Vuelta Stage 16: Frank Schleck wins, Joaquim Rodriguez takes race lead

Katusha’s Joaquim Rodriguez, who started Stage 16 of the Vuelta today 1 second behind Astana’s Fabio Aru, now leads the Spanish Grand Tour by the same most slender of margins. The stage was won by Trek Factory Racing’s Frank Schleck.

The latter attacked from the break on the last but one of the day’s seven categorised climbs. Team Colombia’s Rodolfo Torres countered, but was dropped by Schleck with 3 kilometres remaining of the 185 kilometre stage from Luarca.

Schleck, aged 35, now adds a Vuelta stage win to two previous stage victories in the Tour de France.

After tomorrow’s rest day, Stage 17 sees a 38.7km individual time trial in Burgos, where Giant-Alpecin’s Tom Dumoulin, fourth overall 1 minute 51 seconds behind Rodriguez, is expected to take time back from the Katusha rider and Aru.