Stage 7 Results:
1) Matej Mohoric (SLO) - UAE Team Emirates
2) Pawel Poljanski (POL) - BORA - Hansgrohe
3) Jose Joaquin Rojas (ESP) - Movistar
4) Thomas De Gendt (BEL) - Lotto Soudal
5) Alessandro De Marchi (ITA) - BMC Racing Team
GC Standings after Stage 7:
1) Chris Froome (GBR) - Team Sky | 27:46:51
2) Esteban Chaves (COL) - ORICA - Scott | + 0:00:11
3) Nicolas Roche (IRL) - BMC Racing Team | + 0:00:13
4) Tejay van Garderen (USA) - BMC Racing Team | +0:00:30
5) Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) - Bahrain - Merida | + 0:00:36
Matej Mohoric, the 22 year-old Slovenian, did the virtually unthinkable on today's La Vuelta stage after splitting from the breakaway 10km from the line to cruise to a first ever Grand tour stage victory!
Chris Froome did retain the red jersey, but had been challenged by Jetse Bol (a rider for the Colombian wildcard team Manzana Postobon) with the 'virtual red jersey' changing hands multiple times throughout the race. Bol had started the stage with a 8 minute and 55 second defecit on Froome, but a strong performance from him up in the breakaway allowed him to cut 8 minutes and 9 seconds of that lead - slotting into 7th, 6 seconds behind David De La Cruz of Quickstep.
Team Sky did their usual race completely controlling the Peleton pace, and just about managed it well enough to keep Froome in the red. Not a big fan of their tactics as it makes the race pretty boring, but I'm sure the 'scare' posed by Jetse Bol has taught them a lesson not to overlook the underdogs.
Pawel Poljanski, in the break for a 2nd consecutive day, managed to get another podium finish and showed real strength on the gruelling final climb today.
Very little movement in the GC with all the favourites finishing within the main pack of Chris Froome's Team Sky - with only Keldermann of Team Sunweb (although an unlikely contender) losing time on the red jersey wearing Brit.
Keep posted for more stage reports!