NICE, France - Alberto Contador of Spain won the Paris-Nice race for the second time Sunday after successfully defending his narrow lead from Alejandro Valverde in the seventh and final stage.
Amael Moinard of France won the 119-kilometre stage around Nice in a sprint finish, finishing less a wheel's length ahead of Frenchman Thomas Voeckler after overtaking him at the line.
Contador was close behind in a small chasing group, which included Valverde, and raised his hands in the air as he crossed the line. Valverde was second overall, 11 seconds behind Contador.
"It's very hard to win Paris-Nice, even more so when you are the most watched rider in the race. I absolutely wanted to win. I feel liberated because today's stage was very tense and very nervy," Contador said. "I had to respond to all the attacks, and it was very unpredictable. With the (small) lead I had it would have been a shame to lose Paris-Nice because of sprint bonuses, so I had to be very attentive."
Luis Leon Sanchez just beat Roman Kreuziger of the Czech Republic by one second overall to take third and make it an all-Spanish podium.
Sanchez was 25 seconds behind Contador's overall time of 28 hours 35 minutes 35 seconds. Moinard also took the red-and-white polka dot jersey awarded to the best climber.
The 27-year-old Contador, who won the race in 2007, was only 14 seconds ahead of Valverde heading into the final stage, which featured three Category 1 climbs.
Contador took a small one-second bonus in a sprint section, but Valverde pegged back another four seconds with a sprint bonus of his own when he finished the stage in third place, three seconds behind the two Frenchmen. Contador was 10th.
Contador's Astana team controlled the first Category 1 climb up Col de la Porte, setting a fast pace. Although Voeckler and Moinard broke away, neither was a threat to the overall victory and the pack let them go.
Approaching the second climb up La Turbie, near the training ground of Monaco football club, Contador stayed safely in the chasing pack as it again chose not to attack the front pair.
But on the third big climb up Col d'Eze, Contador suddenly attacked about 1.6 kilometres from the top and Valverde initially had trouble following him until Sanchez caught up to help catch the Spaniard.
Moinard and Voeckler went over the top together, with Contador and Valverde about 25 seconds behind them, but Contador took a one-second sprint bonus to leave Valverde needing to make up 15 seconds in the final 10 kilometres.
Sanchez and Valverde took turns at the front as they tried to isolate Contador, but they ran out of time as the finish line neared in sunny Nice.
French rider Christophe Le Mevel fell near the end after clipping Sanchez's wheel and tumbling over his handlebars. He got up clutching his wrist but managed to finish the race.
In the last 300 metres, Voeckler took the risk of attacking early, knowing that he is a better sprinter than Moinard. But Moinard hung on to Voeckler's wheel and in the last 20 metres he pushed ahead, winning the stage in 2:52.09.
Contador won his second Tour de France last year while on the same team as seven-time winner Lance Armstrong, one of his main rivals at this year's July 3-25 race. The two parted ways and Armstrong now leads the RadioShack team.
"Although the team was a little short (of form) here, I hope they will raise their level between now and the Tour de France and that they will help me to win it again," Contador said. "This summer there will be seven or eight riders who, with their respective talents, will be challengers for the overall victory."