Vuelta a Espana: Chris Froome wins stage 11 to move into second place

Tour de France 2016 winner Chris Froome now trails leader Nairo Quintana by 54 seconds

Britain's Chris Froome won stage 11 of the Vuelta a Espana to move into second place overall.

Froome, who climbed back to third in stage 10, narrowed the gap on overall leader Nairo Quintana to 54 seconds.

Spain's Alejandro Valverde has fallen to third, with Briton Simon Yates in seventh place.

"Quintana is really strong and I'm trying to do as much as I can day by day and trying to get close to him," Froome said.

"After the season I've had it is really tough for me at the moment".

Froome, who is aiming to become the first man in 38 years to win the Tour de France and the Vuelta in the same season, had previously been 58 seconds behind Quintana.

Stage 11 result:

1. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) 3hrs 44mins 47secs

2. Nairo Quintana (Col/ Movistar) same time

3. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar)+6secs

4. Leopold Koenig (Cze/Team Sky) same time

5. Alberto Contador (Spa/Tinkoff)

6. Simon Yates (GB/Orica) +13secs

7. Michele Scarponi (Ita/ Astana) +14secs

8. Esteban Chaves (Col/Orica) +19secs

9. Pierre Latour (Fra/AG2R) +22secs

10. Samuel Sanchez (Spa/BMC Racing) +30secs

General classification after stage 11:

1. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar) 42hrs 21mins 48secs

2. Chris Froome (GB/ Team Sky) +54secs

3. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +1min 5secs

4. Esteban Chaves (Col/Orica) +2mins 34secs

5. Alberto Contador (Spa/Tinkoff) +3mins 6secs

6. Leopold Koenig (Cze/Team Sky) +3mins 9secs

7. Simon Yates (GB/Orica) +3mins 25secs

8. Michele Scarponi (Ita/Astana) +3mins 34secs

9. David De La Cruz (Spa/Etixx-Quick-Step) +3mins 45secs

10. Samuel Sanchez (Spa/BMC Racing) +3mins 56secs