Danny van Poppel Wins Stage 12

Danny van Poppel sprinted to victory on stage 12 of the Vuelta a Espana as Fabio Aru retained the overall lead.

Van Poppel (Trek Factory Racing) beat Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEdge) into second place and Tosh Van Der Sande (Lotto Soudal) into third in Lleida, but only after a frantic chase of the day's breakaway.

The five escapees still led by 40 seconds with 5km remaining and it wasn't until about 350m to go that the last of them was finally caught by desperate sprint teams within the peloton.

Van Poppel's win was the biggest of his career and came despite being forced to chase back on to the main bunch following a puncture with about 12km left.

Aru (Astana) and all the other contenders for overall victory finished in the peloton, which means the Italian remains 27 seconds ahead of second-placed Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) and 30 seconds in front of third-placed Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin).

Van Poppel said: "This was my first chance in this Vuelta. I missed the opportunities in the first week because I was not feeling good and struggled with the heat, and I was a little bit angry that I missed those chances. I knew that today was another chance, and I needed to take responsibility."

The Vuelta continues on Friday with a 178km 13th stage from Catalayud to Tarazona. Follow the action with our live blog from 3.30pm BST.

Stage 12 result

1 Danny van Poppel (Lux) Trek Factory Racing, 4:02:11

2 Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge, same time

3 Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal, st

4 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step, st

5 John Degenkolb (Ger) Giant-Alpecin, st

6 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing, st

7 Tom van Asbroeck (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo, st

8 Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN-Qhubeka, st

9 Jose Joaquin Rojas (Esp) Movistar, st

10 Leonardo Duque (Col) Colombia, st

General classification

1 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana, 47:14:30

2 Joaquim Rodriguez (Esp) Katusha, +27

3 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Giant-Alpecin, +30

4 Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo, +1:28

5 Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-GreenEdge, +1:29

6 Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar, +1:52

7 Daniel Moreno (Esp) Katusha, +1:54

8 Mikel Nieve (Esp) Team Sky, +1:58

9 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar, +3:07

10 Louis Meintjes (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka, +4:15

Related articles

• 2015 Vuelta a Espana Results - Stage 12
• Cycling-Dutchman Van Poppel recovers from puncture to win stage
• Orica's Chaves back on top at Vuelta after stage-six win
• Esteban Chaves back on top at Vuelta after second stage win
• Team Sky's Chris Froome stays seventh at Vuelta a Espana

Froome in Vuelta Trouble

Chris Froome’s hopes of winning the Vuelta a Espana are all but over after he sustained heavy losses on a brutally mountainous 11th stage won by breakaway rider Mikel Landa.

Froome (Team Sky) crashed early in the stage and was then dropped on the fourth of the day's six climbs, eventually crossing the line 7min 19sec behind Fabio Aru (Astana), who took the race lead by finishing second.

It leaves Froome 7min 30sec adrift of the red jersey and means he will almost certainly be unsuccessful in his bid to become only the third rider in history to complete the Tour de France-Vuelta a Espana double.

The 30-year-old Briton was limping heavily when he dismounted his bike at the end of the stage and was later taken to hospital for X-rays.

Aru, meanwhile, attacked twice on the final climb to Cortals d'Encamp to finish 1min 22sec down on team-mate Landa and, crucially, 1min 37sec ahead of previous race leader Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin). 

The result was enough to elevate him into the race leader's red jersey and open up gaps of 27 seconds over second-placed Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) and 30 seconds over Dumoulin, who is now third.

Froome was not the only big-name rider to suffer on one of the hardest grand tour stages ever devised, as Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Nairo Quintana (Movistar) lost 1min 42sec and 2min 57sec to Aru respectively.

Valverde is now 1min 52sec off the lead in sixth, while Quintana's chances of overall victory look remote after he fell to 3min 7sec down in ninth. Froome was relegated to 15th.

