Mathias Frank scored his first ever Grand Tour win on a summit finish making it’s debut in a race parcours. The Swiss rider paced his ascent of the brutal ramps with metronomic precision, keeping ahead of Sky’s Leopold Konig to take IAM’s second win of the Vuelta. Conquerer of the Aubisque, Robert Gesink, rode inelegantly but oh-so-effectively to third. That’s a complete set of podium steps for the resurgent Dutch rider! If the breakaway fought for stage honours, it was a case of ‘steady as she goes‘ for the top four on GC. Esteban Chaves, Alberto Contador and Nairo Quintana attacked in the last kilometres, but they could neither distance each other or Chris Froome.
