PONTEVEDRA, Spain (AP) — Nicolas Roche of Ireland won the second stage of the Spanish Vuelta on Sunday, while Vicenzo Nibali took the red overall leader’s jersey as the Italian aims for his second grand tour of the year.
SaxoBank-Tinkoff rider Roche broke away with three others on the final climb and used a furious finish to claim the 110-mile ride, which started in Pontevedra and finished at the Alto Do Monte Da Groba summit.
Daniel Moreno of Katusha was two seconds behind Roche, followed by AG2R La Mondiale rider Domenico Pozzovivo in third at six seconds back.
The first of 13 mountain stages didn’t seriously differentiate the race favorites — 2009 winner Alejandro Valverde, Joaquim Rodriguez, and Ivan Basso all ended 12 seconds off the pace.
