I don’t think many people expected the breakaway to take the glory today but Stefan Denifl didn’t get that memo. The Austrian rode away from his companions on the insanely steep and rutted road to the summit of Los Machucos, holding off a sparkling, dancing Alberto Contador by 28secs to deliver Aqua Blue their first Grand Tour victory on their debut. Behind them the race exploded in the shrouding mist with a suffering Chris Froome ceding time to most of his rivals but retaining the leader’s jersey.
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