Miguel Angel Lopez seals second stage victory at the Vuelta, Froome keeps lead

Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) won the 15th stage of the Vuelta on Sunday, while Chris Froome tacked a few seconds onto his overall lead.

A late surge by Froome over the final meters of the punishing ride over two category one and a final special-category ascent allowed him to increase the gap over Vincenzo Nibali from 55 seconds to 1:01.

Lopez attacked with Alberto Contador near the start of the stage’s last climb. Lopez then set off on his own to pass breakaway rider Adam Yates and surge to the summit finish at Alto Hoya de la Mora.

Ilnur Zakarin attacked in the final kilometre to take second 36 seconds back with Wilco Kelderman snatching third a further nine seconds behind.

Vuelta a Espana 2017 – stage 15 results (Alcala La Real – Alto Hoya de la Mora):

1	Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana)	3:34:51
2	Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin)	+36”
3	Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb)	+45”
4	Esteban Chaves (Orica-Scott)	+47”
5	Chris Froome (Team Sky)	,,
6	Michael Woods (Cannondale-Drapac)	+50”
7	Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain Merida)	+53”
8	Wout Poels (Team Sky)	,,
9	Louis Meintjes (UAE Team Emirates)	,,
10	Pello Bilbao (Astana)	+01’02”
11	Fabio Aru (Astana)	,,
12	Romain Bardet (AG2R)	+01’23”
13	Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo)	+01’27”
14	Darwin Atapuma (UAE Team Emirates)	+01’46”
15	Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNl-Jumbo)	+02’17”
16	Antonio Pedrero (Movistar)	+02’42”
17	Tejay Van Garderen (BMC)	+03’19”
18	Daniel Moreno (Movistar)	+03’37”
19	Jack Haig (Orica-Scott)	+03’41”
20	Mikel Nieve (Team Sky)	+03’43”

General classification after stage 14:

1	Chris Froome (Team Sky)	62:06:25
2	Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain Merida)	+01’01”
3	Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin)	+02’08”
4	Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb)	+02’11”
5	Esteban Chaves (Orica-Scott)	+02’39”
6	Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana)	+02’51”
7	Fabio Aru (Astana)	+03’24”
8	Michael Woods (Cannondale-Drapac)	+03’26”
9	Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo)	+03’59”
10	Wout Poels (Team Sky)	+05’22”
11	David De La Cruz (Quick-Step Floors)	+07’47”
12	Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNl-Jumbo)	+08’08”
13	Tejay Van Garderen (BMC)	+08’16”
14	Louis Meintjes (UAE Team Emirates)	+09’02”
15	Mikel Nieve (Team Sky)	+18’45”
16	Sergio Padilla (Caja Rural – Seguros RGA)	+19’12”
17	Nicolas Roche (BMC)	+21’40”
18	Daniel Moreno (Movistar)	+27’42”
19	Romain Bardet (AG2R)	+30’41”
20	Darwin Atapuma (UAE Team Emirates)	+34’47”