Belgium’s Jens Keukeleire outsprinted France’s Maxime Bouet and Italian Fabio Felline to win the 12th stage of the 2016 Vuelta a Espana on Thursday as Nairo Quintana maintained his overall lead over Chris Froome.
Britain’s Tour de France champion Froome won stage 11 to move within 54 seconds of Colombia’s Quintana in the overall standings but the pair finished with the same time in Thursday’s 193.2 km ride from Los Corrales de Buelna to Bilbao.
Froome is aiming to become the first man in 38 years to win the Vuelta and Tour de France in the same season.
Keukeleire handed the Orica-BikeExchange team their second stage victory in this year’s Vuelta with a perfectly timed surge in the final stretch to pip his rivals.
(From Reuters: Writing by Toby Davis; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Stage 12 Brief Results:
- Jens Keukeleire (Belgium / Orica) 4:31:43″
- Maxime Bouet (France / Etixx – Quick-Step) ST
- Fabio Felline (Italy / Trek)
- Kristian Sbaragli (Italy / Dimension Data)
- Luis Leon Sanchez (Spain / Astana)
- Pello Bilbao (Spain / Caja Rural)
- Jan Bakelants (Belgium / AG2R)
- Alejandro Valverde (Spain / Movistar)
- Silvan Dillier (Switzerland / BMC Racing)
- Mathias Frank (Switzerland / IAM Cycling)
General Classification After Stage 12:
- Nairo Quintana (Colombia / Movistar) 46:53:31″
- Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) +54″
- Alejandro Valverde (Spain / Movistar) +1:05″
- Esteban Chaves (Colombia / Orica) +2:34″
- Alberto Contador (Spain / Tinkoff) +3:08″
- Leopold Koenig (Czech Republic / Team Sky) +3:09″
- Simon Yates (Britain / Orica) +3:25″
- Michele Scarponi (Italy / Astana) +3:34″
- David De La Cruz (Spain / Etixx – Quick-Step) +3:45″
- Samuel Sanchez (Spain / BMC Racing) +3:56″