Vuelta Stage 18: Nicolas Roche wins from break

Team Sky’s Nicolas Roche has won the second Vuelta stage of his career, holding off fellow escapee Haimar Zubeldia of Trek Factory Racing to win Stage 18 of the 70th edition of the race in Riaza.

The Irish rider attacked from the break on the final climb of the 204 kilometre stage from Roa, only Zubeldia able to go with him.

The Trek Factory Racing rider was in Roche’s slipstream approaching the line, but the Team Sky rider proved strong enough to hold him off.

His previous highest finish in a Grand Tour stage came in the 2009 Tour de France when came second in Stage 14 from Colmar to Besancon.

Riding then for AG2R-La Mondiale, Roche led the chasing group home 16 seconds behind that day’s winner, Serguei Ivanov of Katusha.

On the last climb of today’s stage, the Alto de la Quesera, crested 13 kilometres out, Astana’s Fabio Aru, 3 seconds behind race leader Tom Dumoulin on the General Classification, tried to put the Giant-Alpecin rider under pressure.

The Dutch rider countered to defend his lead, and that remains the margin between them tonight.

With Wouter Poels winning Stage 5 of the Aviva Tour of Britain this afternoon, Roche's win also completed a great day for Team Sky.