Spain´s Juan Carlos Dominguez (Phonak) took the overall lead of the 39th Setmana Catalana in Spain on Tuesday after winning the afternoon stage of the two-stage second day, a 10.3-km time trial.

Erik Zabel (Telekom) won the 106-km morning stage from Lloret de Mar to Empuribrava in a sprint to make it two in a row for the German at Setmana Catalana.

Zabel later lost the lead to Dominguez, the overall winner here in 1997. Americans Levi Leipheimer (Rabobank) and Tyler Hamilton (CSC-Tiscali), both riding into form for more important goals later in the season, didn´t push for the stage-win in the short time trial.

Leipheimer was 13th at 26 seconds slower and Hamilton was 22nd, 31 seconds back. Defending Giro d'Italia champion Gilberto Simoni (Saeco) crashed on his right knee 60 kms into the 106-km morning stage. He remounted his bike and finished the stage, but rode gingerly through the afternoon time trial.

Simoni remounted and was able to finish the stage

Photo: Graham Watson

The five-day race continues Wednesday with a 157-km climbing stage from Castello de Empuries to Alto de Pal high in the Pyrenees. The main obstacles are the category-one Castellar de H'ug and the category-one climb to Pal, where the stage ends.