Britain's David Millar came second in a wet individual time trial race at the Vuelta a Espana, behind Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, who regained the overall lead. Millar finished 32 seconds behind the Saxo Bank rider, who took the 30km seventh stage through the streets of Valencia in 36min 41sec.
Tom Boonen remained second overall after finishing 1:03 behind Cancellara. The Belgian trails by 51 seconds in the general standings.
Cancellara, who leads the Vuelta with a time of 24:58:12, led for the first four stages before the German rider Andre Greipel won the next two to go to the top. But racing in a headwind and in slippery conditions, the Team Columbia-High Road rider finished 67th – 2:37 behind Cancellara.
Cancellara said that racing by Swiss America's Cup team Alinghi's base provided extra motivation as cyclists used the same street course route that Formula One's cars raced on only two weeks ago.
"It was the most difficult stage with the wet conditions, it was very slippery," Cancellara said. "But I was going fast like Formula One on the Formula One track in Valencia. A great race for me."
The Italian rider Daniele Bennati punctured a tire during his sprint and dropped into fourth overall – 1:03 behind Cancellara. Spanish rider David Herrero is third overall – 59 seconds back – after finishing 40 seconds behind Cancellara for fourth, behind Bert Grabsch of Germany.
Cancellara, however, was not confident of hanging on to the leader's jersey after Sunday's 205km leg from Alzira to Alto de Aitana, the Spanish classic's first mountain stage that ends with a special category climb.
"I don't know. Tomorrow's a hard stage. It could be the last day for me with the gold jersey," Cancellara said. "But I'd like to stay leader."