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Vuelta a Espana 2017: Stage 18

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Hola and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of the 169km stage 18 of the Vuelta a Espana from Suances to Santo Toribio de Liébana. The riders face another day in the mountains as the fight for overall victory intensifies.

 

Our live coverage begins as the riders cover the neutralised sector before the flag is dropped for the 169km of racing. 

A total of 161 riders are left in the race, with Maxime Monfort (Lotto Soudal) a non-starter due to illness.

Chris Froome (Team Sky) still leads and so wears the red jersey but his difficult day on Wednesday means his lead on Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) is down to just 1:16.  

This is the top ten in the general classification after the steep finish to Alto de los Machucos.

Today's stage is not as tough, with a flat opening 100km. However the climbs then come thick and fast, with a nasty but short climb p to the finish. Froome's weaknesses cold be exposed again.

The official start of the stage was delayed slightly due to a crash but the flag has dropped and we can see the first attacks from the Cyclingnews blimp.  

Richard Carapaz (Movistar) is the first to attack but other riders are on the move too.

The riders have a slight tail wind to help them head inland. the sun is out, with temperatures of 20C.  

159km remaining from 169km

Chris Froome got a huge cheer at the start but Stefan Denifl of Aqua Blue Sport did too after his stage victory yesterday. He even got a message of congratulation from the Austrian President.

He and his teammates deserve a beer after taking such a big win on their Grand Tour debut and considering their team bus was set on fire earlier in the race.  

Back in the race, there is still no break after 17km of racing. 

Yesterday Denifl dedicated his win to his wife and baby boy, later posing a photo of him on social media.

142km remaining from 169km

Vincenzo Nibali pulled back 42 seconds on Chris Froome yesterday but is under no illusions that it will hard to topple the Briton and won the Vuelta.

He added:

To read our full story on Nibali's time gain, click here.

Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) was aggressive yet again yesterday, attacking alone with six kilometres to go to try and win the stage. He finished second, 28 seconds back but moved up to just 3:34 down on Froome and so closer to a final podium spot. 

Contador's searing uphill attack did not quite net the stage win, and he still has yet to take a victory in his final season, with only three opportunities remaining.

Sadhbh O'Shea spotted Contador at the start this morning. He seemed to have his race face on, so we can expect attacks. 

131km remaining from 169km

The talented Luxembourg rider is trying to find a sense to his Vuelta after failing to fight for the overall classification.

Jungels has opened a 10-second gap but is being chased by four other riders.

The peloton has enjoyed some spectacular views after the start in Suances.  

With teams and riders keen to get into the break - knowing that Team Sky and the other GC contenders might let it go, there is a huge fight to be in the right move and pull back those that are considered a threat.   

120km remaining from 169km

Despite yesterdays tough stage, the fight for the break means the riders have covered the first hour at 45.6 km/h. That hurts! 

Gruppo compatto. Maison is back in the main house. 

Fabio Aru cut a lonely figure at the start today, with reports in La Gazzetta dello Sport that he had threatened to quit the race in anger at his Astana team.

Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) also tries to attack but is quickly brought to heel. 

108km remaining from 169km

Working together they have quickly gained 30 seconds on the peloton.

This is a high-quality break. In there are Alaphilippe, Visconti, Trentin, De Marchi, Lutsenko and Skujins. 

The peloton has let them go and the gap is already close to 3:00. 

Th 20 riders in the move are: Julian Alaphilippe, Matteo Trentin (Quick Step), Alessandro De Marchi (BMC), Magnus Cort Nielsen (Orica-Scott), Nelson Oliveira, Marc Soler (Movistar), Patrick Konrad (Bora-Hansgrohe), Clément Chevrier, Alexis Gougeard (AG2R-La Mondiale), Toms Skujins (Cannondale-Drapac), Antwan Tolhoek (LottoNL-Jumbo), Matej Mohoric (UAE Team Emirates), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana), Sander Armée (Lotto-Soudal), Giovanni Visconti (Bahrain-Merida), Jérémy Maison, Anthony Roux (FDJ), Stéphane Rossetto (Cofidis), Sergio Pardilla (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) and Aldemar Reyes (Manzana-Postobón).

It will be fascinating to see if Team Sky try to control the peloton and chase or let the move go and save their strength for Saturday's important showdown on the Angliru.

Team Sky is riding tempo but the gap to the break has grown to 5:30.  

The break is  big one and so riders are playing games and playing team roles. Several are ducking and diving at the back to avoid working up front. 

Behind Team Sky are lined across the road, slowing the peloton.

Because of Team Sky's slowing tactics, the gap is up to 8:00. 

90km remaining from 169km

After several riders took on bidons, they are working smoothly to increase their gap.

