Vuelta a Espana: Chris Froome wins stage 19 to slash Nairo Quintana's lead
- Published
Chris Froome's stage win was his second of this year's race
Britain's Chris Froome slashed Nairo Quintana's lead in the Vuelta a Espana by more than two minutes with a dominant victory on stage 19.
Team Sky's Froome, 31, won the 37km time trial by 44 seconds from Jonathan Castroviejo, and finished two minutes 16 seconds in front of Quintana.
That leaves the Colombian, 26, one minute 21 seconds ahead of Froome.
Saturday's stage has a mountain-top finish, external before a largely processional final stage into Madrid on Sunday.
Froome, who won Olympic time trial bronze in Rio, is trying to become the first man for 38 years to win the Tour de France and Vuelta in the same season.
He said: "It's going to be tough. He still has a one-minute advantage but I'll keep fighting all the way."
Froome added the Vuelta would be his last race of the season.
Stage 19 result:
1. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) 46mins 43secs
2. Jonathan Castrovejo (Spa/Movistar) +44secs
3. Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe/Giant Alpecin) +1min 24secs
4. Yves Lampaert (Bel/Etixx - Quick-Step) +1min 26secs
5. Victor Campenaerts (Bel/Lotto NL-Jumbo) +1min 47secs
6. Leopold Konig (Cze/Team Sky) +1min 51secs
7. Andrew Talansky (US/Cannondale) +1min 54secs
8. Alberto Contador (Spa/Tinkoff) +1min 57secs
9. Fabio Felline (Ita/Trek-Segafredo) +1min 58secs
10. Luis-Leon Sanchez (Spa/Astana Pro) +2mins 10secs
General classification after stage 19:
1. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar) 75 hrs 18mins 52secs
2. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +1mins 21secs
3. Alberto Contador (Spa/Tinkoff) +3mins 33secs
4. Esteban Chaves (Col/Orica) +4mins 54secs
5. Andrew Talansky (US/Cannondale) +7mins 12secs
6. Simon Yates (GB/Orica) +7mins 32secs
7. Michele Scarponi (Ita/Astana) +10mins 1secs
8. Daniel Fernandez-Moreno (Spa/Movistar) +10mins 7secs
9. David De La Cruz (Spa/Etixx - Quick-Step) +10mins 11secs
10. Davide Formolo (Ita/Cannondale) +11mins 14secs