Vuelta a Espana 2011, stage 12 photo gallery by Graham Watson>>
Peter Sagan (Liquigas) picked up his second stage win of this year's Vuelta a Espana in a sprint finish at Pontevedra on Thursday.
The Slovakian outkicked John Degenkolb (HTC-Highroad) and Daniele Bennati (Leopard-Trek) to the line, as a twisting run-in caused small splits in the bunch.
Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) and Fredrik Kessiakoff (Astana) profited most from the resulting time gaps. Of the GC contenders, only they gained time on their rivals, with Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) four seconds back and Britain's Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins (both Team Sky), and the other favourites trailing by a further second.
Fabian Cancellara (Leopard-Trek) led the sprint out, doing a characteristically long and brutal turn on the front in the final kilometres. Sagan was sat on Bennati's wheel as Cancellara peeled off, and jumped past the Italian as the sprinters closed in on the finish.
Wiggins remains in the leader's jersey, with his steward Froome still in second. Kessiakoff moves up into third at the expense of Nibali as a result of the stage, leading him by one second and trailing Froome by two.
On Friday, the riders face another testing day in the mountains on stage 13, a 158.2km trip from Sarria to Ponferrada.
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Results
Vuelta a Espana 2011, stage 12: Ponteareas to Pontevedra, 167.3km
1. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale
2. John Degenkolb (Ger) HTC-Highroad
3. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Leopard-Trek
4. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-ISD
5. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Saxo Bank-Sungard
6. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
7. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing
8. Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank
9. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quick Step
10. Lloyd Mondory (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale all same time
Other
16. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale at 4 secs
29. Chris Froome (GB) Sky at 5 secs
32. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Sky at 5 secs
96. Ian Stannard (GB) Sky at 37 secs
Overall classification after stage 12
1. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Sky in 46-53-47
2. Chris Froome (GB) Sky at 7 secs
3. Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana at 9 secs
4. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale at 10 secs
5. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Leopard-Trek at 19 secs
6. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank at 36 secs
7. Maxime Monfort (Bel) Leopard-Trek at 1-06
8. Juan Jose Cobo (Spa) Geox-TMC at 1-27
9. Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) RadioShack at 1-53
10. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) RadioShack at 2-00
Peter Sagan grabs his second stage win of the 2011 race
Bradley Wiggins maintains his overall lead
Vuelta a Espana 2011: Related links
Vuelta a Espana 2011: Cycling Weekly's coverage index
Vuelta a Espana 2011: Latest news
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 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 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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