• Vuelta a Espana, Stage 17

Froome bags Stage 17 win to close on Cobo

Chris Froome's raw speed was the telling difference in Stage 17 © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Gavazzi wins tactical battle to take Stage 18
  
• News: Superb Taaramae wins stage 14 as Wiggins tightens grip
  
• Profile: Bradley Wiggins

A breathtaking finish to Stage 17 of the Vuelta a Espana saw Team Sky's Chris Froome snatch victory from Juan Jose Cobo on the final bend.

Cobo, who started the day with a 20-second lead over Froome in the battle for the General Classification, hit the front with a kilometre to go and, after appearing to repel the Sky rider's advances, the 30-year-old looked set to improve his control of the red jersey.

However, Froome found another gear and launched an attack in the closing stages, only to see Cobo come storming back to head the field once more. A frantic sprint finish developed, with Froome somehow coming from behind to stun the Spaniard by coming up the inside on the final corner, crossing the line in first place to cut Cobo's overall lead to a mere 13 seconds.

Team Sky team-mate Bradley Wiggins came home in 12th after the 211-kilometre ride from Faustino V to Pena Cabarga to retain third spot in the GC. After his narrow victory, Froome admitted it was one of the toughest races of his life.

The Kenyan-born Brit said: "That was one of the hardest days on the bicycle in my life. It was the last mountain-top finish so we came in here trying to do as much as we could - but Cobo was extremely strong again and is still holding the red jersey. The hardest stages are now over but we'll still go out there every day and look to make it hard for Cobo.

"The whole team have been fantastic throughout this race - they've done absolutely everything for me and Bradley."

Stage 17
1. Chris Froome (GBR) Team Sky - 4:52:38
2. Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Geox-TMC - 0:00:01
3. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team - 0:00:21
4. Daniel Martin (Irl) Team Garmin-Cervelo - 0:00:24
5. Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi - 0:00:27
6. Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi - same time
7. Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Movistar Team - 0:00:29
8. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto - 0:00:31
9. Denis Menchov (Rus) Geox-TMC- same time
10. Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team-TMC - 0:00:35

General Classification
1. Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Geox-TMC - 69:31:41
2. Chris Froome (GBR) Team Sky - 0:00:13
3. Bradley Wiggins (GBR) - Team Sky - 0:01:41
4. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team - 0:02:05
5. Denis Menchov (Rus) Geox-TMC- 0:03:48
6. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale - 0:04:31
7. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto - 0:04:45
8. Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team - 0:05:20
9. Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi - 0:05:33
10. Chris Anker Sorensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard - 0:07:06

More to follow

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.