Vuelta 2016 Stage 17: Frank wins at Alto Más de la Costa, Quintana still in red

The 17th stage of the Vuelta is a hilly ride with a punchy finish at Alto Mas de la Costa, a 3.8 kilometres climb with slopes up to 21%. Mathias Frank solos to victory, while Nairo Quintana retains in the overall lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 17th stage Vuelta

1. Mathias Frank (swi)
2. Leopold König (cze) + 0.06
3. Robert Gesink (nld) + 0.11
4. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 0.14
5. Dario Cataldo (ita) + 0.16
6. José Herrada (spa) + 0.29
7. Axel Domont (fra) + 0.48
8. Bart De Clercq (bel) + 0.57
9. Kristijan Durasek (cro) + 1.02
10. Haimar Zubeldia (spa) + 1.04

24. Alberto Contador (spa) + 3.27
25. Chris Froome (gbr) s.t.
26. Nairo Quintana (col) s.t.
27. Esteban Chaves (col) s.t.
29. Ben Hermans (bel) + 4.15
30. Michele Scarponi (ita) + 4.16
31. Andrew Talansky (usa) + 4.18
34. Simon Yates (gbr) + 4.23
36. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 4.27
38. George Bennett (nzl) + 4.44

GC after 17th stage
1. Nairo Quintana (col)
2. Chris Froome (gbr) + 3.37
3. Esteban Chaves (col) + 3.57
4. Alberto Contador (spa) + 4.02
5. Simon Yates (gbr) + 6.03
6. Andrew Talansky (usa) + 7.34
7. Samuel Sánchez (spa) + 8.12
8. Davide Formolo (ita) + 8.13
9. Michele Scarponi (ita) + 8.28
10. David de la Cruz (spa) + 8.52

11. Daniel Moreno (spa) + 9.03
12. George Bennett (nzl) + 11.02
13. Sergio Pardilla (spa) + 11.13
14. Jean Christophe Peraud (fra) + 11.44
15. Ben Hermans (bel) + 12.32
16. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 13.48

Race report
Attempts galore, yet it’s only 36 kms into the race that 28 riders manage to force a sustaining gap. Among them Robert Gesink, José Herrada, Leopold Konig, Dario Cataldo and Mathias Frank. They race to a maximum lead of 7 minutes.

With 29 kms left, when the gap is almost 6 minutes, Cataldo and Frank jump clear. They tackle the closing climb with half a minute gain. While Frank goes solo with 3 kms left, Robert Gesink opens the chase 2 kms from the summit. Konig and Herrada re-join the Dutchman and they catch up with Cataldo.

Gesink heds for the front of the race without getting there. Instead he’s caught and left behind by Konig, yet the Czech can’t bridge over to Frank, who is simply too strong and climbs to the first Grand Tour victory in his career.

Contador attacks in the group with GC-men and for a moment Froome seems to falter, but he re-joins the other three top-4 guys to finish all in the same time.