Anton takes win on Basque home soil as Cobo foils Froome
Vuelta a Espana 2011 stage 19 photo gallery by Graham Watson>>
Igor Anton took a joyous stage win for Euskaltel-Euskadi on home soil in the nineteenth stage of the Vuelta a Espana in Bilbao today.
As the Vuelta returned to the Basque Country for the first time in 33 years, Anton obliged with victory, roared on by the partisan, orange-clad masses as he dropped final breakaway companion Marzio Bruseghin (Movistar) at the foot of the last climb before the finish, El Vivero.
Behind, all attention was on the real battle in the Basque Country, between race leader Juan Jose Cobo and second-placed Chris Froome.
Froome attacked a kilometre from the top of El Vivero, but Cobo stuck stubbornly to his wheel. On the descent, the pair were quickly absorbed by the twenty-strong group of favourites.
Bruseghin held on for second, while Nerz and Zubeldia clipped off the front in the closing kilometres to deny Froome a chance of any bonus second gains. There were no major changes to the overall classification.
Tomorrow's penultimate day covers 185 kilometres from Bilbao to Vitoria. Of the four categorised climbs, the last - the Puerto de Urkiola - comes just under fifty kilometres from the finish before a flat run-in.
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Results
Vuelta a Espana 2011, stage nineteen: Noja to Bilbao, 159.3km
1. Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
2. Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Team Movistar at 41secs
3. Dominik Nerz (Ger) Liquigas-Cannondale at 1-30
4. Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Team RadioShack
5. Chris Anker Sorensen (Den) Saxo Bank-Sungard at 1-31
6. David De La Fuente (Spa) Geox-TMC at 1-33
7. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Leopard Trek
8. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
9. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
10. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank
Others
16. Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky
17. Juan Jose Cobo (Spa) Geox-TMC
18. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Team Sky
Overall classification after stage ninteen
1. Juan Jose Cobo (Spa) Geox-TMC in 77-59-12
2. Chris Froome (GB) Sky at 13 secs
3. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Sky at 1-41
4. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank at 2-03
5. Denis Menchov (Rus) Geox-TMC at 3-48
6. Maxime Monfort (Bel) Leopard-Trek at 4-13
7. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale at 4-31
8. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto at 4-45
9. Daniel Moreno (Spa) Katusha at 5-20
10. Mikel Nieve (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 5-33
Carlos Sastre leads Geox-TMC with Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome to the left
Bradley Wiggins ups the pace as Chris Froome (centre) is shadowed by Juan Jose Cobo (left)
Chris Froome launches an attack on the final climb, but he can't shake off Juan Jose Cobo
Igor Anton's determined solo effort
Igor Anton takes the win on home soil
Related links
Vuelta a Espana 2011: Cycling Weekly's coverage index
Vuelta a Espana 2011: Latest news
Froome narrows the gap on Cobo
Confusion reigns in Vuelta stage as riders tackle roundabout wrong way
Sky uses rest day to regroup before final leg of Vuelta
Wiggins upbeat despite losing Vuelta lead on Angliru
Crunch time for Wiggins and Froome in Vuelta
Wiggins says he will give it 100 per cent to defend Vuelta lead
Vuelta tackles unknown mountain top finish today
Froome: "This lead is a big milestone"
Wiggins in Vuelta: "We're in an amazing position"
Dan Martin delighted with King of the Mountains jersey
Sky dominates in Vuelta a Espana
Martin delighted with first ever grand tour stage win
Wiggins: A fantastic finish
Interview: Wiggins looks ahead of crucial three days of Vuelta
Farrar taken to hospital after Vuelta crash
Arvesen quits Vuelta with crash injuries
Anton suffers again but Rodriguez becomes Spain's top contender
Wiggins pleased with strong ride in Spanish sierras
Cavendish abandons Vuelta a Espana
Vuelta a Espana 2011: Teams, riders, start list
Vuelta a Espana 2011: Who's riding?
Vuelta a Espana 2011 team list
Vuelta a Espana 2011
: Stage reports
Stage 17: Chris Froome wins but can't unseat Cobo from race lead
Stage 16: Haedo wins confusing stage 16 finish in Vuelta
Stage 15: Wiggins loses race lead as Cobo stakes claim for overall on Angliru
Stage 14: Taaramae takes stage as Wiggins puts time into rivals
Stage 13: Albasini wins Vuelta stage 13 as Wiggins hangs on to lead
Stage 12: Sagan takes second 2011 Vuelta stage win
Stage 11: Wiggins takes overall lead as Moncoutie wins stage
Stage 10: Brit Froome moves into overall Vuelta lead after time trial
Stage nine: Martin wins as Wiggins moves further up GC
Stage eight: Rodriguez wins again to take overall lead
Stage seven: Kittel wins chaotic bunch sprint
Stage six: Sagan takes Vuelta stage win in controversial circumstances
Stage five: Rodriguez takes second win for Katusha but Chavanel holds on
Stage four: Moreno wins first mountain skirmish at Sierra Nevada
Stage three: Lastras solos to stage and takes red jersey
Stage two: Sutton grabs stage win to set things right for Sky
Stage one: Leopard-Trek win opening TTT to put Fuglsang in front
Vuelta a Espana 2011: Photo galleries
By Graham Watson
Stage 17 photo gallery
Stage 16 photo gallery
Stage 15 photo gallery
Stage 14 photo gallery
Stage 13 photo gallery
Stage 12 photo gallery
Stage 11 photo gallery
Stage 10 photo gallery
Stage nine photo gallery
Stage eight photo gallery
Stage seven photo gallery
Stage six photo gallery
Stage five photo gallery
Stage four photo gallery
Stage three photo gallery
Stage two photo gallery
Stage one photo gallery
Vuelta a Espana 2011: TV guide
Vuelta a Espana 2011: ITV4 TV schedule
Vuelta a Espana 2011: British Eurosport TV schedule
ITV to show 2011 Vuelta
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