“I’ve lost a Vuelta before by 13 seconds so I’m going to fight for every second I can at this point’ – Team Sky’s Chris Froome told in an interview right after the today’s stage three.
Froome is the official leader of Vuelta a Espana so far. His position was sealed right after Froome undertook a final attack during the last kilometers of the mountainous stage three to Andorra.
?Etapa 3 Prades ➡️ Andorra.
?Nibali ?se llevó la victoria y ?? Froome el liderato?. #LV2017 pic.twitter.com/0K8CLiiWHv— Vuelta a España (@lavuelta) August 21, 2017
The Team Sky best rider is now one step closer to making history and setting a record even though he admitted to not expect to keep all of the leader’s jerseys all the way to the final day in Madrid on 10th of September.
He is now taking the time to bid and become the third cyclist in the history to have ever won both Vuelta a Espana and Tour de France in the same season.
The Team Sky’s 32 year-old rider was able to produce an efficient and tactical ride towards the end of the today’s third stage. Eventually, he claimed 3 additional seconds by winning the last intermediate sprint.
Win the fastest jersey THE RED ?
➡RT & FOLLOW to join⬅Gana el jersey más rápido EL ROJO ?
➡RT & FOLLOW para participar⬅#LV2017 pic.twitter.com/rJoBLVfWf4— Vuelta a España (@lavuelta) August 21, 2017
Red Jersey on display
These bonus seconds Froome received were able to automatically put him into the red jersey by two seconds from Spaniard David de la Cruz, the Quick-Step Floors’ rider.
On the other hand, the BMC rider, American Tejay Van who won the Vuelta a Espana back in 2010, took the fifth place with 10 seconds behind the four-time Tour de France champion.
“Keeping the jersey until the end] is going to be really hard, especially with all the time bonuses out there. There’s just two seconds until the next group of riders so it’s still really close. We can expect a big fight for the jersey”- Froome added.
“I don’t necessarily expect to keep it all the way, especially with it being so close. We’re just going to have to see one day at a time. Obviously we’re going to do everything we can to protect it now.”
