LOGRONO: Chris Froome claimed his second stage win of the 2017 Vuelta a Espana to extend his overall race lead on Vincenzo Nibali to 1min 58sec with victory in the individual time trial on Tuesday.
Froome beat out Wilco Kelderman and Nibali in a time of exactly 47 minutes for the 40.2km 16th stage from the Navarra motor racing circuit to Logrono.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an absolutely amazing feeling to extend my lead now and to be in this position,鈥� said Froome.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great position to be in now, it鈥檚 a good buffer, but the race isn鈥檛 over.鈥�
The Briton, who is aiming to become only the third rider in history to win the Tour de France and Vuelta in the same year, now has just four competitive stages to defend his lead before Sunday鈥檚 traditional parade around Madrid.
However, Nibali鈥檚 impressive showing in finishing 57 seconds behind Froome on the day maintained his hopes of a second Vuelta win with a series of strenuous climbs, including Saturday鈥檚 queen stage up the Alto de L鈥橝ngliru, still to come.
Kelderman鈥檚 second place, just 29 seconds back on Froome, moved the Dutchman 27 seconds ahead of Russia鈥檚 Ilnur Zakarin into third overall.
Zakarin was fourth with Alberto Contador moving up to fifth in the general classification in his final race before retirement with fifth on the stage.
鈥淚鈥檝e had a good time trial and the most important thing is I think I have good legs for what remains of the Vuelta,鈥� said Contador.
鈥淎lthough the podium is a long way off, we鈥檒l keep trying day-by-day to see if we can achieve it.鈥�
Froome started slowly on the tarmac of the motor racing circuit more used to hosting events on four wheels than two as the Sky rider was 23 seconds down on Kelderman at the first check point after 13 kilometers.
Yet, the four-time Tour de France champion surged through the second sector to lead by seven seconds by the second check point and continued to extend his lead all the way to the finish line as Kelderman faltered.
鈥淚 was just riding it at the speed I felt best,鈥� added Froome.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 really getting that many time checks from the car so I didn鈥檛 really know where I was.
鈥淎ctually I presumed it wasn鈥檛 good news if I wasn鈥檛 getting the time checks, so I was a bit worried halfway through.
鈥淥nly coming into the last six or seven kilometers I found out that I was on track to fight for the stage.
鈥�(It was a) really big relief and obviously super, super happy to be in this situation.鈥�
Wednesday鈥檚 16th stage sees the race return to the mountains with a steep hors category climb to the finish of the 180.5km ride from Villadiego to Los Machucos.
鈥淭omorrow is going to be brutal,鈥� added Froome.
鈥淟os Machucos from what I can see is a wall and a big, big GC battle for sure.鈥�
Froome rules time trial for commanding Vuelta lead
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