In a rain-soaked finish Jalabert edged out Russian Sergei Ivanov with Swiss Laurent Dufaux third after they had overhauled Jimenez and his co-leader, Swiss Pascal Richard, inside the last kilometre of the 20th stage.
Jimenez, whose home is 15 kms from this ancient walled city, had won Thursday's stage at Los Angeles de San Rafael after sharing a breakaway of 22 kms with Richard.
On Friday they were again clear of the pack for 73 of the 199.4 kms from Los Angeles de San Rafael. But the constant driving of Jalabert's team wiped out a lead of two minutes in the final 21 kms from the summit of the 1070m Navalmoral mountain.
The reluctance of Olympic champion Richard to help set the pace aided the pursuers, and Jimenez said at the finish: "Richard did not work at all. He is like a fox, so I am glad that Jalabert won."
Jalabert, team lieutenant to overall leader Alex Zuelle, said: "Guarding the lead was the most important thing but winning a stage is always good."
It was his second of this Tour and his 18th since the first success in 1993, bringing him level with Belgian Rik van Looy and five away from equalling the all-time Tour best of Spain's Delio Rodriguez.
Zuelle pulled on the leader's yellow jersey for the 12th day, but remained cautious about the remaining two days of the race. "I may not win Saturday's time trial but winning the Tour is more important. I have suffered a lot in this race.
"The situation is similar to last year but when I came to this race I was out of shape and I had trouble staying the pace in the first week. Then I came good in the mountains." The Tour ends on Sunday in Madrid where Zuelle was triumphant a year ago.
1. JALABERT, Laurent FRA ONCE 5.17.09 12 sec bonus 37.723 km/h 2. IVANOV, Serguei RUS TVM s.t. 8 sec bonus 3. DUFAUX, Laurent SUI LOTUS s.t. 4 sec bonus 4. ZAINA, Enrico ITA ASICS - CGA s.t. 5. JIMENEZ,José María ESP BANESTO 0.02 6. ZÜLLE, Alex SUI ONCE 0.02 7. ESCARTIN, Fernando ESP KELME - COSTA BLANCA 0.02 8. RICHARD, Pascal SUI CASINO 0.02 9. BROCHARD, Laurent FRA LOTUS 0.02 10. HERAS, Roberto ESP KELME - COSTA BLANCA 0.07 11. CHIAPPUCCI,Claudio ITA ASICS - CGA 0.07 12. PICCOLI, Mariano ITA BRESCIALAT - OYSTER 0.07 13. LEDANOIS, Yvon FRA GAN 0.07 14. SERRANO, Marcos A. ESP KELME - COSTA BLANCA 0.07 15. SERPELLINI, Marco ITA BRESCIALAT - OYSTER 0.07 16. CLAVERO, Daniel ESP ESTEPONA - TOSCAF 0.07 17. FONDRIEST,Maurizio ITA COFIDIS 0.07 18. INDURAIN,Prudencio ESP BANESTO 0.07 19. FARESIN, Gianni ITA MAPEI - GB 0.07 20. OSA, Aitor ESP BANESTO 0.07 21. VASSEUR, Cédric FRA GAN 0.07 22. PIEPOLI, Leonardo ITA REFIN - MOBILVETTA 0.07 23. BORDENAVE,Philippe FRA CASINO 0.07 24. MOERENHOUT, Koos NED RABOBANK 0.07 25. MASSI, Rodolfo ITA