Rob Horgan
THE ‘fight’ for the red jersey became literal during Monday’s 16th stage as Italian Gianluca Brambilla and Russian Ivan Rovny came to blows.
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The duo have now been disqualified from the Vuelta a Espana after they collided on the 160.5km stage from San Martin del Rey Aurelio to La Farrapona.
Spain’s Alberto Contador extended his overall lead to 96 seconds over compatriot Alejandro Valverde, after seeing off Britain’s Chris Froome to win the stage.
Froome now sits third overall – three seconds behind Valverde – with Spaniard Joaquim Rodriguez making up the top four.
After today’s rest day, stage 17 sees riders take on a 190.7km ride from Ortigueira to A Coruna on Wednesday.
Stage 16 result:
1. Alberto Contador (Spa/Tinkoff – Saxo) 4:53:36″
2. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +14″
3. Alessandro De Marchi (Ita/Cannondale) +48″
4. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +53″
5. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa/Katusha) +57″
6. Fabio Aru (Ita/Astana) +1:06″
7. Daniel Martin (Irl/Garmin) +1:12″
8. Robert Gesink (NED/Belkin) +1:22″
9. Samuel Sanchez (Spa/BMC Racing) +1:43″
10. Ryder Hesjedal (Can/Garmin) +1:48″
Overall classification after stage 16:
1. Alberto Contador (Spa/Tinkoff-Saxo) 63hrs 25mins 00secs
2. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) + 1min 36secs
3. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +1min 39secs
4. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa/Katusha) +2mins 29secs
5. Fabio Aru (Ita/Astana) +3mins 38secs
6. Daniel Martin (Irl/Garmin) +6mins 17secs
7. Robert Gesink (NED/BKN) +6mins 43secs
8. Samuel Sanchez (Spa/BMC Racing) +6mins 55secs
9. Warren Barguil (Fra/Giant) +8mins 37secs
10. Damiano Caruso (Ita/Cannondale) +9mins 10secs
It would be a shame for the sport and the Vuelta if a well known convicted drug cheat wins .
And another comes 2nd, Valverde was banned for 2 years. The funny thing about Valverde is that when he came back from the ban he was leading La Vuelta and had a crash tet the peloton never waited for him ( which sometimes happens and sometimes not). Anyway he then came out complaining that those who didn’t wait for him to catch up had no respect for the sport or the unwritten rules of racing, you couldn’t make it up, a drug chest complaining about fair play