Cycling: Froome Storms To Time Trial, Cuts Quintana's Vuelta Lead

CALPE, Spain, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News -9th Sept,2016) : Tour de France winner Chris Froome maintained his outside hopes of winning the Vuelta a Espana by romping to victory in the 19th stage time trial and cutting race leader Nairo Quintana's advantage to 1min 21sec.

Froome finished the 37km route from Javea to Calpe in 46min 33sec to claim his second stage win of the race, 2min 16sec ahead of Colombia's Quintana, who finished 11th. Two stages of the three-week tour remain, but with Sunday's finale a mere procession around the streets of central Madrid, Saturday's 193.

2km ride from Benidorm to Alto de Aitana will determine whether Froome can become the first man in 38 years to do the Tour de France-Vuelta double.

Three-time Vuelta winner Alberto Contador moved up to third overall by finishing eighth on the day to leapfrog Esteban Chaves. Spain's Jonathan Castroviejo finished second, 44 seconds behind Froome, with Sweden's Tobias Ludvigsson third a further 40 seconds back.