MADRID (AFP) - Spaniard Juan Jose Lobato won a tight sprint to clinch stage two of the Ruta del Sol in southern Spain, while Alberto Contador retained his overall lead on Thursday.

Lobato suffered a minor head injury when crashing during Wednesday's first stage, but timed his run to the finish perfectly to take the 191.7km stage from Utrera to Lucena ahead of German sprint specialist John Degenkolb and Slovenian Grega Bole in a time of 4hr 51min 59sec.

Contador, a two-time Tour de France champion, had made a surprising burst for the line himself in the final kilometres, but finished among the peloton to maintain his overall lead.

Movistar rider Benat Intxausti moves up to second just a second behind his compatriot after Luxembourg's Bob Jungels lost ground on the leaders.

Britain's Chris Froome remains eight seconds off the lead in third overall after finishing back in 12th on the day.

Friday's third stage sees the riders tackle a mountain finish for the first time in the five-day race with a 157.6km ride from Motril to Alto de Hazallanas.