Vuelta a Espana: Nairo Quintana set to win after holding off Chris Froome challenge

Nairo Quintana added two seconds to his lead after holding off Chris Froome on the final climb of Alto de Aitana

Nairo Quintana is set to win the Vuelta a Espana after holding off Briton Chris Froome's challenge on the final mountain-top finish of the race.

The Colombian, 26, leads Froome by one minute 23 seconds with only Sunday's processional stage into Madrid to come.

Team Sky's Froome, 31, attacked Quintana repeatedly as the pair climbed Alto de Aitana, but the Movistar rider beat Froome by two seconds.

The stage was won by Frenchman Pierre-Roger Latour of Ag2r-La Mondiale.

The 22-year-old outsprinted Colombia's Darwin Atapuma at the summit.

Stage 20 was Froome's last chance to attack Quintana after trimming his lead by more than two minutes in the individual time trial on Friday.

He was attempting to become the first man to win the Tour de France and Vuelta in the same season since Bernard Hinault in 1978.

The win will be Quintana's second in a Grand Tour - his maiden success came in the 2014 Giro d'Italia.

Quintana's compatriot Estaban Chaves will complete the podium places in general classification after overhauling Spain's Alberto Contador, a three-time winner of the Vuelta.

Britain's Simon Yates finished 14th on the stage to remain sixth overall.

Stage 20 result:

1. Pierre-Roger Latour (Fra/Ag2r) 5hrs 19 mins 41 secs

2. Darwin Atapuma (Col/BMC) +2secs

3. Fabio Felline (Ita/ Trek-Segafredo) +17secs

4. Mathias Frank (Swi/IAM Cycling) +40secs

5. Robert Gesink (Ned/LottoNl-Jumbo +1min 03secs

6. Bart de Clercq (Bel/Lotto Soudal) +1min 28secs

7. Rudy Molard (Fra/Cofidis) +2mins 02secs

8. Lilian Calmejane (Fra/Direct Energie) +3mins 01sec

9. Esteban Chaves (Col/Orica-BikeExchange) +3mins 17secs

10. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar) +4mins 03secs

11. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +4mins 05secs

12. Andrew Talansky (USA/Cannondale) +4mins 34secs

13. Alberto Contador (Spa/Tinkoff) +4mins 41secs

14. Simon Yates (GB/Orica-BikeExchange) +5mins 04secs

15. David de la Cruz (Spa/Etixx - Quick-Step) +5mins 10secs

General classification after stage 20:

1. Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar) 80hrs 42mins 36secs

2. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +1mins 23secs

3. Esteban Chaves (Col/Orica) +4mins 08secs

4. Alberto Contador (Spa/Tinkoff) +4mns 21secs

5. Andrew Talansky (US/Cannondale) +7mins 43secs

6. Simon Yates (GB/Orica) +8mins 33secs

7. David de la Cruz (Spa/Etixx - Quick-Step) +11mins 18secs

8. Daniel Fernandez-Moreno (Spa/Movistar) +13mins 04secs

9. Davide Formolo (Ita/Cannondale) +13mins 17secs

10. George Bennett (NZ/LottoNI-Jumbo) +14mins 07secs