Vuelta Stage 15: Joaquim Rodriguez wins to move to 1 second behind red jersey Fabio Aru

Joaquim Rodriguez of Katusha has moved to within a second of the overall lead in the 2015 Vuelta after winning Stage 15 of the race on today’s Category 1 summit finish at Sotres-Cabrales.

The 36-year-old, still looking for his maiden Grand Tour overall victory, attacked in the final kilometre of the 175.8 kilometre stage from Comillas on his way to taking the ninth Vuelta stage win of his career.

He finished 15 seconds ahead of red jersey Fabio Aru, fifth today, and bonus seconds mean the Spaniard now lies just 1 second behind the Italian on the General Classification.

Rafal Majka of Tinkoff-Saxo was second on the stage, 12 seconds behind the winner, and moves third overall, 1 minute 24 behind Aru, while third place on today’s stage was claimed by Rodriguez’s team mate, Daniel Moreno.

Former race leader Tom Dumoulin of Giant-Alpecin was 12th today, losing more than a minute to Rodriguez, and is 1 minute 25 seconds off the race lead.

But with Wednesday’s individual time trial still to come, the Dutch rider may yet challenge for the top step of the podium – something Aru and Rodriguez are only too aware of.

With a rest day on Tuesday, the pair will be looking to take more time from Dumoulin in the mountains on tomorrow’s Stage 16 to Ermita de Alba-Quiros, ahead of what is shaping up to be a hard-fought last few days of the year’s third and final Grand Tour.