Simon Yates dusted off his Giro d’Italia playbook as he used a late attack to close the gap on the leader’s red jersey in La Vuelta while Ben King recorded a rare victory for Team Dimension Data on stage four.

Nicolas Roche has been named in Team Sky’s nine-man roster for the Vuelta a Espana, which starts on Saturday in the Andalucian town of Puerto Banus on the Costa del Sol.

Champion jockey Tony McCoy’s observation after he had virtually lifted Control Man over the line in the European Breeders Fund ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle Qualifier at Fontwell today said it all.