CASINO 0.07 26. GARCIA CASAS,Félix ESP LOTUS 0.07 27. CONTE, Biagio ITA SCRIGNO - GAERNE 0.16 28. URIA, José Manuel ESP ESTEPONA - TOSCAF 0.20 29. MUÑOZ, Fedérico COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 0.20 30. CONTRERAS, Carlos COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 0.20 31. HERVE, Pascal FRA LOTUS 0.20 32. AIARZAGUENA, Iñaki ESP EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 0.20 33. GENTILI, M. ITA CANTINA TOLLO 0.20 34. ALONSO, Marino ESP BANESTO 0.20 35. HAMBURGER, Bo DEN TVM 0.25 36. THIBOUT, Bruno FRA COFIDIS 0.25 37. TEYSSIER, Franc. FRA GAN 0.36 38. RICO, Efrain COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 0.46 39. AGUIRRE, Julio C. COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 0.46 40. LEANIZBARRUTIA, A. ESP ONCE 1.03 41. MAURI, Melcior ESP ONCE 1.03 42. LANFRANCHI, Paolo ITA MAPEI - GB 1.18 43. PLAZA, David ESP COFIDIS 1.22 44. ZARRABEITIA, Mikel ESP ONCE 1.33 45. AJURIA, Ibon ESP EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 3.46 46. HERNANDEZ, Jairo COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 3.46 47. GARCIA ACOSTA, J. ESP BANESTO 5.15 48. DIAZ ZABALA, H. ESP ONCE 5.15 49. GONZALEZ, Arsenio ESP KELME - COSTA BLANCA 5.43 50. RODRIGUEZ, José ESP KELME - COSTA BLANCA 5.43 51. LOPEZ URIARTE, O. ESP EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 5.43 52. MICHAELSEN, Lars DEN TVM 5.43 53. DOMINGUEZ,J.Carlos ESP KELME - COSTA BLANCA 5.43 54. EKIMOV, Vjatceslav RUS US POSTAL SERVICE 5.43 55. CEREZO, Francisco ESP ESTEPONA - TOSCAF 5.43 56. VAN HEESWIJK, Max NED RABOBANK 5.43 57. CUESTA, Iñigo ESP ONCE 5.43 58. GUIDI, Fabrizio ITA SCRIGNO - GAERNE 6.04 59. GORINI, Gianluca ITA AKI - SAFI 7.24 60. BETTIN, Mauro ITA REFIN - MOBILVETTA 7.24 61. TEBALDI, Valerio ITA LOTUS 8.51 62. MILESI, Marco ITA BRESCIALAT - OYSTER 8.51 63. VICARIO, Juan C. ESP ESTEPONA - TOSCAF 8.51 64. SIMEONI, Filippo ITA ASICS - CGA 8.51 65. TRONCA, Amilcare ITA SCRIGNO - GAERNE 8.51 66. DI BASCO, Alessio ITA SAECO 9.56 67. VOSKAMP, Bart NED TVM 9.56 68. COLAGE, Stefano ITA REFIN - MOBILVETTA 9.56 69. JEKER, Fabian SUI LOTUS 12.33 70. OUSLAMINE, Sergei RUS REFIN - MOBILVETTA 12.33 71. NOE, Andrea ITA ASICS - CGA 12.33 72. ROSCIOLI, Fabio ITA ASICS - CGA 17.52 73. SCHIAVINA, Samuele ITA ASICS - CGA 17.52 74. SVORADA, Jan CZE MAPEI - GB 22.56 75. WERNER, Jürgen GER REFIN - MOBILVETTA 22.56 76. MOREAU, Francis FRA COFIDIS 22.56 77. CAMIN, Claudio ITA BRESCIALAT - OYSTER 22.56 78. BESSY, Frédéric FRA CASINO 22.56 79. BAKER, Darren USA US POSTAL SERVICE 22.56 80. NELISSEN, Danny NED RABOBANK 22.56 81. HVASTIJA, Martin SLO CANTINA TOLLO 22.56 82. VIERHOUTEN, Aart NED RABOBANK 22.56 83. ROMINGER, Tony SUI