1. Biagio Conte (Ita, SCRIGNO) 3.52.27 (41.815 km/h) 2. Tom Steels (Bel, MAPEI) 3. Giovanni Lombardi (Ita, POLTI) 4. Mirko Rossato (Ita, SCRIGNO) 5. Fabio Baldato (Ita, MG) 6. Tristan Hoffmann (Hol, TVM) 7. Michel Lafis (Sue, TELEKOM) 8. Laurent Jalabert (Fra, ONCE) 9. Pascal Chanteur (Fra) 10. Oscar Aranguren (Spa) 11. Miguel Indurain (Spa) 12. Angel Edo (Spa) 13. Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) 14. Steffen Wesemann (Ger) 15. Gerardo Pierdomenico (Ita) 16. Paulo Ferreira (Por) 17. Massimiliano Mori (Ita) 18. Nicola Minali (Ita) 19. Marcel Wust (Ger) 20. Jann Kirsipuu (Est) Selected 26. Bobby Julich (USA) ... 34. Bo Hamburger (Den) ... 40. Claus Moller (Den) ... 72. Neil Stephens (Aus) ... 75. Stephen Hodge (Aus) ... 84. Peter Meinert (Den) ... 87. William Chan McRae (USA) ... 125. Jesper Skibby (Den) ... 157. Michael Andersson (Swe) ... 171. Lars Johnsen (Nor) all same time ... 179. Jonathan Vaughters (USA) at 1:50
1. Biagio Conte (Ita, SCRIGNO) 3.52.11 2. Tom Steels (Bel, MAPEI) + 0.08 3. Igor Galdeano (Esp, EUSKADI) + 0.10 4. Giovanni Lombardi (Ita, POLTI) + 0.12 5. Mirko Rossato (Ita, SCRIGNO) + 0.15 6. Asier Guenetxea (Esp, EUSKADI) 7. Fabio Baldato (Ita, MG) 8. Tristan Hoffmann (Hol, TVM) 9. Michel Lafis (Sue, TELEKOM) 10. Laurent Jalabert (Fra, ONCE) all s.t 11. Pascal Chanteur (France) Petit Casino 12. Oscar Angueren (Spain) Santa Maria 13. Miguel Indurain (Spain) Banesto + 0.18 14. Angel Edo (Spain) Kelme 15. Eddy Mazzoleni (Italy) Saeco 16. Steffen Weseman (Germany) Telekom 17. G Pierdomenico (Italy) Cantina 18. Paulo Ferreira (Portugal) Maia 19. Massimiliano Mori (Italy) Saeco 20. Niccia Minali (Italy) Gewiss all s.t. Based on bonifications (also intermediate).
Comte clocked 3hr 52min 27sec in winning a tight four-man sprint finish from Belgian Tom Steels, who finished second, and his fellow Italians Giovanni Lombardi and Mirko Rossato.
The stage win, achieved in searing heat, earned Conte a 16-second bonus.
"Rossato set off well in the sprint, but I managed to keep my rhythm over the final few metres," Conte said.
Five-time Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain of Spain, who is reported to be considering reirement at the end of the year, finished in the pack in 11th place, three spots behind his great rival Laurent Jalabert of France.
``Wearing the leader's jersey will be what was until today an unthinkable personal satisfaction for me,'' said Conte, a member of the unfancied Scrigno team. ``It is my first and most important victory.''
Race judges took nearly five minutes to split Conte from team mate Miriko Rossato, another Italian Giovanni Lombardi, and Belgian Tom Steels.
Steels was given second place and Lombardi third, although both Scrigno riders had raised their hands in triumph at the line and celebrated the result together on the winners' podium.
Steels took second place in the overall standings, four seconds behind Conte, with Spanish rider Igor Galdeano third after picking up bonuses in a 110 km breakaway.
Galdeano made his move after 11 km, and with the chasing pack disrupted by falls, steadily increased his lead to nearly 10 minutes.
The MG and Mapei teams, with Swiss Tony Rominger at the fore, hauled in Galdeano 40 km from the end of the 162 km stage, which started and finished in Valencia.
Rominger -- who won three successive Spanish Tours from 1992 to 1994 -- said that he will try to regain the hour record broken in England on Friday by Chris Boardman.
Rominger said that he was astonished by the Briton's effort and that he would experiment with the ``Superman' riding position used by Boardman.
``The position gives better results, and I'm sure it's a thing for the future,'' said Rominger
The Vuelta continues on Sunday with the 210 km second stage from Valencia to Cuenca.