2017 Vuelta a España Stage 15 Results & Recap
Stage 15 of the 2017 Vuelta a España is in the books. The final results and standings are below, followed by our recap of how the race unfolded.
Race Recap
Lopez doubles at Sierra Nevada
Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) showed his climbing rivals a clean pair of heels on the final climb to Sierra Nevada to take home his second win of the Vuelta a Espana. The 23-year-old Colombian timed his move perfectly to catch and pass the solo leader Simon Yates with four kilometres to go. Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) leapt from the chase group containing the GC favorites to claim second place. Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb) finished third.
“It's been a magnificent day. The whole team has been up to the challenge and I didn't want to fail on them. Yesterday they were really good also and I had to deliver. We decided to attack with (Alberto) Contador. We had doubts because it was quite a long climb but in the end I was strong enough to make it. It's the third win for the team thanks to everyone's work, we all rely on it.”
Race leader Chris Froome came across the line in fifth place, his overall lead in no danger. In fact, Froome put a few more seconds into his closet rival Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain - Merida) and now sits one minute and one second ahead of the "Shark of Messina."
The 123 kilometer race started off fast and furious, with attack after attack flying up the road. After 30 km of speeds reaching 80 kph an hour, a break made it up the road containing: Sander Armée (Lotto Soudal), Nélson Oliveira (Movistar Team), Stéphane Rossetto (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits), Anthony Perez (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits), Lluís Mas (Caja Rural - Seguros), Matteo Trentin (Quick-Step Floors), Edward Theuns (Trek – Segafredo) and Tom Van Asbroeck (Cannondale Drapac). They stretched out a two minute advantage.
The Astana team weren't prepared to give the breakaway much of a gap at all, and kept the eight riders within two and a half minutes. When the gradient increased, the break began to splinter, leaving Stéphane Rossetto (Cofidis) and Sander Armée (Lotto Soudal) to fight the climbs. Rossetto soon gave way to Armée, who was caught and passed by a determined Adam Yates with 30 kilometres to go. Meanwhile Alberto Contador (Trek – Segafredo) attacked the GC group and took Lopez along with him.
Contador blew on the final ascent alto Hoya de la Mora, and Lopez charged ahead alone, catching and passing with four kilometres to go and soloing ahead to victory.
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