Vuelta 2016 Stage 11: Froome bests red jersey Quintana

The 11th stage in the 2016 Vuelta is played out on flat roads, yet the finale is not. At the super-steep Peña Cabarga the race boils down to the two best riders this Vuelta. Chris Froome outperforms Nairo Quintana, yet the Colombian retains in the red jersey. The Briton now sits in second overall. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 11th stage Vuelta

1. Chris Froome (gbr)
2. Nairo Quintana (col) s.t.
3. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 0.06
4. Leopold König (cze) s.t.
5. Alberto Contador (spa) s.t.
6. Simon Yates (gbr) + 0.13
7. Michele Scarponi(ita) + 0.14
8. Esteban Chaves (col) + 0.19
9. Pierre Latour (fra) + 0.22
10. Samuel Sánchez (spa) + 0.30

GC after 11th stage
1. Nairo Quintana (col)
2. Chris Froome (gbr) + 0.54
3. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 1.05
4. Esteban Chaves (col) + 2.34
5. Alberto Contador (spa) + 3.08
6. Leopold König (cze) + 3.09
7. Simon Yates (gbr) + 3.25
8. Michele Scarponi (ita) + 3.34
9. David de la Cruz (spa) + 3.45
10. Samuel Sánchez (spa) + 3.56

11. Andrew Talansky (usa) + 5.03
12. Daniel Moreno (spa) + 5.38
13. Davide Formolo (ita) + 5.44
14. Sergio Pardilla (spa) + 5.55
15. Peter Kennaugh (gbr) + 6.32

Race report
Once the flag is dropped, a string of riders try to break away. In the first hour to no avail, but then, at km 50, 23 riders manage to force a gap. It proves to be the lucky break and Ben Hermans, Martijn Keizer, Davide Malacarne, Koen de Kort, Johannes Frölingher, Kiel Reijnen, Jan Bakelants, Axel Domont, Tiago Machado, Jhonatan Restrepo, Sander Armée, Pieter Serry, Zdenek Stybar, Pierre Rolland, Jacques Janse van Rensburg, Merhawi Kudus, Larry Warbasse, Kristijan Durasek, Iliya Koshevoy, Cesare Benedetti, Christoph Pfingsten, David Arrroyo and Angel Madrazo race to a maximum lead at more than 5 minutes.

When hitting the closing climb the leaders are almost caught. Hermans is the last survivor – the Belgian is reeled in with 3 kms remaining.

Esteban Chaves goes on the attack with 1.8 kms to go. His punch is strong, yet he is chased down by the two major contenders this Vuelta, Quintana and Froome, who break away in the last km. The Briton outperforms the Colombian, thus taking his second victory at Peña Cabarga. Back in 2011 he celebrated his first win as a pro on the same mountain.