Vuelta a Espana: De la Cruz wins stage nine as Froome drops to fourth overall
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David De La Cruz handed the Etixx-QuickStep team its third victory of this year’s Vuelta a Espana on Sunday by winning stage nine in Alto de Naranco.
The stage covered 164.5 kilometres and featured climbs up five mountains.
Spaniard De la Cruz was part of a 12-man breakaway and then escaped with Dries Devenyns on the final ascent of the day with just over five kilometres remaining.
De la Cruz is not expected to challenge for the overall title and the main contenders, including Tour de France winner Chris Froome, three-time champion Alberto Contador and Nairo Quintana appeared happy to let him go.
With just under a kilometre to the line De la Cruz unleashed a ferocious attacked on Devenyns and went on to claim stunning solo win and in doing so overtook Quintana at the top of the general standings.
Froome finished with his title rivals and is now fourth overall at 49 seconds.