The roads roll in the hills of northern Spain today. The terrain is green but not easy. 

Alaphilippe drops back to the Quick-Step team car for a chat and  energy bar. 

87km remaining from 169km

Behind Team Sky, Froome's rivals are lined up and riding together.

Sergio Pardilla (Caja-Rural) is the best classified rider in the attack. He's 16th with a delay of 24:28 and so risk to Froome or the other GC contenders.

Trentin is third in the points competition and so is no doubt chasing points today to try and win the jersey in Madrid. 

Froome is again dressed in red and seems relaxed but focused as he pedals in the slipstream of his teammates.

78km remaining from 169km

Toms Skujins (Cannondale-Drapac) drops back to his team car, collects a banana and a small can of coke. 

Ian Stannard is the Team Sky rider doing much of the work. He is swapping off with Christian Knees and Salvatore Puccio as they keep the pace steady. 

Upfront, Mohoric and Cort call for their team cars and also want to feed. 

74km remaining from 169km

The three climbs are respectively 4.8km, 6km and 7km long.

The peloton has reached the feed zone, with the gap up to 12:30. That's the biggest gap we've so far in this year's Vuelta.

The break of 20 riders are just six kilometres from the first climb now. The peloton is several kilometres further back. 

The views are stunning today as the stage heads deep into Cantabria. The roads are winding but wide. 

The riders face a long transfer to their hotels but the top ten riders in the overall classification will be given a ride in a race helicopter.

64km remaining from 169km

Mohoric was a fine stage winner in Cuenca at the end of the opening week, and the former junior and under-23 world champion sets the tempo on the climb in the break.

Another previous stage winner (and under-23 world champion) in the break is Alexey Lutsenko (Astana). The Kazakhstani takes over from Mohoric on the front as the escapees maintain their united front on the first of the day's classified climbs.

Sky continue to lead the peloton, which is now 13:20 down on the escapees. Delegations from Trek-Segafredo and Astana are beginning to move towards the front with intent, however.

59km remaining from 169km

54km remaining from 169km

52km remaining from 169km

50km remaining from 169km

After attacking on the previous descent, Maison is showing signs of suffering on the early slopes of the Collada de Ozalba. The break's lead over the peloton has dropped to 12:25.

Ian Stannard (Sky) sets the tempo in the peloton on the approach to the Collada de Ozalba. The teams of the general classification contenders are increasingly prominent near the front.

46km remaining from 169km

Katusha-Alpecin take up the reins at the head of the peloton as it hits the base of the Collada de Ozalba with a deficit of 12:48.

A gap opens behind the five Katusha riders at the front of the peloton, and now Zakarin has a lead over the bunch with four teammates for company.

Nibali's Bahrain-Merida squad move to the front of the peloton and they are in the process of bring back Zakarin and his teammates.

Zak has been pulled back but the tension has risen in the peloton after Katusha's acceleration. 

Upfront Trentin winds up the pace as the intermediate sprint nears. He wants maximum points. 

40km remaining from 169km

The third and final climb is the Collada de la Hoz, it's the longest at 7km and 6% gradient. 

Meanwhile the Katusha team is still trying to shake up the peloton. It has worked to an extent. Esteban Chaves has been distanced and so have several Team Sky riders. 

37km remaining from 169km

But we have more attacks. LLSanchez jumps across to Mate and Aru has joined them. 

But Team Sky ups the pace to sweep them up. However Aru kicks again and goes clear. 

The peloton splits again, with Chaves again spat out the back. 

Other riders attack over the top. The descent could be as aggressive as the climb. 

Trentin has been confirmed as the winner of the intermediate sprint. the break is now on the final climb, with Alaphilippe trying to split the 20-rider break on the last major climb of the stage.

Aru leads the peloton by 30 seconds on the descent. 

Alexis Gougeard (AG2R-La Mondiale) and Sander Armée (Lotto Soudal) have attacked the break.

Despite being alone, Aru is pushing on with his attack. He seems to be venting his anger after reported tension with his Astana team.

Behind the peloton hits the climb and Contador attacks! Race on! 

Froome is trying to chase with two teammates but he seems to be struggling to hold their wheel. 

Sky close down Contador but the attacks has blown the peloton to pieces. 

De la Cruz now goes on the attack as the GC guys are all back together. 

23km remaining from 169km

The break has split over the top of the Hoz climb but all is not lost to the likes of Lutzenko caught behind.  

Contador's attack did not cause much damage but Nieve has been dropped. Froome has just Poels and Moscon to help him.

Nieve makes it back as the GC riders reach the summit but Froome must be worried today. 