After the stage, Geraint Thomas (Team Sky), who stayed with Froome, toldEurosport: "He obviously had a heavy crash and he said his foot was quite bad. He said his legs were OK, but on that especial-category climb, the fourth climb, he started to suffer and when Astana really lit it up, he got dropped.

Froome was taken for X-rays after the stage

"I was about to get dropped myself anyway, so I sat up and waited for him. He seemed to come around on the last climb but we just had to keep going. He always keeps fighting and that's what we did. Not the ideal day.

"Froomey keeps fighting and he is still in the race, so he can go for stages or whatever. Obviously it's disappointing to be out of the GC now. Not a good day for Froomey."

Landa formed part of the day's 19-man breakaway but attacked at the foot of the final climb and never looked in danger of being denied a Vuelta win to go with the two stage victories he took at May's Giro d'Italia.

Back down the road, and with Froome out of the picture, all of the remaining race favourites started up the final climb together, but then Aru attacked with about 8.5km to go and only Rodriguez and Daniel Moreno (Katusha) could follow.

Aru dropped the pair with a second attack 2km later and continued to set a fierce pace as he looked to overhaul his 1min 13sec deficit to Dumoulin at the start of the day.

Dumoulin was initially dropped by a chase group containing all of the other race favourites, but he later caught back up to them and then even distanced both Valverde and Quintana as his remarkable climbing form at the Vuelta continued.

The race continues on Thursday with a 173km 12th stage from Escaldes-Engordany to Lleida, which should end in a sprint.

Stage 11 result

1 Mikel Landa (Esp) Astana, 4:34:54

2 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana, +1:22

3 Ian Boswell (USA) Team Sky, +1:40

4 Daniel Moreno (Esp) Katusha, +1:57

5 Joaquim Rodriguez (Esp) Katusha, +1:59

6 Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo, +2:10

7 Mikel Nieve (Esp) Team Sky, +2:10

8 Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-GreenEdge, +2:59

9 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Giant-Alpecin, +2:59

10 Diego Rosa (Ita) Astana, +3:02

General classification

1 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana, 43:12:19

2 Joaquim Rodriguez (Esp) Katusha, +27

3 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Giant-Alpecin, +30

4 Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo, +1:28

5 Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-GreenEdge, +1:29

6 Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar, +1:52

7 Daniel Moreno (Esp) Katusha, +1:54

8 Mikel Nieve (Esp) Team Sky, +1:58

9 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar, +3:07

10 Louis Meintjes (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka, +4:15

Related articles

• Team Sky duo finish in top 10 of second stage of Vuelta a Espana
• Froome to lead Team Sky in Vuelta
• Cycling-Road-Vuelta a Espana classification after stage 9
• BMC team wins Vuelta opening stage
• Chris Froome: Bring on the Vuelta a Espana
• Chris Froome seeks to become first ever British winner of the Vuelta a Espana

Nibali Disqualified from Vuelta

Vincenzo Nibali, the 2014 winner of the Tour de France, has been disqualified from the Vuelta a España after he got a tow from his Astana team car following a crash in Sunday’s second stage into Caminito del Rey.

Television footage clearly showed Nibali, who won the Vuelta in 2010, hanging on to the car as he tried to catch up with the leaders in the final 30km and organisers had no choice but to expel him.

“Basing their decision on television images clearly showing an infringement of the rules, the Vuelta race commissaires decided to take him out of the race,” organisers said in a statement.

“The film shows clearly that Nibali was clinging to the car for 200 metres,” added Bruno Valcic, the president of the race commissaires.

Astana’s director, Alexandre Shefer, who was driving the car, is also out of the race, he said. “It was a tough decision for the commissaires’ panel but after looking at the images it was clear that we had no opportunity to give any other penalty to the rider.”

The stage went better for Colombia’s Orica-GreenEdge as their rider Esteban Chaves snatched the early lead when he surged clear at the finish. Chaves pipped the Dutchman Tom Dumoulin of Giant-Alpecin to the line in the 158.7km trek by one second, with Team Sky’s Nicolas Roche a further eight seconds back in third. Chris Froome, the 2015 Tour de France winner who is going for a rare Tour-Vuelta double, was seventh, 30 seconds behind Chaves.

