Froome takes decisive lead

Alto de l’Angliru, Spain : Chris Froome virtually secured overall victory in the Vuelta a Espana yesterday by extending his lead over Vincenzo Nibali as Alberto Contador won the 20th queen stage in his final race before retirement.

Barring disaster in today’s parade around the centre of Madrid, Froome, who now holds a lead of 2min 15secs over Nibali, will become just the third rider in history to win the Tour de France and Vuelta in the same year.

Home favourite Contador sealed a dream send-off by claiming the first stage win of the race by a Spaniard in a time of 3hr 31min 33sec for the 117.5km from Corvera de Asturias to Alto de l’Angliru.

A three-time former winner, Contador, 34, claimed his sixth career Vuelta stage victory as he distanced the race leaders at the start of the brutal climb up Angliru.

However, he just missed out on climbing onto the podium as he moved up to fourth overall. Russia’s Ilnur Zakarin leapfrogged Dutch rider Wilco Kelderman into third. Froome was again well protected by his Sky team in the chasing group behind, before attacking himself two kilometres from the finish line to take third on the stage behind teammate Wout Poels.

Nibali’s hopes of launching a challenge for the leader’s red jersey were undermined by a minor crash on a sharp descent before the climb to Angliru began.

Vuelta a Espana 20th stage results

A 117.5km ride from Corvera to Alto de l’Angliru:

1. Alberto Contador (ESP/TRE) 3hr 31min 33sec

2. Wout Poels (NED/SKY) at 17sec

3. Chris Froome (GBR/SKY) 0:17

4. Ilnur Zakarin (RUS/KAT) 0:35

5. Franco Pellizotti (ITA/BAH) 0:51

6. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/BAH) 0:51

7. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/LNL) 0:51

8. Wilco Kelderman (NED/SUN) 1:11

9. Romain Bardet (FRA/ALM) 1:25

10. Michael Woods (CAN/CAN) 1:36

11. Richard Carapaz (ECU/MOV) 1:46

12. Mikel Nieve (ESP/SKY) 2:15,

Overall standings:

1. Chris Froome (GBR/Sky) 79hr23min 37sec

2. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/BAH) at 2:15

3. Ilnur Zakarin (RUS/KAT) 2:51

4. Alberto Contador (ESP/TRE) 3:11

5. Wilco Kelderman (NED/SUN) 3:15

6. Wout Poels (NED/SKY) 6:45

7. Michael Woods (CAN/CAN) 8:16

8. Miguel Angel Lopez (COL/AST) 8:59