Vuelta a Espana: Drucker wins stage 16

Jempy Drucker (BMC Racing) claimed his first Grand Tour stage victory after winning the sprint finish on stage 16 of the Vuelta a Espana. Drucker outsprinted Bora Argon's Rudiger Selig and Giant-Alpecin's Nikias Arndt in Peñíscola.

Gianni Meersman (Etixx-QuickStep) finished fourth after being forced to take up his sprint with more than 200 metres to go. The Belgian, who has won two stages of this Vuelta a Espana, was left alone by his team had to wind up his sprint to bring back late attacker Daniele Bennati (Tinkoff), who had a small gap with just metres to go.

Drucker blew past a tiring Meersman with a hundred metres to go and won by a clear margin in the end. Meersman faded further with Selig and Arndt passing him before the line.

"It's nice, it's cool to have a victory in a Grand Tour it's nice to have that by your name," Drucker said after the stage. "I suffered a lot in the last stages, especially the day on the Aubisque. I always kept believing in the sprint stages and I was confident in my sprint. I only took my chance.

"[The finish] was hectic because of all the roundabouts, so it was about choosing the right wheels. I had Danilo Wyss who made a perfect job until almost the final kilometre and then I was just hoping and hoping to get the an opening and I made the perfect sprint."

Nairo Quintana (Movistar) finished safely inside the bunch to keep his place in the red jersey ahead of Chris Froome (Team Sky).

Watch Vuelta a Espana stage 16 highlights video

How it happened

The start of stage 16 was bogged down in the contentious issue surrounding the decision to keep 93 riders in the race despite them missing the time cut by more than 20 minutes on an explosive stage 15 to Formigal. Race director Javier Guillen stood by his decision when questioned by reporters, calling the situation exceptional.

Whatever the riders thought, the decision had been made and 164 riders made the start in Alcañiz, much to the relief of several teams who would have seen all their riders head home. With just one third category climb and a lengthy descent to the finish, stage 16 always looked like it would be one for the fast men. With so few opportunities for the sprinters, this was not one they were going to give away.

A six-man break got away very quickly, with Luis Angel Maté (Cofidis) among the number. Prior to the stage, Mate had garnered the opinion of his Twitter followers as to whether or not he should go in the break. On overwhelming number said yes and Maté duly abided. Joining Maté was Silvan Dillier (BMC), Sven Erik Bystrom (Katusha), Julien Morice (Direct Energie), Davide Villella (Cannondale) and Mario Costa (Lampre - Merida).

Simon Yates (Orica-BikeExchange) had an unexpected interruption to his day when he and teammate Sam Bewley (Orica-BikeExchange) hit the deck in the middle of the peloton on a flat stretch of road. After a quick visit to the doctor's car, the pair were easily able to make it back up to the peloton.

IAM Cycling and Etixx-QuickStep kept a tight leash on the escapees, giving them no more than 3:30 minutes of an advantage before they started bringing them back. Giant-Alpecin and Dimension Data also lent a hand, giving Movistar a welcome break from the effort on the front of the bunch. As the leaders descended the Alto Castillo de Morella, with 60 kilometres still to run, the six men had just over two minutes to play with.

The peloton never looked too troubled in the chase and with 20 kilometres remaining they had the six men in their sights. The day would finally be done for the escapees with 12 kilometres to go and the GC teams immediately moved to the front with a technical run to the line a serious danger for their race leaders. The peloton had to negotiate a large number of roundabouts as they twisted and turned towards the finish line.

Tinkoff's Bennati decided to try and take advantage of the difficult finish, attacking as they approached one of the many roundabouts in the final three kilometres. He had a slim margin going into the final kilometre but was eventually overtaken when Meersman began his sprint, a move that proved too soon.

Meersman slipped back in the final hundred metres, with Drucker overtaking him to take his first Grand Tour stage win.

