Spaniard Joaquim Rodriguez claimed the 15th stage of Spain’s Vuelta to move within one second of overall leader Fabio Aru on Sunday. Rodriguez, 36, was strongest on the 12.7km category-one climb to the finish of the 175.8km ride from Comillas to Sostres to win over Poland’s Rafal Majka and fellow-Spaniard Daniel Moreno.
Aru, who is bidding to go one better than his runners-up spot in this year’s Giro d’Italia, was fifth on the day, 15 seconds behind, to hold onto his lead by the slenderest of margins.
Majka’s second place was also enough to move him up to third overall, 1 minute, 24 seconds behind.
Photo: EPA
It was a tough day for Dutchman Tom Dumoulin, though, as he was dropped on the final climb and falls to fourth overall, one second behind Majka.
“It is a big confidence boost because we have been looking for the stage win and to be involved in the general classification as well is great,” Rodriguez told Television Espanola.
A nine-man breakaway had led the stage for most of the day, but the peloton never allowed them a lead of more than four minutes to ensure there would be no repeat of Saturday’s breakaway victory for Alessandro De Marchi.
Nairo Quintana was the first of the general classification favorites to attempt an attack, but last year’s Giro d’Italia champion was kept in check by Aru’s Astana team.
Rodriguez made his break for the line with 1km to go and neither Quintana or Aru could respond to allow the Katusha rider to add a first Vuelta stage victory for two years to his two wins at the Tour de France in July.
Quintana remains three minutes back in ninth overall, 35 seconds behind his Movistar teammate Alejandro Valverde.
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