Vuelta 2016 Stage 13: Conti solos to victory, Quintana still in red

Stage 13 is the longest in the Vuelta a España featuring a sheer endless series of hills, yet the finale is mostly flat. Twelve attackers are on a roll the whole day, while Valerio Conti goes solo with around 20 kilometres remaining to take the flowers. Quintana retains in the overall lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 13th stage Vuelta 2016

1. Valerio Conti (ita)
2. Danilo Wyss (swi) + 0.55
3. Sergey Lagutin (rus) s.t.
4. Michael Gogl (pol) s.t.
5. Vegard Stake Laengen (nor) s.t.
6. Yves Lampaert (bel) s.t.
7. Cesare Benedetti (ita) + 1.02
8. Jelle Wallays (bel) + 1.04
9. Gatis Smukulis (lat) s.t.
10. Stéphane Rossetto (fra) + 1.08

GC after stage 13
1. Nairo Quintana (col)
2. Chris Froome (gbr) + 0.54
3. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 1.05
4. Esteban Chaves (col) + 2.34
5. Alberto Contador (spa) + 3.06
6. Leopold König (cze) + 3.09
7. Simon Yates (gbr) + 3.25
8. Michele Scarponi (ita) + 3.34
9. David de la Cruz (spa) + 3.45
10. Samuel Sánchez (spa) + 3.56

11. Andrew Talansky (usa) + 5.03
12. Daniel Moreno (spa) + 5.38
13. Davide Formolo (ita) + 5.44
14. Sergio Pardilla (spa) + 5.55
15. Peter Kennaugh (gbr) + 6.30

Race report
Attacks galore once the flag is dropped, but it’s only when Gatis Smukulis, Sergey Lagutin, Tom Stamsnijder, Jelle Wallays, Yves Lampaert, Michael Gogl, Danilo Wyss, Vegard Stake Laengen, Valerio Conti, Stéphane Rossetto, Cesare Benedetti and Romain Cardis join forces that they manage to break away. The 12 riders race to a lead of 22 minutes.

In the final 30 kms several riders in the front group try to jump clear and with 20 kms left Lampaert, Wyss, Conti, Lagutin, Laengen and Gogl are left up front. Then Conti breaks free to put 1 minute into his chasers and 26 minutes into the peloton.

The 23-year old Italian soloes to victory, while Wyss sprints to second place.