COFIDIS 22.56 84. BALLERINI, Franco ITA MAPEI - GB 22.56 85. FURLAN, Giorgio ITA SAECO 22.56 86. FERRARI, Diego ITA ASICS - CGA 22.56 87. GARMENDIA, Aitor ESP ONCE 22.56 88. BRAMATI, Davide ITA MAPEI - GB 22.56 89. JONASSON, Danny DEN RABOBANK 22.56 90. CASAROTTO, Davide ITA SCRIGNO - GAERNE 22.56 91. RAMIREZ,Juan Diego COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 22.56 92. GARCIA, David ESP EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 22.56 93. BUGNO, Gianni ITA MAPEI - GB 22.56 94. LAISEKA, Roberto ESP EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 22.56 95. RUE, Gérard FRA GAN 22.56 96. VAN BON, Leon NED RABOBANK 22.56 97. WUST, Marcel GER LOTUS 22.56 98. LUPEIKIS, Remigius LTU US POSTAL SERVICE 22.56 99. STEPHENS, A. Neil AUS LOTUS 22.56 100. MORATILLA, Victor ESP ESTEPONA - TOSCAF 22.56 101. ZANETTI, Mauro ITA AKI - SAFI 22.56 102. GELFI, Luca ITA BRESCIALAT - OYSTER 22.56 103. LIETTI, Marco ITA REFIN - MOBILVETTA 22.56 104. CEMBALI, Stefano ITA CANTINA TOLLO 22.56 105. G. GALDEANO, Igor ESP EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 22.56 106. BOTERO, Santiago COL KELME - COSTA BLANCA 22.56 107. RADAELLI, Mauro ITA AKI - SAFI 22.56 108. OSORIO, Carlos COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 22.56 109. PALUAN, Andrea ITA CANTINA TOLLO 22.56 110. FRIZZO, Maurizio ITA CANTINA TOLLO 22.56 111. SCIREA, Mario ITA SAECO 22.56 112. TEUTENBERG, Sven GER US POSTAL SERVICE 22.56 113. SALVATO, Cristian ITA REFIN - MOBILVETTA 22.56 114. DURAND, Jacky FRA CASINO 22.56 115. AGGIANO, Elio ITA REFIN - MOBILVETTA 22.56 116. CANZONIERI, Angelo ITA SAECO 22.56 117. GONTCHAR, Serguei UKR AKI - SAFI 22.56 118. CASTELBLANCO, José COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 22.56 119. MAULEON, F. Javier ESP ONCE 22.56 120. RAMACCIOTTI,Nicola ITA CANTINA TOLLO 22.56 121. JONKER, Patrick NED RABOBANK 22.56 122. CALCATERRA, G. ITA SAECO 22.56 123. APOLLONIO, Massimo ITA SCRIGNO - GAERNE 22.56 124. DALLA COSTA, Oscar ITA AKI - SAFI 22.56 125. ZINTCHENKO, Andrei RUS ESTEPONA - TOSCAF 22.56 126. PIERI, Dario ITA SCRIGNO - GAERNE 24.18
1. ZÜLLE, Alex SUI ONCE 86.54.38 2. ESCARTIN, Fernando ESP KELME - COSTA BLANCA 2.46 3. DUFAUX, Laurent SUI LOTUS 3.33 4. ZAINA, Enrico ITA ASICS - CGA 5.05 5. HERAS, Roberto ESP KELME - COSTA BLANCA 5.29 6. CLAVERO, Daniel ESP ESTEPONA - TOSCAF 6.37 7. SERRANO, Marcos A. ESP KELME - COSTA BLANCA 7.04 8. JALABERT, Laurent FRA ONCE 9.12 9. FARESIN, Gianni ITA MAPEI - GB 10.56 10. LEDANOIS, Yvon FRA GAN 11.27 11. BORDENAVE,Philippe FRA CASINO 12.56 12. CHIAPPUCCI,Claudio ITA ASICS - CGA 13.02 13. GARCIA CASAS,Félix ESP LOTUS 14.12 14. URIA, José Manuel ESP ESTEPONA - TOSCAF 16.02 