“We talked among ourselves and how to deal with everyone around us and the main thing to do was to attack these guys so that’s what we did,” Chaves said.

“I felt like I was in a good position and in the end I did it and I got this [red] jersey. At this point I’ve just got to keep going and be happy about this day and think about tomorrow.”

Related articles

• Vincenzo Nibali disqualified from Vuelta as Esteban Chaves takes early lead
• Vincenzo Nibali disqualified from Vuelta as Esteban Chaves takes early lead
• Esteban Chaves wins second stage to take overall Vuelta a España lead
• Cycling-Chaves grabs early Vuelta lead, Nibali expelled
• Chaves grabs early Vuelta lead, Nibali expelled
• Chaves wins Vuelta second stage, Froome loses time on Quintana

Nicolas Roche Joins Team Sky

Getty Images

Team Sky has announced the signing of Irishman Nicolas Roche as one of five new names for 2015.

The 30-year-old, who has a wealth of Grand Tour experience, is joined at the British squad by Scotland’s Andrew Fenn, Czech rider Leopold König, Dutchman Wout Poels and Norwegian Lars Petter Nordhaug, who has re-signed for Team Sky after two years away.

Roche’s signing is significant as it strengthens Chris Froome’s support for the 2015 Tour de France, while simultaneously weakening Alberto Contador’s squad as the Irishman was previously at Tinkoff-Saxo.

Roche, the son of 1987 Tour de France winner and world champion Stephen Roche, said: “It’s a great honour to sign for Team Sky and I have the opportunity to ride with some of the best riders in the world. I feel that I’m still developing as a rider so now’s the perfect time to join Team Sky and to continue my upwards path.”

Team Sky principal Sir Dave Brailsford said: “He brings a wealth of experience, having ridden 13 Grand Tours in his career, and that will be invaluable to the team. Nicolas has the perfect character and temperament for us and we expect him to play a key role next season.”

König is also likely to play a strong support role for Froome, while also riding Grand Tours for a high placing himself.

While with Team NetApp-Endura, König placed seventh in the 2014 Tour de France and he has claimed stage wins at the Vuelta a España, Tour of California and Tour of Britain.

The 24-year-old Fenn becomes Team Sky’s first Scottish rider, after moving from Mark Cavendish’s Omega Pharma-QuickStep squad. Poels becomes the first Dutchman at Team Sky and the climber has been watched by the squad for some time, while Nordhaug returns after a three-year stay from 2010 to 2012.

Brailsford added: “We’ve signed five quality riders for next season and each one of them will help strengthen and enhance the squad. We have a strong nucleus of riders at Team Sky and these signings will be excellent additions to the squad. They all bring their own qualities and we’re looking forward to welcoming them to the team and seeing them in action next season.”

Related articles

• Sky still British focused - Brailsford
• Sir Dave Brailsford hails Team Sky's £12,000 Jaguar-designed bike as a game-changer
• Tour de France: Britain Expects
• 'Britain is the number one for cycling'
• Dave Brailsford plays waiting game over Bradley Wiggins and the Tour | William Fotheringham
• Contador my main threat - Froome

Quintana Set for Giro d'Italia Title

Movistar rider Nairo Quintana is on the brink of Giro d'Italia victory after maintaining his lead over Rigoberto Uran on the penultimate stage.

The 24-year-old leads fellow Colombian Uran by three minutes seven seconds ahead of Sunday's race into Trieste.

Australia's Michael Rogers won stage 20, from Maniago to Monte Zoncolan, ahead of Italy's Franco Pellizotti.

Another Italian, Francesco Bongiorno, was challenging Rogers for victory until he was pushed by a spectator.

The Bardiani Valvole rider was on Rogers's wheel with three kilometres to go when a fan pushed him on the back, forcing him to take his left foot off the pedal.

Bongiorno recovered to finished the stage third, ahead of Ireland's Nicolas Roche.

