Stage 16

The road

At the start

The queen stage, five first-category climbs

The queen stage: 160 kilometres and nearly 5,000 metres of climbing over the Cordal, the Cobertoria and the San Lorenzo before the long haul up to La Farrapona, where Rein Taaramäe won the only previous time the Vuelta used it. Alberto Contador leads Alejandro Valverde by 31 seconds, with Chris Froome and Joaquim Rodríguez both at 1:20. Tony Martin is one of five who went home yesterday.

How it was won

1. 1145 km to go

   The top three attack after 15 kilometres

   On the queen stage's very first climb Tinkoff-Saxo set a blistering tempo — and then the most improbable move of the race forms off the front: Contador, Valverde and Froome, first, second and third overall, riding away together. Katusha, with Rodríguez conspicuously absent, drag them back.

2. 274 km to go

   Cancellara stretches his legs on the Cobertoria

   A long grinding first-category climb with ramps to 16 per cent, and the Swiss — three weeks from Ponferrada — attacks out of the peloton for the fun of it, cresting 25 seconds clear while the break's lead shrinks to 4:15.

3. 334 km to go

   San Lorenzo takes its toll

   Ten kilometres at 8.5 per cent, the third cat 1 of the day. Knees leads the field past a spent Cancellara; three kilometres from the summit Urán drops back with a face that says he is not returning. Twenty-five riders crest it, three minutes down.

4. 412 km to go

   De Marchi rides away from Poels

   With twelve kilometres of climbing left and the gap down to 1:12, the Italian simply leaves his companion standing on La Farrapona and inches his advantage back up, alone into the clouds.

5. 55 km to go

   Contador and Froome go clear

   Five kilometres from the summit the two best riders in the race break the favourites' group in half and set off after De Marchi together — a private duel with the Vuelta on it.

6. 6At the line

   Contador wins the queen stage

   Inside the last kilometre the man who broke his tibia at the Tour in July rides clean away from Froome to win at La Farrapona. De Marchi holds on for third; Valverde comes in 55 seconds down and keeps second overall by three seconds.

The result