Cycling: Rodriguez too strong for Froome

Team Sky’s Chris Froome was edged out in the final sprint as Katusha’s Joaquin Rodriguez extended his lead in the Vuelta a Espana to ten seconds with victory in stage six yesterday.

Froome broke for the line in the final 400 metres of the 175.4km stage from Tarazona to Jaca, but Rodriguez was on his wheel and overtook him on the run-in.

The Spaniard won the stage by five seconds from his British red jersey rival, with Alejandro Valverde third and Alberto Contador next home to strengthen his hold on third place in the general classification.

The latter trails 25 seconds behind Froome overall, with Rigoberto Uran a further six seconds back in fourth and Robert Gesink competing the top five narrowly ahead of Valverde.

John Degenkolb, of Team Argos-Shimano, holds the sprinter’s green jersey ahead of Rodriguez, Valverde and Froome, with Valverde second to Simon Clarke in the climber’s standings.

Sky hold a lead of one minute and nine seconds in the team classification ahead of Rabobank, led by Gesink and Bauke Mollema.