Stage 20

The road

At the start

1:21, and the Alto de Aitana

Froome took 2:16 out of Quintana against the clock and the Vuelta is a race again — 1:21 between them, with Contador at 3:43 and Chaves at 4:54 arguing over the last step of the podium. Today is the final mountain stage: 200 kilometres, five thousand metres of climbing, four climbs to soften the legs and then the Alto de Aitana, 22 kilometres at six per cent, steepest at the top. Samuel Sánchez does not start.

How it was won

1. 1140 km to go

   Froome probes on the Rates

   The last mountain stage begins ferociously, and on the descent of the Coll de Rates Froome himself slips onto teammate Golas's wheel to test the water. Quintana is wise to it immediately.

2. 295 km to go

   The day takes shape

   With 95km still to go, Luis León Sánchez and Rudy Molard escape, and a large chase group forms behind with Latour, Atapuma, Gesink, Frank and Felline in it.

3. 351 km to go

   Chaves goes for the podium

   Having set Orica to work from the middle of the stage, Esteban Chaves bounds clear of the red jersey group on the penultimate climb with 45km still to race — and rides Alberto Contador off the third step of the podium.

4. 46 km to go

   Froome attacks, Quintana never yields

   With five kilometres left Froome launches out of a red jersey group already stripped to nothing, and Quintana is straight onto his wheel. Again, and again, in that high-cadence style — and not once does the Colombian give an inch. He follows impassively, and the Vuelta is won on the Aitana.

5. 51 km to go

   Latour and Atapuma slug it out

   Sánchez has been caught, Frank shaken off at the third attempt, and the two ride side by side into the final kilometre — very nearly caught by a flying Fabio Felline, whom Latour's accelerations finally see off.

6. 6At the line

   Latour last man standing

   Atapuma comes round with 200 metres to go and looks to have it, but Pierre Latour catches and passes him within sight of the line for the first Grand Tour win of his career. Above him, Nairo Quintana has sealed the Vuelta.

The result