Degenkolb strikes for quick Vuelta stage double

Giant-Shimano’s John Degenkolb won his second straight stage of the Vuelta a Espana ahead of a frustrated Nacer Bouhanni in Rondo yesterday while some smart thinking saw Chris Froome pull back a couple of seconds in the general classification battle.

Although there was a lumpy finish to the 180km stage from Priego de Cordoba, it flattened out in time for the sprint teams to move into position after Team Sky and Alberto Contador’s Tinkoff-Saxo had led the peloton towards Rondo.

Degenkolb hit the front first as the line approached, and Bouhanni’s (FDJ) attempts to catch him appeared to be hampered by the crowd’s thunder sticks as he tried to ride along the barriers on the slight incline to the line.