Degenkolb makes it three at Vuelta

John Degenkolb (Argos-Shimano) underlined his supremacy in the Vuelta a España's sprints by adding a third win to his Vuelta tally at Motorland Aragón on the race's seventh stage this afternoon.

On the racing circuit finish, popular with MotoGP and Superbike, he outsprinted ahead of Elia Viviani (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Allan Davis (Orica-GreenEdge) on a regular pushbike.

It was sweet recompense for his Argos-Shimano squad who shouldered most of the responsibility of reining in the day's four-strong breakaway over the Aragón plains.

The group, consisting of Frantisek Rabon (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Jan-bert Lindeman (Vacansoleil-DCM), Javier Aramendia (Caja Rural) and Pablo Lechuga (Andalucia), was brought back on the run-in to the motor racing circuit in the Aragón plains.

Uran loses time

A crash with ten kilometres to go divided the bunch. Rigoberto Uran (Team Sky) appeared to be held up by it, losing 1-09 and falling out of the top ten overall.

As the race got onto the smooth, wide straights and rumble strips of the circuit, Team Sky attempted set it up for Ben Swift.

Ian Stannard briefly bludgeoned a gap with him, team leader Froome and three others in tow, but their small group was caught by the rest.

Degenkolb shifts Swift

In the sprint, green jersey Degenkolb jumped past Swift and just held off a battling Viviani to the line. That's three out of three Vuelta sprint stages so far for the ex-HTC Highroad man.

Swift was swamped and placed tenth, while race leader Rodriguez, Froome and Contador all finished on the same time.

The trio will be a lot more to the fore in tomorrow's eighth stage, which sees a finish on the Andorran climb of Collada de la Gallina.

Results

Vuelta a Espana 2012, stage seven: Huesca-Alcañiz. Motorland Aragon

1. John Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-Shimano

2. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale

3. Allan Davis (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge

4. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-BigMat

5. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-Nissan

6. Gianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto-Belisol

7. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank

8. Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar

9. Lloyd Mondory (Fra) Ag2r-La Mondiale

10. Ben Swift (Gbr) Team Sky

Others

15. Alberto Contador (Spa) Saxo Bank-Sungard at 2secs

16. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha

23. Chris Froome (Gbr) at same time

General classification after stage seven

1. Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha 25-53-04

2. Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky at 10secs

3. Alberto Contador (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank at 36secs

4. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank at 54secs

5. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team

6. Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale at 1-04

7. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank at 1-12

8. Daniel Moreno (Spa) Katusha at 1-17

9. Juan Jose Cobo (Spa) Movistar at 1-34

10. Sergo Henao (Col) Team Sky at 1-39

Degenkolb makes it win number three

RadioShack lead the peloton on another hot day in the Vuelta

Vuelta a Espana 2012: Startlist

2012 Startlist

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Vuelta a Espana 2012: Reports

Stage one report: Movistar win team time trial

Stage two report: Degenkolb wins, Swift third

Stage three report: Valverde victorious after Contador attacks

Stage four report: Rodriguez takes over lead after Valverde crashes

Stage five report:Degenkolb wins again

Stage six report: Froome gains time on Contador

Vuelta a Espana 2012: Photos

Stage two gallery

Stage three gallery Stage four galleryStage five gallery

Stage six gallery

Vuelta a Espana 2012: Route info and analysis

Vuelta a Espana 2012 route revealed

Vuelta 2012 route leaves time triallists out in the cold