Chris Froome will start two minutes behind Nairo Quintana in the Vuelta a España‘s crucial stage 19 time trial this afternoon, but will hope to make up over three minutes on the race leader.
Froome sits 3-37 down on Quintana after 18 gruelling stages and with the 37km time trial and a summit finish on stage 20 the only opportunities to gain time, the Team Sky man will hope to put the Colombian to the sword in Calpe.
The course, starting in Javea, doesn’t offer much in the way of hills, meaning it should be advantage Froome when it comes to speed against the clock, but Quintana is no slouch in the time trials these days and is confident of taking a healthy lead into Saturday’s penultimate stage.
The stage kicks off at 12.46 BST, with Orica-BikeExchange‘s Svein Tuft looking to set a time that will keep him in the leader’s seat for most of the afternoon.
Movistar’s Jonathan Castroviejo will be one of the main favourites for the stage, along with the likes of Froome and Andrew Talansky (Cannondale-Drapac).
Top 10 riders’ start times
15.38 – Davide de la Cruz (Etixx-Quick Step)
15.40 – Michele Scarponi (Astana)
15.42 – Davide Formolo (Cannondale-Drapac)
15.44 – Samuel Sanchez (BMC)
15.46 – Andrew Talansky (Cannondale-Drapac)
15.48 – Simon Yates (Orica-BikeExchange)
15.50 – Alberto Contador (Tinkoff)
15.52 – Esteban Chaves (Orica-BikeExchange)
15.54 – Chris Froome (Team Sky)
15.56 – Nairo Quintana (Movistar)
Notable others
12.46 – Svein Tuft (Orica-BikeExchange)
13.21 – Hugh Carthy (Caja Rural)
13.29 – Scott Thwaites (Bora-Argon 18)
14.46 – Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky)
14.49 – Jonathan Castroviejo (Movistar)
15.02 – Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana)
15.26 – Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)