The GC guys are about to sweep up De la Cruz on the fast descent of the Hoz climb. 

Aru us still ahead in no-man's land but leads the GC group by just 30 seconds.

Team Sky seem back in control after the Contador attacks. They must now marshal any final attacks on the winding road and final kick up to the finish.

15km remaining from 169km

Team Sky has eased the pace on the descent of the Hoz.  

13km remaining from 169km

Alexis Gougeard (AG2R La Mondiale) looks good, as does Lutsenko (Astana). 

Sander Armee (Lotto Soudal) is trying to lead the way an split the move further. It's working.

Lutsenko joins him, as does Alaphilippe.

The 8 lead the 12 chasers by just 25 seconds, with the peloton at 10:30 and Aru at 9:30.

10km remaining from 169km

The race is in a stunning gorge before the kick up to the finish at the monastery.

There are 50 or so riders in the GC group, with Stetina punching tickets at the back. 

The last kick up to the Alto de Santo Toribio de Liebana is 3.2km long at 6.4%. 

The break and the peloton are riding at the same pace and so the gap stays at around 10:00. 

5km remaining from 169km

However Armee is not hanging around.

3km remaining from 169km

It's a two-rider battle for the stage win on the 2.5km climb up to the line.

Aru leads the peloton by almost 1:30. He is now a threat to Woods' seventh place overall. 

Armee tries to play mind games with Lutsenko but the Kazakh keeps the pace high to stop anyone coming back at the pair.

1km remaining from 169km

Visconti can see Armee and Lutsenko as he tries to chase. 

Lutsenko cracks. 

Armee upped the pace and dropped him with 600 metres to go. 

Armee digs deep and makes it over the steepest part of the climb. He's going to win the stage.

He does not have the energy to zip up his jersey and celebrates with a one handed punch of the air.

Lutsenko finishes second at 30 seconds, Visconti is third, with Gougeard behind him.

The rest of the break comes in but only Lotto Soudal is celebrating. It's a big in for the Belgian team. 

Behind Aru is fighting to hold onto his lead as Team Sky chase behind. 

Aru hits the climb to the finish with a lead of one minute on the peloton.

Lopez, Nieve and Moscon are protecting Froome, with Poels tucked behind the race leader. 

Aru is making a huge effort. It will be interesting to see if it is worth it for the former Vuelta winner.

The speed is high behind as Trek seem to set up Contador for an attack.

This is the top ten for the stage as the GC riders fight behind them. 

The pace set by Moscon is spitting GC guys out of the back. Lopez goes, as does van Garderen. 

It is Poels setting the pace. Now Froome takes over and goes on the attack himself!

Nibali is struggling, so Froome presses on. Contador kicks with him. Woods is there too. 

It's a fight for every second.

Kelderman and Zak are coming back but there's no sign of Nibali. 

Aru finishes, with Contador, Froome and Woods just after.

Nibali comes in some 20 seconds later. 

Van Garderen finishes and so limits his losses.

After his problems yesterday, Froome fought back with help from Poels and Team Sky.

Instead of letting his rivals attack him, he upped the pace with Poels and then split the GC riders, scattering his rivals behind him. 

Nibali lost 21 seconds to Froome, while Aru faded on the climb and so only gained 12 seconds on Froome. However he gained more on his closer rivals in the top ten.

Froome now leads Nibali by 1:37, with Kelderman third at 2:17 and Zakarin fourth at 2:29. 

The podium ceremony is in the shadows of the monastery.

This is the new top ten overall after today's stage. 

Woods held on to seventh place but Aru is now eighth on the same time, 6:33 down on Froome.

The Canadian will also have to watch out for Poels, who is only 6:47 down on his leader and so only 14 seconds down on Woods and Aru.

It's Armee's first win after eight years as a professional. No wonder he's happy.

Armee punches the air with a huge smile on his face as he steps on the podium.

This is the first image of Armee celebrating his stage win at the Vuelta.

He went deep in the final kilometre to distance Lutsenko.

Davide Vilella also kept the climber's blue polka-dot jersey for Cannondale-Drapac. 

Chris Froome was again well protected by his teammates as this image shows.

While Armee was the rider of the day, Fabio Aru also showed his character with a determined solo attack. 

Froome was naturally happy with his day. 

Froome was not concerned to lose time to Aru but was happy to gain time on Nibali.

Alberto Contador was again aggressive, on the hardest climb of the stage and even on the final 2.5km climb to the finish.

To read our full stage report and see all the photos in our gallery, click here. 

Sander Armee was the man of the day, taking his first ever professional victory.

Armee rode a smart race, holding back from attacking too early despite feeling strong.

Thanks for joining us for full liv coverage of stage 18. 

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