He said: "I'm very bitter. On a climb like that, when you lose your balance, it's impossible."

Race leader Quintana kept close to Uran on the final ascent of Monte Zoncolan, a gruelling climb of more than 10.1km.

With the final stage relatively flat, he is all but guaranteed overall victory ahead of his compatriot, with Italian Fabio Aru set to finish third.

"It's 99% done," said Quintana. "I've achieved one of the big goals in my life."

Tinkoff-Saxo rider Rogers, meanwhile, said he was "proud" to win a second stage in this year's Giro.

The 34-year-old, cleared of a drug violation in April after eating contaminated meat, added: "It's been a dream of mine to win a mountain-top finish like that."

The Giro ends with a 172km flat route from Gemona del Friuli to Trieste.

Stage 20 result:

1. Michael Rogers (Aus/Tinkoff - Saxo) 4:41:55"

2. Franco Pellizotti (Ita/Androni Giocattoli) +37"

3. Francesco Bongiorno (Ita/Bardiani Valvole) +48"

4. Nicolas Roche (Ire/Tinkoff - Saxo) +1:34"

5. Brent Bookwalter (USA/BMC Racing) +1:36"

6. Robinson Chalapud (Col/Colombia) +1:46"

7. Georg Preidler (Aus/Giant) +1:54"

8. Maxime Monfort (Bel/Lotto) +2:13"

9. Dario Cataldo (Ita/Team Sky) +2:23"

10. Simon Geschke (Ger/Giant) +2:38"

General classification:

1. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar) 83:50:25"

2. Rigoberto Uran (Col/Omega Pharma - Quick-Step) +3:07"

3. Fabio Aru (Ita/Astana) +4:04"

4. Pierre Rolland (Fra/Europcar) +5:46"

5. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita/AG2R) +6:41"

6. Rafal Majka (Pol/Tinkoff - Saxo) +7:13"

7. Wilco Kelderman (Ned/Belkin) +11:09"

8. Cadel Evans (Aus/BMC Racing) +12:00"

9. Ryder Hesjedal (Can/Garmin) +13:35"

10. Robert Kiserlovski (Cro/Trek) +15:49

"

Related articles

• 2014 Giro d'Italia Results - Stage 18
• Giro d'Italia: Arredondo climbs to stage victory
• Giro stage 18: Arredondo secures blue, Evans feeling blue
• Quintana extends Giro lead
• 2014 Giro d'Italia Results - Stage 14
• Giro d'Italia: Phase 4

Horner Extends Vuelta Lead

Getty Images

Chris Horner extended his overall lead over Vincenzo Nibali after finishing second on the penultimate stage of the Vuelta a España.

American Horner, 41, took a three-second lead over Nibali in the previous stage and stretched it to 37 seconds on the summit finish at Alto de l'Angliru.

Horner was 26 seconds behind France's Kenny Elissonde, the stage winner, with Nibali 54 seconds back in fourth.

The year's final Grand Tour race finishes in Madrid on Sunday.

RadioShack's Horner had to repel repeated attacks by Nibali in the closing stages, but wore down the Giro d'Italia winner by the foggy finish.

"Nibali's attacks make this win much more epic, the fans must have been on the edges of their seats back home," said Horner.

Asked if he needed time to realise he was on the brink of his first Grand Tour victory, Horner replied: "I've had lots of time to think about it, about how much suffering it's taken to get this. What I'm feeling today will last a lifetime".

Horner ended 28 seconds ahead of Alejandro Valverde in third, with Nibali given the same time in fourth.

Valverde is third overall, one minute 36 seconds behind Horner, with Ireland's Nicolas Roche in fifth.

