Froome wins 11th Vuelta stage

Chris Froome won a thrilling uphill duel against climbing rival Nairo Quintana by a bike length to clinch the 11th stage of the Spanish Vuelta on Wednesday.

Quintana defended his race lead and is now 54 seconds ahead of Froome, who overtook Alejandro Valverde to move second overall.

Valverde finished six seconds behind, dropping to third overall and 1:05 behind Quintana.

Froome, who clinched his third Tour de France title in July, got his first stage win at a major race on this same Pena Cabarga peak in 2011 - the year the British rider finished as the Vuelta runner-up.

Froome and Quintana, who have had some memorable climbing contests on the Tour, tested one another on the category-one ascent, trading attacks before Froome edged the Colombian at the line.