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Drucker wins sprint stage in Vuelta although Bennati almost upset everyone

Xinhua, September 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

Jean Pierre Drucker (BMC) won a sprint finish to claim victory in the 16th stage of the Vuelta de Espana cycle race which took the riders from 154 kilometers between Alcaniz and Peniscola on Monday.

The stage always looked to be one for the sprinters after the past days' efforts in the high mountains and everything looked set for a mass sprint before Daniel Bennati (Tinkoff) almost surprised everyone when he sprang from the peloton with two kilometers remaining of a entrance into Peniscola made tricky by a series of roundabouts.

The Italian caused panic in the main group as the main sprinters' teams saw their preparations ruined and Gianni Meersman (looking for a third stage win of the race) was forced to start his sprint too soon as Bennati threatened to make it over the line.

Bennati was caught with just meters to go, but Meersman ran out of gas allowing Drucker to overtake him to claim the stage.

With the sprinters dueling things out on Monday the overall leadership of the race remained unaltered with Nairo Quintana maintaining a half minute lead over Chris Froome with Johan Chaves 20 seconds further back in third going into Tuesday's rest day. Endit