Sevilla takes Tour lead

Jimenez was in great form in the mountains

Spain's Jose Maria Jimenez soared to victory in Wednesday's 11th stage of the Tour of Spain as his compatriot Oscar Sevilla claimed the overall lead.

Sevilla takes over from Once climber Joseba Beloki, who could not stay with the furious pace on the 154.2km (95.8-mile) stage from Alp to Pal in Andorra.

Beloki could not keep pace with the climbers and found the going all too difficult on the second of the three category ascents, where he dropped back dramatically.

He finished nearly 20 minutes down on the new leader.

Escartin grabs second

Festina's Angel Casero lies in second place overall, 37 seconds behind Sevilla.

The iBanesto team, who were in command for most of the stage, continued their aggressive attacks at the front of the peloton until Jimenez launched a decisive attack on the penultimate ascent to Coll d'Ordino.

He then kept his nerve on the last special category climb to give his team their fourth stage victory in this year's race.

Veteran climber Fernando Escartin sneaked ahead of Jimenez's team-mate Juan Miguel Mercado to win the battle for second place one minute 44 seconds behind the winner.

The 11th stage saw Italy's Marco Pantani pull out.

The 1998 Tour de France champion was 117th in the overall standings and one hour six minutes and 39 seconds behind leader Spaniard Joseba Beloki.

Pantani has endured a miserable season missing the Tour de France and dropping out sick from the Giro d'Italia.

Thursday's 12th stage is a tough 17.1km mountain time trial from Ordino to Arcalis in Andorra before the race leaves the Pyrenees and heads towards the Mediterranean coast.

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Leading placings in 11th stage:

1. Jose Maria Jimenez (Spain) iBanesto.com 4 hours 8 minutes 28 seconds
2. Fernando Escartin (Spain) Team Coast 1 minute 44 seconds behind
3. Juan Miguel Mercado (Spain) iBanesto.com
4. Roberto Heras (US Postal)
5. Aitor Osa (Spain) iBanesto.com
6. Oscar Sevilla (Spain) Kelme
7. Angel Casero (Spain) Festina all same time
8. Klaus Moeller (Denmark) Milaneza-MSS 1:49
9. Inigo Cuesta (Spain) Cofidis 2:10
10. Jose Luis Rubiera (Spain) US Postal 2:31
11. Levi Leipheimer (US) US Postal same time

Leading overall standings:

1. Oscar Sevilla (Spain) Kelme 36 hours 56 minutes 21 seconds
2. Angel Casero (Spain) Festina 37 seconds behind
3. Juan Miguel Mercado (Spain) iBanesto.com 1:46
4. Levi Leipheimer (US) US Postal 2:27
5. Roberto Heras (Spain) US Postal 2:33
6. David Plaza (Spain) Festina 3:00
7. Santiago Botero (Colombia) Kelme 3:06
8. Jose Maria Jimenez (Spain) iBanesto.com 3:34
9. Iban Mayo (Spain) Euskadi-Euskaltel 4:04
10. Aitor Osa (Spain) iBanesto.com 4:32

Selected others:
19. David Millar (Britain) Cofidis 8:42