15. SERPELLINI, Marco ITA BRESCIALAT - OYSTER 17.30 16. CONTRERAS, Carlos COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 17.50 17. LANFRANCHI, Paolo ITA MAPEI - GB 25.41 18. MASSI, Rodolfo ITA CASINO 27.38 19. BROCHARD, Laurent FRA LOTUS 28.14 20. JIMENEZ,José María ESP BANESTO 28.25 21. DOMINGUEZ,J.Carlos ESP KELME - COSTA BLANCA 29.53 22. JEKER, Fabian SUI LOTUS 31.24 23. PIEPOLI, Leonardo ITA REFIN - MOBILVETTA 33.12 24. TEYSSIER, Franc. FRA GAN 33.26 25. AJURIA, Ibon ESP EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 34.26 26. MAURI, Melcior ESP ONCE 34.46 27. IVANOV, Serguei RUS TVM 35.20 28. AGUIRRE, Julio C. COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 36.16 29. GENTILI, M. ITA CANTINA TOLLO 39.42 30. AIARZAGUENA, Iñaki ESP EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 43.33 31. THIBOUT, Bruno FRA COFIDIS 45.26 32. CEREZO, Francisco ESP ESTEPONA - TOSCAF 45.41 33. HAMBURGER, Bo DEN TVM 49.16 34. RICHARD, Pascal SUI CASINO 49.50 35. ALONSO, Marino ESP BANESTO 51.25 36. PLAZA, David ESP COFIDIS 52.58 37. MUÑOZ, Fedérico COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 54.40 38. HERVE, Pascal FRA LOTUS 55.07 39. LEANIZBARRUTIA, A. ESP ONCE 56.24 40. CASTELBLANCO, José COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 56.25 41. ZARRABEITIA, Mikel ESP ONCE 56.28 42. G. GALDEANO, Igor ESP EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 57.12 43. ROMINGER, Tony SUI COFIDIS 58.15 44. INDURAIN,Prudencio ESP BANESTO 58.59 45. VASSEUR, Cédric FRA GAN 1.02.36 46. OSA, Aitor ESP BANESTO 1.03.59 47. GONZALEZ, Arsenio ESP KELME - COSTA BLANCA 1.07.13 48. PICCOLI, Mariano ITA BRESCIALAT - OYSTER 1.07.16 49. FONDRIEST,Maurizio ITA COFIDIS 1.09.03 50. LOPEZ URIARTE, O. ESP EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 1.12.21 51. HERNANDEZ, Jairo COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 1.15.16 52. NOE, Andrea ITA ASICS - CGA 1.18.26 53. COLAGE, Stefano ITA REFIN - MOBILVETTA 1.20.11 54. LAISEKA, Roberto ESP EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 1.21.21 55. STEPHENS, A. Neil AUS LOTUS 1.28.05 56. RICO, Efrain COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 1.31.45 57. BETTIN, Mauro ITA REFIN - MOBILVETTA 1.37.23 58. TRONCA, Amilcare ITA SCRIGNO - GAERNE 1.37.24 59. RODRIGUEZ, José ESP KELME - COSTA BLANCA 1.38.08 60. GONTCHAR, Serguei UKR AKI - SAFI 1.38.54 61. CUESTA, Iñigo ESP ONCE 1.39.31 62. GARCIA, David ESP EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 1.41.22 63. GARCIA ACOSTA, J. ESP BANESTO 1.44.38 64. EKIMOV, Vjatceslav RUS US POSTAL SERVICE 1.46.07 65. MOERENHOUT, Koos NED RABOBANK 1.49.10 66. MAULEON, F. Javier ESP ONCE 1.52.54 67. GORINI, Gianluca ITA