Italian Kristian Sbaragli gave the South African MTN-Qhubeka team their second grand tour victory when he won the 10th stage of the 2015 Vuelta a Espana on Monday.
Sparagli outsprinted German John Degenkolb (Giant-Alpecin) to claim his first professional victory, with Spain’s Jose Joaquin Rojas (Movistar) taking third place.
Dutchman Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) retained the overall leader’s red jersey at the end of a 146.6-km ride from Valencia to Castellon.
MTN-Qhubeka took their first grand tour victory during this year’s Tour de France when Briton Stephen Cummings beat home favourites Thibaut Pinot and Romain Bardet in Mende last month.
MTN, however, announced after the Tour that they would end their sponsorship of the team at the end of the year.
Degenkolb was the pre-stage favourite on Monday but he started his final sprint in a bad position, finishing half a wheel behind the 25-year-old Sbaragli.
Tuesday is the first rest day before the peloton goes into the first high mountain stage on Wednesday. (Writing by Julien Pretot, editing by Ed Osmond)
Stage 10 Brief Results:
- Kristian Sbaragli (Italy / Team MTN) 3:12:43″
- John Degenkolb (Germany / Giant) ST
- Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spain / Movistar)
- Tosh Van der Sande (Belgium / Lotto)
- Jose Goncalves (Portugal / Caja Rural)
- Matteo Montaguti (Italy / AG2R)
- Jens Keukeleire (Belgium / Orica)
- Daryl Impey (South Africa / Orica)
- Pieter Serry (Belgium / Etixx – Quick-Step)
- Valerio Conti (Italy / Lampre)
General Classification After Stage 10:
- Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands / Giant) 38:34:56″
- Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain / Katusha) +57″
- Esteban Chaves (Colombia / Orica) +59″
- Nicolas Roche (Ireland / Team Sky) +1:07″
- Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana) +1:13″
- Alejandro Valverde (Spain / Movistar) +1:17″
- Nairo Quintana (Colombia / Movistar)
- Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) +1:18″
- Rafal Majka (Poland / Tinkoff – Saxo) +1:47″
- Domenico Pozzovivo (Italy / AG2R) +1:52″