Vuelta a Espana: Chris Froome fourth overall after two stages

Froome is aiming for a Tour de France and Vuelta double in 2016

Chris Froome's attempt to become the first man in 38 years to win the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana in the same season remains on track.

The Team Sky rider is fourth after Sunday's second stage of the Vuelta - 52 seconds clear of Alberto Contador.

Another of Froome's rivals, Nairo Quintana, is seventh, one place behind Manxman Pete Kennaugh, who ceded the leader's red jersey to Team Sky colleague Michal Kwiatkowski.

Belgian Gianni Meersmann won the stage.

The Vuelta is the third Grand Tour on the cycling calendar after the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France.

Spaniard Contador was the last man to win more than one in a season - claiming the Giro and Vuelta in 2008.

Stage 2 result:

1. Gianni Meersmann (Bel/Etixx - Quick-Step) 4hrs 16mins 39secs

2. Michael Schwarzmann (Ger/Bora-Argon 18) same time

3. Magnus Nielsen (Den/Orica BikeExchange)

4. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol/Team Sky)

5. Jonas van Genechten (Bel/IAM Cycling)

6. Kristan Sbaragali (Ita/Dimension Data)

7. Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita/Trek-Segafredo)

8. Jhonatan Restrepo (Col/Team Katusha)

9. Jean-Pierre Drucker (lux/BMC)

10. Lorenzo Manzin (Fra/FDJ)

General classification:

1. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol/Team Sky) 4hrs 47mins 16secs

2. Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa/Movistar) same time

3. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar)

4. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky)

5. Salvatore Puccio (Ita/Team Sky)

6. Peter Kennaugh (GB/Team Sky)

7. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar)

8. Leopold Konig (Cze/Team Sky)

9. Ruben Fernandez (Spa/Movistar)

10. Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa/Movistar)

Selected others:

16. Simon Yates (GB/Orica BikeExchange) +6secs

40. Alberto Contador (Spa/Tinkoff) +52 secs

131. Scott Thwaites (GB/Bora-Argon 18) +02mins 24secs

186. Hugh Carthy (GB/Caja Rural) +05mins 41secs