- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Despite previously appearing impervious to encountering trouble, Stage 16 of La Vuelta a Espana bore witness to some cracks opening up in Vincenzo Nibali’s armour.
During the finale to the stage upon the Category 1 Aramón Formigal the Italian rider, of Team Astana, was unable to react to the attacks of his rivals.
Unaware to the drama unfolding behind with the General Classification was 21 year old Frenchman Warren Barguil of Argos-Shimano.
Barguil won his second stage of the 2013 Vuelta a Espana by the narrowest of margins from the breakaway in a sprint ahead of Rigoberto Uran of Team Sky.
The breakaway had troubles forming earlier during the stage, with seemingly every team keen on having at least one rider within it.
It was not until after the first intermediate sprint point of the day at Boltaña, 53km in to Stage 16’s 146.8km parcours, that the breakaway of the day finally formed.
Whilst the time gap from the peloton to the lead breakaway would never grow beyond the three minute mark it would be enough to see the break claim yet another stage victory.
A second breakaway formed in between the peloton and the first breakaway in an attempt to bridge the gap, with the majority of those riders involved successful.
During the ascent of the Aramón Formigal the lead breakaway would shatter in to several smaller groups.
With riders attacking from the bunch due a lack of cooperation, Barguil would be involved in several of these attacks before successfully breaking free from his breakaway companions in a daring solo attack with under 9km remaining.
The French rider would create a gap of upwards of 45 seconds at one stage; before Rigoberto Uran, Dominik Nerz, and Bartosz Huzarski caught Barguil within the final kilometre.
Uran and Barguil would prove the strongest within the final few hundred metres, as they easily outsprinted Nerz and Huzarksi.
Further down the ascent of the Aramón Formigal the expected attacks of General Classification riders were happening. whilst current race leader, and Maillot Rojo (Red Jersey) wearer, Vincenzo Nibali was able to respond to an initial attack by Alejandro Valverde.
He was eventually undone by an acceleration by Joaquim Rodriguez, as his rivals counter-attacked sensing an opportunity.
Rodriguez would cross the finishing line ahead of the other General Classification contenders, 1’41” behind stage winner Barguil with Alejandro Valverde crossing a mere three seconds later, followed another three seconds by Thibaut Pinot and Chris Horner.
Vincenzo Nibali would eventually cross the finishing line 22 seconds behind the veteran American Radioshack-Leopard rider.
Due to Valverde acquiring three bonus seconds for winning the first intermediate sprint point, the Spaniard closed the gap to Horner by six seconds and to Nibali by 28 seconds overall.
Horner has now shrunk the gap to Nibali in the General Classification to just 28 seconds, with several challenging stages still to come.
Third-placed Valverde lies 46 seconds further back, with a current deficit of 1’14” to overhaul in his quest for the overall race victory.
Fancy a wager on your favourite sport? Head on over to PlayUp for great odds and friendly customer service and pick a winner. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.