MONFORTE DE LEMOS, Spain (Reuters) – Denmark’s Magnus Cort Nielsen won a hilly stage 19 of the Vuelta de Espana on Friday with Primoz Roglic rock solid in the overall leader’s red jersey with the two days remaining.
The EF Education-Nippo rider was part of a seven-man group that worked superbly together in the last 20km of the 191.2km route in Galicia and edged the sprint finish.
Rui Oliveira (UAE Emirates) was second with American Quinn Simmons (Trek Segafredo) in third spot.
Slovenian Roglic, who seized the red jersey on Wednesday, finished safely in the peloton which rolled over the line 18 seconds behind the stage winner.
With Sunday’s climax being a time trial, Olympic champion Roglic now looks odds on to claim overall victory in the Vuelta for the third successive year although Saturday’s mountainous stage will offer a final chance for his rivals to mount attacks.
Jumbo-Visma’s Roglic leads by two minutes 30 seconds from Enric Mas with Miguel Angel Lopez another 23 seconds back.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)
