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Vuelta Stage 15: Brambilla Wins Mountain Finish as Quintana Cements Lead

Stage 15 in the Vuelta a España was short and explosive. Contador and Quintana attack early on and the race is full on for the whole day. Brambilla took the stage win, while Quintana puts 3 minutes into Chris Froome

Not far into the stage Quintana, Contador, Elissonde, Castroviejo, Fernandez, Rovni, Trofimov, Fraile, Felline, Mamikin, Brambilla, De la Cruz, Formolo and Moser get a gap and put the hammer down.

Team Sky is forced to chase, yet the pace, Chris Froome is isolated as his team mates fade away leaving him desperately exposed.

The lead group including Quintana, Contador press on - to a lead at over 3 minutes.

Froome’s ‘luck’ is that Chaves and Yates are in the chasing group also and Orica starts chasing. Astana is there to help, too.

At the first two climbs Fraile takes most KOM-points, ahead of Elissonde.

When hitting the closing climb the chasers are 2 minutes down.

Quintana pushes on until he is left with Contador and Brambilla. Contador cannot keep up the pace and fades away but finishes within 5 seconds of a GC podium place.

Chaves attacks from the chasing group with around 2 kms to go and Froome cannot match his pace, clearly struggling without his Team Sky teammates.

Brambilla sticks to Quintana’s wheel and sprints to victory.

The Colombian doesn’t mind as put  2’37” into Froome and is looking ready to take the 2016 Vuelta title.

Froome, Chaves and Team Sky lost a lot of today.

Quintana and Contador put time into their rivals.

Contador is within 5 seconds of a GC podium place

Vuelta 2016 Stage 15 Results Top 20

1. Gianluca Brambilla (ita)
2. Nairo Quintana (col) + 0.03
3. Fabio Felline (ita) + 0.25
4. Kenny Elissonde (fra) + 0.28
5. David de la Cruz (spa) + 0.31
6. Alberto Contador (spa) + 0.33
7. Davide Formolo (ita) + 0.34
8. Matvey Mamykin (rus) + 1.16
9. Esteban Chaves (col) + 1.53
10. Michele Scarponi (ita) + 1.59
11. Louis Meintjes (rsa) + 2.10
12. Andrew Talansky (usa) s.t.
13. Samuel Sánchez (spa) s.t.
14. Daniel Moreno (spa) s.t.
15. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 2.31
18. Chris Froome (gbr) + 2.40
21. Simon Yates (gbr) + 2.47

Vuelta 2016 General Classification after Stage 15 

1. Nairo Quintana (col)
2. Chris Froome (gbr) + 3.37
3. Esteban Chaves (col) + 3.57
4. Alberto Contador (spa) + 4.02
5. Simon Yates (gbr) + 5.07
6. Samuel Sánchez (spa) + 6.12
7. Andrew Talansky (usa) + 6.43
8. Davide Formolo (ita) + 7.17
9. David de la Cruz (spa) + 7.23
10. Michele Scarponi (ita) + 7.39
11. Daniel Moreno (spa) + 8.05
12. George Bennett (nzl) + 9.45
13. Sergio Pardilla (spa) + 10.09
14. Jean Christophe Peraud (fra) + 11.06
15. Ben Hermans (bel) + 11.44
16. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 12.48

VIDEO: Vuelta a Espana Stage 15 Highlights

Vuelta Stage 15: Brambilla Wins Mountain Finish as Quintana Cements Lead