After a stunning ride from red jersey leader Nairo Quintana yesterday, it’s up to Froome and the peleton to reign in the Colombian on today’s Stage 16 of the Vuelta a Espana. Join The Roar from 11pm (AEST) for all the live race updates and highlights.
Although it was Gianluca Brambilla that took the stage win yesterday, it was all about Quintana who held onto a breakaway that continued to fall apart towards the finish, coming home in second.
More importantly, he finished a whole 2 minutes and 43 seconds ahead of Chris Froome, extending his lead way out to a very commanding 3 minutes 37 seconds.
Froome was expected to make his move and pick up big ground during the individual time trial (Stage 19), the Brit may be forced to into more work than he’d anticipated and will have to make up lost time in the days leading up to it.
Today’s stage is a real day of two halves, split almost exactly between one long climb and one long descent.
A touch over 156km in the saddle today, leaving the Pyrenees (to the delight of a whole peloton of legs) and heading down and across to the East Mediterranean coast of Spain, with a beautiful flat finish through Peniscola.
The first 70km of the day is just one long gradual climb, barely reaching any great amount of steepness before hitting a short, but powerful, category 3 climb around the halfway point of the day.
At only 3.4km in length, the Alto Castillo de Morella is the only real test of the day.
Over the peak of that and that slow gradual rise continues for just 10 more kilometres before one of the easiest back ends of a stage on the calendar.
It’s 50km of downhill cruising for the riders, with plenty of speed on offer. If there’s an opening breakaway in the first half of the day, this is where they’ll be reigned in.
The trek flattens out as they hit the coast line with 17.4km to go. This is where the big sprinters will put their mark on what is traditionally a tough tour for them.
This one should be an exciting bunch sprint at the finish, with plenty of flat straight road leading into the line.
Join The Roar from 11pm (AEST) for all the live race updates and highlights.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Not a lot of movement in the GC standings at all, with all the top riders just plodding home among the leading pack. Quintana remains convincingly in red and on track to win his first Vuelta. It'll be a big task for Froome to catch him from here.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Stage 16 top ten:
Connor Bennett
Editor
The rest of the pack come through comfortably just behind them. JEAN-PIERRE DRUCKER WINS STAGE 16 Bennati looked like he might have stolen the win late there, jumping with a few kilometres to go and really launching out ahead. With a slow response from the pack he could have taken it home. The speed of Ettix, IAM and BMC kept the bunch sprint alive though, pulling Bennati back in with about 400 metres to go.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Final kilometre!! Bennati has the lead but it's slowly decreasing. Someone will have to jump and chase instead of the bunch sprint. He might have this... no he's given up as the chase flies past with a few hundred metres to go. BMC and Ettix positioning for the launch. Meersman launches first for Ettix... but Drucker is one wheel back and really holding onto the back of him. Drucker moves around and sets off!! Meersman tries to follow but Drucker has positioned himself perfectly for this, and he will not be caught in the final hundred metres.
Connor Bennett
Editor
2km to go There we go... we have a break!! A rider from Tinkoff it looks to be. Bennati it is and he's timed that very well, just before the roundabout, giving himself plenty of room to fly through unhindered by the pack. Big gap already and he could take this.
Connor Bennett
Editor
3km to go No one jumping off the front for a late break. There's still a bit of time, but if there was going to be a second breakaway for the win, it would have come by now you have to feel.
Connor Bennett
Editor
4km to go Another roundabout... and this time it's BMC who get four riders out in front as a result. The leading team seems to change at every corner and roundabout. This is some very tight racing!!
Connor Bennett
Editor
5km to go Another roundabout to navigate, at some pretty strong speed I might add. Everyone slides through, splitting the pack either side, but it all comes back together and Giant-Alpecin skip ahead into the lead.
Connor Bennett
Editor
6km to go The peleton has really thinned out now as the lesser riders drop off the back, making room for their man men to launch for the finish. It's nearly halved just in the last few kilometres.
Connor Bennett
Editor
8km to go Down a long the beaches now, making all the viewers at home envious of the Spanish coast line. Lotto-Soudal making their way up the right edge of the peleton and to the front. Plenty of riders are dropping off the back of the pack now, having finished their roles for the day.
Connor Bennett
Editor
10km to go SKY making moves up the front now with a pair of riders leading the peleton. Some tight turns through the middle of town. Tinkoff are visible as ever in their bright yellow up towards the pointy end.
Connor Bennett
Editor
11km to go A menacing image for the breakaway before being reeled in. All teams are really fighting across the whole road to get into position for this finish. Should be an exciting bunch sprint finale.
Connor Bennett
Editor
13km to go Down to 10 seconds now... 8, 7, 6. The gap is three seconds and that's it. The breakaway are done for the day.
Connor Bennett
Editor
15km to go The lead is down to just three now, but they're only 13 seconds ahead. Dillier, Bystrom and Mardones are trying to work something out, but the menacing peleton is right on their back wheels, covering the whole road and closing in.
Connor Bennett
Editor
17km to go Silvan Dillier takes off from the front of the breakaway!! He has followers, and eventually it's just Costa who loses out and doesn't keep up. Tinkoff are four wheels deep at the front of the peleton, guiding the pack through some of the tight turns at the outskirts of town.
Connor Bennett
Editor
19km to go Now it's Movistar coming towards the head. This is a real scramble at the moment as the peleton go through one of the big sweeping roundabouts and further towards Peñiscola. The breakaway are still holding on desperately here, but just 19 seconds is the gap
Connor Bennett
Editor
22km to go Now Astana making their presence be known up top. This is a real wrestle from all the teams to find room up the front. There's some tight roundabouts heading into town in a few kilometres time and no one wants to be caught in a crash
Connor Bennett
Editor
25km to go A strong wind hitting the riders at the moment. The peleton is beginning to bunch up a bit to protect themselves. Tinkoff are cruising up the side and towards the front. SKY are finally nudging their way forward, but IAM still hold control. The breakaway is 36 seconds up the road and very much in sight of the chasing pack.
Connor Bennett
Editor
29km to go The gap inside 60 seconds now!! The breakaway is very quickly running out of time and space. Ettix and IAM continue to lead the way out front of the chasing peleton
Connor Bennett
Editor
32km to go The whole peleton stretched right out in single file as they head across the open plains. The pace has been consistently strong since the mid-stage peak over the climb, unsurprisingly. Everyone beginning to set up and jostle into position as we close into the finish.