Beloki were 21 seconds behind Zabel.

Wednesday's fifth stage moves to the mountains with the 160km route starting in Gijon and finishing with the gruelling ascent to the Lagos de Covadonga.

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Fourth stage placings:
1 Erik Zabel (Germany) Telekom 4hrs 9mins 46secs
2 Oscar Freire (Spain) Mapei
3 Sven Teutenberg (Germany) Festina
4 David Fernandez (Spain) Relax-Fuenlabrada
5 Wilfried Cretskens (Belgium) Domo-Farm Frites
6 Pedro Horrillo (Spain) Mapei
7 Luca Paolini (Italy) Mapei
8 Janek Tombak (Estonia) Cofidis
9 Rolf Aldag (Germany) Telekom all same time
10 Alberto Elli (Italian) Telekom 4 seconds behind

Overall standings:
1 Santiago Botero (Colombia) Kelme 11hrs 2mins 20secs
2 David Millar (Britain) Cofidis 4 secs behind
3 Pedro Horrillo (Spain) Mapei 11
4 Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spain) ONCE 21
5 Jose Gutierrez (Spain) Kelme 29
6 Oscar Sevilla (Spain) Kelme 39
7 Alberto Elli (Italy) Telekom 41
8 David Canada (Spain) Mapei 47
9 Andrea Noe (Italy) Mapei 48
10 Joseba Beloki (Spain) ONCE 49