Veteran German cyclist has won the fourth stage of the Tour of Spain in a sprint finish, while Norway's Thor Hushovd is still the overall leader.
Zabel covered the 135 kilometers from Almendralejo to Caceres in three hours, 24 minutes, 46 seconds. Hushovd came in second in the pack sprint Tuesday and was credited with the same time. Frenchman Jean-Patrick Nazon was third, also with the same time.
For Zabel, 36, it was his first victory of any kind in three years and he called it "a special day." In his long career Zabel has won some 200 stages in cycling's three big races: the tours of France, Italy and Spain.
Hushovd's overall lead is 27 seconds ahead of both Zabel and Australian Stuart O'Grady.
Wednesday's fifth stage runs from Plasencia to La Covatilla, a 178-kilometer stretch that includes one first and one second category mountain pass.
Some information for this report provided by AP.