AKI - SAFI 1.53.31 68. DIAZ ZABALA, H. ESP ONCE 1.54.33 69. SIMEONI, Filippo ITA ASICS - CGA 1.56.36 70. MICHAELSEN, Lars DEN TVM 1.56.50 71. BESSY, Frédéric FRA CASINO 1.58.00 72. JONKER, Patrick NED RABOBANK 1.58.52 73. BAKER, Darren USA US POSTAL SERVICE 2.01.08 74. RAMIREZ,Juan Diego COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 2.03.38 75. MORATILLA, Victor ESP ESTEPONA - TOSCAF 2.04.05 76. FURLAN, Giorgio ITA SAECO 2.11.35 77. MILESI, Marco ITA BRESCIALAT - OYSTER 2.13.44 78. DI BASCO, Alessio ITA SAECO 2.13.52 79. SALVATO, Cristian ITA REFIN - MOBILVETTA 2.14.07 80. VAN BON, Leon NED RABOBANK 2.14.41 81. OSORIO, Carlos COL FLAVIA - TELECOM 2.15.40 82. VICARIO, Juan C. ESP ESTEPONA - TOSCAF 2.17.25 83. VAN HEESWIJK, Max NED RABOBANK 2.19.07 84. GUIDI, Fabrizio ITA SCRIGNO - GAERNE 2.22.17 85. TEBALDI, Valerio ITA LOTUS 2.27.26 86. GELFI, Luca ITA BRESCIALAT - OYSTER 2.28.10 87. OUSLAMINE, Sergei RUS REFIN - MOBILVETTA 2.28.32 88. RUE, Gérard FRA GAN 2.30.02 89. VIERHOUTEN, Aart NED RABOBANK 2.35.50 90. CANZONIERI, Angelo ITA SAECO 2.35.54 91. CAMIN, Claudio ITA BRESCIALAT - OYSTER 2.36.53 92. LIETTI, Marco ITA REFIN - MOBILVETTA 2.37.55 93. BUGNO, Gianni ITA MAPEI - GB 2.41.14 94. MOREAU, Francis FRA COFIDIS 2.41.26 95. NELISSEN, Danny NED RABOBANK 2.42.33 96. VOSKAMP, Bart NED TVM 2.43.24 97. BALLERINI, Franco ITA MAPEI - GB 2.44.16 98. SCHIAVINA, Samuele ITA ASICS - CGA 2.45.54 99. BOTERO, Santiago COL KELME - COSTA BLANCA 2.46.06 100. RADAELLI, Mauro ITA AKI - SAFI 2.47.21 101. PALUAN, Andrea ITA CANTINA TOLLO 2.48.10 102. ZANETTI, Mauro ITA AKI - SAFI 2.49.54 103. FERRARI, Diego ITA ASICS - CGA 2.50.46 104. BRAMATI, Davide ITA MAPEI - GB 2.51.43 105. APOLLONIO, Massimo ITA SCRIGNO - GAERNE 2.51.57 106. CASAROTTO, Davide ITA SCRIGNO - GAERNE 2.52.20 107. WERNER, Jürgen GER REFIN - MOBILVETTA 2.52.38 108. WUST, Marcel GER LOTUS 2.52.53 109. ROSCIOLI, Fabio ITA ASICS - CGA 2.55.04 110. TEUTENBERG, Sven GER US POSTAL SERVICE 2.56.30 111. HVASTIJA, Martin SLO CANTINA TOLLO 2.58.06 112. JONASSON, Danny DEN RABOBANK 3.00.26 113. SCIREA, Mario ITA SAECO 3.01.25 114. DALLA COSTA, Oscar ITA AKI - SAFI 3.04.01 115. RAMACCIOTTI,Nicola ITA CANTINA TOLLO 3.06.00 116. CALCATERRA, G. ITA SAECO 3.06.28 117. CONTE, Biagio ITA SCRIGNO - GAERNE 3.08.34 118. ZINTCHENKO, Andrei RUS ESTEPONA - TOSCAF 3.11.11 119. DURAND, Jacky FRA CASINO 3.11.38 120. SVORADA, Jan CZE MAPEI - GB 3.13.58 121. PIERI, Dario ITA SCRIGNO - GAERNE 3.20.24 122. GARMENDIA, Aitor ESP ONCE 3.21.35 123. FRIZZO, Maurizio ITA CANTINA TOLLO 3.24.29 124. AGGIANO, Elio ITA REFIN - MOBILVETTA 3.25.01 125. LUPEIKIS, Remigius LTU US POSTAL SERVICE 3.32.24 126. CEMBALI, Stefano ITA CANTINA TOLLO 3.50.48