Vuelta Stage 6: Esteban Chaves wins to move back into overall lead

Esteban Chaves of Orica-GreenEdge is back in the lead of the Vuelta after winning his second stage of the race this afternoon at Sierra de Cazorla.

The Colombian rider won last Sunday’s Stage 2 of the race to Caminito del Rey and held the race leader’s red jersey until yesterday, when Tom Dumoulin of Giant-Alpecin moved to the top of the overall standings.

Dumoulin crossed the line in third place at the end of today’s 200.3km Stage 6 from Cordoba with Cannondale-Garmin’s Dan Martin second, both men 5 seconds behind Chaves.

Race favourites including Chris Froome of Team Sky and the Movistar pairing of Alejandro Valverde and Nairo Quintana were in a group that finished 11 seconds behind the stage winner.

On the final climb, MTN-Qhubeka’s Steve Cummings, a past Vuelta stage winner who won his first Tour de France stage this year, was on his own at the head of the race, the last survivor of the day’s break.

Chaves, with an eye on getting back in red, attacked out of the chasing group and reeled the British rider in and although Dumoulin tried to chase him down, was unable to hold onto the jersey as Orica-GreenEdge took their second successive win following Caleb Ewan’s victory yesterday.

Dumoulin lies second overall, with third and fourth positions held respectively by Martin and his cousin, Nicolas Roche of Team Sky.