Results of stage 20:

1. Kenny Elissonde (Fra/FDJ.fr) 3:55:36"

2. Chris Horner (US/RadioShack) +26"

3. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +54"

4. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/Astana)

5. Andre Cardoso (Por/Caja Rural)

6. Dominik Nerz (Ger/BMC Racing)

7. Jose Mendes (Por/NetApp) +1:15"

8. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa/Katusha) +1:45"

9. Serge Pauwels (Bel/Omega Pharma - Quick-Step) +1:52"

10. Thibaut Pinot (Fra/FDJ.fr) +1:59"

Overall standings after stage 20:

1. Chris Horner (US/RadioShack) 81:52:01"

2. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/Astana) +37"

3. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +1:36"

4. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa/Katusha) +3:22"

5. Nicolas Roche (Ire/Saxo-Tinkoff) +7:11"

6. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita/AG2R) +8:00"

7. Thibaut Pinot (Fra/FDJ.fr) +8:41"

8. Samuel Sanchez (Spa/Euskaltel) +9:51"

9. Leopold Koenig (Cze/NetApp) +10:11"

10. Daniel Moreno (Spa/Katusha) +13:11"

Related articles

• Vuelta a Espana 2013: Bold Predictions for Race's Remaining Stages
• Vuelta a España: Horner takes the lead as Rodríguez escapes to win on Alto Naranco
• Alejandro Valverde: "Horner was a surprise, but I don't think it was too much"
• Nibali retains Vuelta lead
• Vuelta stage 19: Purito takes stage, Horner takes red
• Horner of US takes lead in Vuelta with 2 days left

Horner Reclaims Vuelta Lead

La Vuelta

Chris Horner snatched the overall lead in the Vuelta a Espana from Vincenzo Nibali after Joaquim Rodriguez won the 19th stage with a stunning late burst.

Rodriguez finished 11 seconds ahead of Diego Ulissi in the 181km ride from San Vicente de la Barquera to Oviedo.

American Horner came in fifth, six seconds ahead of Nibali, to move three seconds in front of the Italian overall with only two stages left.

Spain's Alejandro Valverde posted the same time as Horner to remain third.

Spanish rider Rodriguez attacked with just over a kilometre of the mountainous stage left to claim a solo victory.

But the real drama was just behind as 41-year-old Horner pulled away from Giro d'Italia champion Nibali over the final meters of the climb to seize a potentially decisive lead in the general classification.

Saturday's penultimate stage is a 142km course, including three major summits and an ascent of a special-category climb to the Alto de l'Angliru peak, before the traditional finish in Madrid on Sunday.

Result of Stage 19:

1. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain / Katusha) 4 hours, 16 minutes 13 seconds

2. Diego Ulissi (Italy / Lampre) +11 seconds

3. Daniel Moreno (Spain / Katusha) "

4. Samuel Sanchez (Spain / Euskaltel) "

5. Chris Horner (U.S. / RadioShack) +14"

6. Alejandro Valverde (Spain / Movistar) "

7. Michele Scarponi (Italy / Lampre) +16"

8. Leopold Koenig (Czech Republic / NetApp) +20"

9. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy / Astana) "

10. Nicolas Roche (Ireland / Saxo - Tinkoff) +23"

Overall standings after Stage 19:

1. Chris Horner (U.S. / RadioShack) 77 hours, 56 minutes, 5 seconds

2. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy / Astana) +3"

3. Alejandro Valverde (Spain / Movistar) +1:06"

4. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain / Katusha) +1:57"

5. Nicolas Roche (Ireland / Saxo - Tinkoff) +3:49"

6. Domenico Pozzovivo (Italy / AG2R) +6:00"

7. Leopold Koenig (Czech Republic / NetApp) +6:38"

8. Thibaut Pinot (France / FDJ.fr) +7:02"

9. Samuel Sanchez (Spain / Euskaltel) +7:45"

10. Daniel Moreno (Spain / Katusha) +11:05"

Related articles

• Nibali retains Vuelta lead
• Nibali still leads, Kiryienka wins stage
• Niabali retains Vuelta lead
• Valverde: "Horner was unstoppable - he seems like the one to beat right now"
• Chris Horner takes lead in Vuelta a España after winning 10th stage
• Horner hopes to cap career with reign in Spain