Froome can’t close gap on leader Cobo

Team Sky’s Christopher Froome remained 13 seconds off Vuelta a Espana leader Juan Jose Cobo after the 18th stage yesterday afternoon.

Froome and home favourite Cobo (Geox-TMC) crossed the line in the peloton and in the same time at the end of the 174.6-kilometre stage from Solares to Noja as Italy’s Francesco Gavazzi took the victory after a two-man breakaway.

Gavazzi hung close to the wheel of Kristof Vandewalle before sliding up the inside on the final stretch of a sprint finish to pass his Belgian opponent and win the stage.

The Lampre rider clocked four hours, 24 minutes, 42 seconds for the stage, while the peloton finished more than seven minutes behind the leading duo as the top of the general classification remained unchanged with three stages to go.

Cobo tracked Froome, who won yesterday’s 17th stage to close the gap, in case of a split at the finale.

Froome’s fellow Briton Bradley Wiggins, who all but dropped out of contention following a disappointing ride on Wednesday, stayed one minute 41 seconds behind Cobo in third place ahead of Holland’s Bauke Mollema (Rabobank).

Cobo took the leader’s red jersey after the 15th stage and will look to keep hold of it on tomorrow’s 158km stage to Bilbao.