Team Euskaltel's Igor Anton won the third stage of the 2010 Vuelta a Castilla y Leon earlier today to take the overall race lead.

The spanish rider finished the 159-kilometer (99-mile) mountain stage from Leon to Ponferrada in 4 hours, 7 minutes, 9 seconds.

Mauricio Soler of Colombia came second, 13 seconds behind, just ahead of third-place Alberto Contador of Spain, who finished with the same time.

The stage included two category 1 ascents, up the 1,640-meter (5,380 feet) Alto de Fondebadon climb and then the 1,750-meter (5741 feet) Alto del Morredero peak.

Anton caught pre-race favorites Contador and Russia's Denis Menchov by surprise when he broke off alone to set a punishing pace up the final climb 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the end. Menchov finished 11th, 1:34 behind.

"Everyone likes to win, but Igor has been very strong," Contador commented, who had previously managed to keep up with attacks by Jorge Azanza and Manuel Anton.

"For me it's a good result," Contador added. "In the end it's 13 seconds, which aren't few, but we'll see tomorrow how it turns out in the time trial."

Tomorrow's stage is a 15.1-kilometer (9.4 mile) individual time trial around Ponferrada.