Chris Froome aiming to build on 12th stage win in chase for Vuelta a Espana crown
CHRIS FROOME will begin a crucial weekend of mountain climbing in the Vuelta a España tomorrow as he battles to become the first Briton ever to win Spain’s equivalent of the Tour de France.
Chris Froome
The 14th stage, by far the hardest of this year’s Vuelta a España, features four major mountain cols in the Pyrenees, culminating with the 16.5 kilometre ascent of the Col du Aubisque.
A shorter punchier mountain stage has another challenging uphill finish at Formigal ski station awaits tomorrow.
A winner two days ago at the Peña Cabarga summit, Froome currently lies in second place and trails Colombian climber Nairo Quintana - third overall when the Sky rider won this summer’s Tour de France - by 54 seconds.
Today’s hilly stage to Urdax was won in a lone breakaway by Italy’s Valerio Conti, as the main contenders conserved their strength for the weekend’s massive mountain battle.