Full Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team3:21:18
2Rudiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 1 - Cell 2
3Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 2 - Cell 2
4Gianni Meersman (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 3 - Cell 2
5Lorenzo Manzin (Fra) FDJRow 4 - Cell 2
6Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM CyclingRow 5 - Cell 2
7Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Dimension DataRow 6 - Cell 2
8Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-SegafredoRow 7 - Cell 2
9Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 8 - Cell 2
10Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Team KatushaRow 9 - Cell 2
11Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJRow 10 - Cell 2
12Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Team Katusha0:00:02
13Eduard Prades (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 12 - Cell 2
14Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-BikeExchangeRow 13 - Cell 2
15Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek-SegafredoRow 14 - Cell 2
16Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La MondialeRow 15 - Cell 2
17Christopher Froome (GBr) Team SkyRow 16 - Cell 2
18Loïc Chetout (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 17 - Cell 2
19Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar TeamRow 18 - Cell 2
20Pavel Kochetkov (Rus) Team KatushaRow 19 - Cell 2
21Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 20 - Cell 2
22Ryan Anderson (Can) Direct EnergieRow 21 - Cell 2
23Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing TeamRow 22 - Cell 2
24Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 23 - Cell 2
25Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 24 - Cell 2
26Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff TeamRow 25 - Cell 2
27Jerome Cousin (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 26 - Cell 2
28François Bidard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 27 - Cell 2
29Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Lampre - MeridaRow 28 - Cell 2
30Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-BikeExchangeRow 29 - Cell 2
31Daniel Moreno (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 30 - Cell 2
32Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Orica-BikeExchangeRow 31 - Cell 2
33Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale-DrapacRow 32 - Cell 2
34Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff TeamRow 33 - Cell 2
35Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 34 - Cell 2
36Davide Formolo (Ita) Cannondale-DrapacRow 35 - Cell 2
37Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-BikeExchangeRow 36 - Cell 2
38Manuele Boaro (Ita) Tinkoff TeamRow 37 - Cell 2
39George Bennett (NZl) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 38 - Cell 2
40Marcel Wyss (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 39 - Cell 2
41Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La MondialeRow 40 - Cell 2
42Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 41 - Cell 2
43Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 42 - Cell 2
44Pello Bilbao (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 43 - Cell 2
45David De La Cruz (Spa) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 44 - Cell 2
46Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Trek-SegafredoRow 45 - Cell 2
47David Arroyo (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 46 - Cell 2
48Sergio Pardilla (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 47 - Cell 2
49Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-SegafredoRow 48 - Cell 2
50Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-SegafredoRow 49 - Cell 2
51Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Soudal0:00:10
52Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 51 - Cell 2
53Jelle Wallays (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:00:13
54Darwin Atapuma (Col) BMC Racing TeamRow 53 - Cell 2
55Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-BikeExchange0:00:18
56Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 55 - Cell 2
57Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team0:00:20
58Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 57 - Cell 2
59Kenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJRow 58 - Cell 2
60Axel Domont (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 59 - Cell 2
61Egor Silin (Rus) Team KatushaRow 60 - Cell 2
62Pierre-Roger Latour (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 61 - Cell 2
63Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 62 - Cell 2
64Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 63 - Cell 2
65Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro TeamRow 64 - Cell 2
66Martijn Keizer (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 65 - Cell 2
67Quentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 66 - Cell 2
68Merhawi Kudus (Eri) Dimension DataRow 67 - Cell 2
69Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 68 - Cell 2
70Tiago Machado (Por) Team KatushaRow 69 - Cell 2
71Benjamin King (USA) Cannondale-DrapacRow 70 - Cell 2
72Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-SegafredoRow 71 - Cell 2
73Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:00:29
74Ruben Fernandez (Spa) Movistar Team0:00:32
75Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 74 - Cell 2
76Maxime Bouet (Fra) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 75 - Cell 2
77Alberto Losada (Spa) Team KatushaRow 76 - Cell 2
78Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Astana Pro TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
79Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 78 - Cell 2
80Yves Lampaert (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 79 - Cell 2
81Pierre Rolland (Fra) Cannondale-DrapacRow 80 - Cell 2
82Damien Howson (Aus) Orica-BikeExchangeRow 81 - Cell 2
83Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team0:00:39
84Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky0:00:45
85Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 84 - Cell 2
86Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 85 - Cell 2
87Lilian Calmejane (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 86 - Cell 2
88Romain Cardis (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 87 - Cell 2
89Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 88 - Cell 2
90Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 89 - Cell 2
91Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAM CyclingRow 90 - Cell 2
92Kristijan Durasek (Cro) Lampre - MeridaRow 91 - Cell 2
93Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-Argon 18Row 92 - Cell 2
94Bram Tankink (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 93 - Cell 2
95Lawrence Warbasse (USA) IAM CyclingRow 94 - Cell 2
96Gregor Muhlberger (Aut) Bora-Argon 18Row 95 - Cell 2
97Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) IAM Cycling0:00:52
98Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Movistar Team0:01:05
99Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 98 - Cell 2
100Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension Data0:01:07
101Michal Golas (Pol) Team Sky0:01:15
102Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 101 - Cell 2
103Jaco Venter (RSA) Dimension Data0:01:17
104Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 180:01:37
105Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx - Quick-Step0:00:02
106Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant-Alpecin0:01:45
107Jesus Hernandez (Spa) Tinkoff Team0:02:01
108Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step0:02:26
109Romain Sicard (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 108 - Cell 2
110Scott Thwaites (GBr) Bora-Argon 180:02:47
111Chad Haga (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin0:02:59
112Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:03:13
113Riccardo Zoidl (Aut) Trek-Segafredo0:03:22
114Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team SkyRow 113 - Cell 2
115Clement Chevrier (Fra) IAM CyclingRow 114 - Cell 2
116Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 115 - Cell 2
117Joe Dombrowski (USA) Cannondale-DrapacRow 116 - Cell 2
118Mathias Frank (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 117 - Cell 2
119Omar Fraile (Spa) Dimension Data0:03:27
120Svein Tuft (Can) Orica-BikeExchange0:03:35
121Sam Bewley (NZl) Orica-BikeExchangeRow 120 - Cell 2
122Valerio Conti (Ita) Lampre - MeridaRow 121 - Cell 2
123Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 122 - Cell 2
124Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) Lampre - MeridaRow 123 - Cell 2
125Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) FDJRow 124 - Cell 2
126Leopold Konig (Cze) Team Sky0:03:38
127Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team0:04:26
128Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 127 - Cell 2
129Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:04:35
130Simon Pellaud (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 129 - Cell 2
131José Mendes (Por) Bora-Argon 18Row 130 - Cell 2
132Sergio Paulinho (Por) Tinkoff TeamRow 131 - Cell 2
133Matvey Mamykin (Rus) Team KatushaRow 132 - Cell 2
134Yury Trofimov (Rus) Tinkoff TeamRow 133 - Cell 2
135Alexandre Geniez (Fra) FDJRow 134 - Cell 2
136Ivan Rovny (Rus) Tinkoff TeamRow 135 - Cell 2
137Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 136 - Cell 2
138Brian Nauleau (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 137 - Cell 2
139Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 138 - Cell 2
140Julien Morice (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 139 - Cell 2
141Sindre Skjoestad Lunke (Nor) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 140 - Cell 2
142Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) Team KatushaRow 141 - Cell 2
143David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Team SkyRow 142 - Cell 2
144José Herrada (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 143 - Cell 2
145Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 144 - Cell 2
146Rory Sutherland (Aus) Movistar TeamRow 145 - Cell 2
147Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 146 - Cell 2
148Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 147 - Cell 2
149Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 148 - Cell 2
150Pieter Serry (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 149 - Cell 2
151Mario Costa (Por) Lampre - MeridaRow 150 - Cell 2
152Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Lampre - MeridaRow 151 - Cell 2
153Louis Meintjes (RSA) Lampre - MeridaRow 152 - Cell 2
154Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 153 - Cell 2
155Davide Villella (Ita) Cannondale-DrapacRow 154 - Cell 2
156Moreno Moser (Ita) Cannondale-DrapacRow 155 - Cell 2
157Jaime Roson (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 156 - Cell 2
158Jack Haig (Aus) Orica-BikeExchangeRow 157 - Cell 2
159Hugh Carthy (GBr) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 158 - Cell 2
160Ilia Koshevoy (Blr) Lampre - MeridaRow 159 - Cell 2
161Nick Dougall (RSA) Dimension DataRow 160 - Cell 2
162Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff Team0:04:45
163Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Team SkyRow 162 - Cell 2
164Ian Boswell (USA) Team SkyRow 163 - Cell 2
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Sprint 1 - Vinaros, 139.2km
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team4pts
2Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) Team Katusha2Row 1 - Cell 3
3Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits1Row 2 - Cell 3
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Finish - Pensicola, 156.4km
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team25pts
2Rudiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Argon 1820Row 1 - Cell 3
3Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin16Row 2 - Cell 3
4Gianni Meersman (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step14Row 3 - Cell 3
5Lorenzo Manzin (Fra) FDJ12Row 4 - Cell 3
6Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM Cycling10Row 5 - Cell 3
7Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Dimension Data9Row 6 - Cell 3
8Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo8Row 7 - Cell 3
9Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal7Row 8 - Cell 3
10Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Team Katusha6Row 9 - Cell 3
11Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ5Row 10 - Cell 3
12Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Team Katusha4Row 11 - Cell 3
13Eduard Prades (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA3Row 12 - Cell 3
14Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-BikeExchange2Row 13 - Cell 3
15Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek-Segafredo1Row 14 - Cell 3
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Mountain - Alto Castillo de Morella, 75.4km
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits3pts
2Davide Villella (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac2Row 1 - Cell 3
3Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) Team Katusha1Row 2 - Cell 3
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Combative
#Rider Name (Country) Team
1Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
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Team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Team Katusha10:03:58
2BMC Racing TeamRow 1 - Cell 2
3Trek-SegafredoRow 2 - Cell 2
4Etixx - Quick-StepRow 3 - Cell 2
5AG2R La Mondiale0:00:02
6Movistar TeamRow 5 - Cell 2
7Orica-BikeExchangeRow 6 - Cell 2
8Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 7 - Cell 2
9Tinkoff TeamRow 8 - Cell 2
10Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 9 - Cell 2
11FDJ0:00:16
12Lotto Soudal0:00:19
13Cannondale-Drapac0:00:20
14Astana Pro Team0:00:38
15IAM Cycling0:00:43
16Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:00:47
17Dimension Data0:01:23
18Bora-Argon 180:01:26
19Direct Energie0:01:28
20Team Giant-Alpecin0:01:46
21Team Sky0:01:58
22Lampre - Merida0:04:18
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General classification after stage 16
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team64:57:27
2Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky0:03:37
3Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-BikeExchange0:03:57
4Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff Team0:04:02
5Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-BikeExchange0:05:07
6Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing Team0:06:12
7Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale-Drapac0:06:43
8Davide Formolo (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac0:07:17
9David De La Cruz (Spa) Etixx - Quick-Step0:07:23
10Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana Pro Team0:07:39
11Daniel Moreno (Spa) Movistar Team0:08:05
12George Bennett (NZl) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:09:45
13Sergio Pardilla (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA0:10:09
14Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:11:06
15Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team0:11:44
16Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team0:12:48
17Egor Silin (Rus) Team Katusha0:14:13
18Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:17:41
19Kenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJ0:20:15
20Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale0:22:48
21Marcel Wyss (Swi) IAM Cycling0:31:53
22Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:31:54
23Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Trek-Segafredo0:32:56
24Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step0:40:02
25Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team0:41:07
26Matvey Mamykin (Rus) Team Katusha0:46:46
27Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:48:31
28Louis Meintjes (RSA) Lampre - Merida0:53:09
29Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team0:53:57
30Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-Segafredo0:55:06
31Leopold Konig (Cze) Team Sky1:00:11
32Merhawi Kudus (Eri) Dimension Data1:02:57
33Pierre-Roger Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale1:03:08
34Ruben Fernandez (Spa) Movistar Team1:03:12
35Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits1:04:46
36Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Team Sky1:06:51
37Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Movistar Team1:11:45
38Yury Trofimov (Rus) Tinkoff Team1:12:17
39Darwin Atapuma (Col) BMC Racing Team1:12:39
40Pierre Rolland (Fra) Cannondale-Drapac1:13:09
41Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar Team1:16:52
42Damien Howson (Aus) Orica-BikeE