CORDOBA, Spain () -- Italian Nicola Minali won his second consecutive stage and third in eight days, while countryman Fabio Baldato kept the yellow jersey of the overall leader for the fourth straight day in the Tour of Spain.


Minali captured Sunday's ninth stage, a 204-kilometer (126-mile) leg through the hot plains of southern Spain from Jerez de la Frontera to Cordoba, in 5 hours, 4 minutes, 52 seconds.


Despite the stage victory, Minali, a top sprinter, remained 25 minutes behind Baldato.