2016 Vuelta a España Stage 11: Froome strikes back

Wednesday saw another round of the great Chris Froome vs Nairo Quintana battle in the 71st Vuelta a España, with Froome pipping Quintana on the summit finish of Peña Cabarga. Quintana keeps the red jersey, with Froome pulling four-seconds closer on GC.

Froome wins stage 11. Quintana 2nd and Valverde 3rd. #LV2016 pic.twitter.com/3wg11srtLj

— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) August 31, 2016

The stage after the first rest day kept up the relentless pressure. After a flat 162-km of the Cantabrian coast, the day ended on the dreaded Peña Cabarga, a short but brutal climb where Froome took his first pro win in 2011.

#LV2016 stage 11 profile. There's no easing back into things with a finish like this one! pic.twitter.com/Uo9cHhbywA

— EF Pro Cycling (@EFprocycling) August 31, 2016

It took 50-km for the day’s break to scuttle away, and it was another platoon-sized outing. Twenty-three riders, including several serial fugitives like Axel Domont (France/FDJ) lit out for glory. They took a maximum of five minutes over the peloton before Tinkoff started to whittle away at it.

With 38-km remaining and the field closing in, escapee Tiago Machado (Portugal/Katusha) decided to have a go. Although he was pegged back, he spurred other moves. By this time the race had been in a full tilt boogie at 46-km/h for three hours.

The Peña Cabarga is 5.6-km in length and 9.8%! Hold on there’s more: that includes a flat kilometre in the middle. The toughest parts are the beginning and end, where slopes of 18% bite into the legs.

8km to go. The hard climb Peña Cabarga is coming up in 2km #LV2016 pic.twitter.com/v2BWhB0o2A

— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) August 31, 2016

Orica-BikeExchange led the peloton onto the Carbaga where Movistar took over. The remnants of the break weren’t immediately sopped up as no attacks came from the favourites. Finally, the race was back together with 3-km to go. Who would attack?

It was Chaves who made the first thrust. His lead was 18-seconds at the red kite. Valverde led the other Big Dogs. Quintana attacked and Froome was able to go with him. They caught Chaves with 600-metres to go. Froome then went for it and the Great Rivals were alone out in front exchanges blows.

Froome surged with 150-metres to go and the others closing in, punching the air as he crossed the finish line. Quintana’s second spot gave him the King of the Mountains lead. Valverde came in third but Froome bumped him from second spot on GC.

Gran final de ?? @chrisfroome y victoria para él. Así remató la carrera ante ?? @NairoQuinCo #LV2016 pic.twitter.com/j4Xfta4l6G

— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 31, 2016

Simon Yates (Great Britain/Orica-BikeExchange) and ever-fresh Michele Scarponi (Italy/Astana) both moved up one spot in the top-10, to 7th and 8th respectively.

More Basque mountains are on tap for Stage 12 on Thursday, with a double climb of the Cat. 2 Alto El Vivero, the last peaking 13-km from the finish line in Bilbao.

2016 Vuelta a España Stage 11
1) Chris Froome (Great Britain/Sky) 3:44:47
2) Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) s.t.
3) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +0:06
130) Ryan Anderson (Canada/Direct Energie) +10:20
158) Svein Tuft (Canada/Orica-BikeExchange) +14:18

2016 Vuelta a España GC
1) Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) 42:21:48
2) Chris Froome (Great Britain/Sky) +0:54
3) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +1:05
139) Ryan Anderson (Canada/Direct Energie) +1:52:54
171) Svein Tuft (Canada/Orica-BikeExchange) +2:22:46