Chris Froome extends lead at La Vuelta
By Richard Cooke
Last Updated: 27/08/17 2:38pm
Team Sky's Chris Froome has extended his overall lead of La Vuelta with a show of strength on stage eight.
The 199km route from Hellin to Xorret de Cati was won by France's Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) for his first Grand Tour stage win.
Froome finished 14th on the stage, one minute 27 seconds behind, as his overall advantage climbed to almost half a minute.
Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) was a place in front of the Team Sky rider as the Spaniard and Froome finished 15 seconds ahead of the general classification contenders.
Froome now leads his nearest rival, Columbia's Esteban Chaves (Orica-Scott), by 28 seconds ahead of Sunday's ninth stage to Cumbre del Sol.
The three-time Tour de France winner is aiming to become only the third person to win La Vuelta and the Tour in the same year and the first since 1978.
He has finished runner-up in Spain three times but is continuing to make gains which could be crucial in two weeks' time.
Earlier, Warren Barguil, who had been in 13th place, was sent home by Team Sunweb for refusing to obey team orders.
