Froome completes Tour-Vuelta double as Trentin sprints to final stage win
Matteo Trentin sprinted to victory on the final stage of the Vuelta a Espana but the day belonged to Chris Froome.
Chris Froome sealed a Tour de France-Vuelta a Espana double on the final stage in Madrid on Sunday as Matteo Trentin sprinted to victory from the bunch.
Team Sky rider Froome finished in the red jersey for the first time in his career, following his fourth Tour triumph in July to become just the third man – along with Jacques Antequil and Bernard Hinault – to taste glory in both Grand Tours in the same year.
The Kenya-born Briton did not win a single stage during his most recent victory in France, but he claimed two in Spain – including an individual time trial after the second rest day that added close to a minute to his lead.
Froome, who enjoyed a beer with his team-mates in the opening stages of the final day, completed the 3324-kilometre route in 82 hours, 30 minutes and two seconds, with Bahrain-Merida's Vincenzo Nibali (+02:15) taking second ahead of Katusha rider Ilnur Zakarin (+02:51).
The final stage went to Trentin, who showed the greatest speed on the final stretch to cross the line first after 117.6km, with Lorrenzo Mazin (FDJ) second and Soren Kragh Andersen (Team Sunweb) third.
Alessandro De Marchi (BMC Racing), Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates) and Nicholas Schultz (Caja Rural) formed a three-man breakaway during the eight laps in the capital city, but they gave up the fight ahead of the final circuit.
Quick-Step Floors rider Trentin took full advantage, but winning the intermediate sprint and the stage was not enough for him to overtake Froome in the points classification.
Alberto Contador signed off his illustrious career with a magnificent solo stage win on Saturday, bringing the curtain down with victory on the ride's hardest climb – the Alto de l'Angliru.
Iconic Spaniard Contador, one of just six men to win all three Grand Tours, drank champagne and led the peloton into Madrid in front of an adoring crowd, who bade him a fond farewell and were thanked with a lap of honour from the 34-year-old.
STAGE RESULT
1. Matteo Trentin (Quick-Step Floors) 3:06:25
2. Lorrenzo Manzin (FDJ)
3. Soren Kragh Andersen (Team Sunweb)
4. Tom Van Asbroeck (Cannondale-Drapac)
5. Ivan Garcia (Bahrain-Merida)
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Chris Froome (Team Sky) 82:30:02
2. Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) +02:15
3. Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) +02:51
POINTS CLASSIFICATION
1. Chris Froome (Team Sky) 158 pts
2. Matteo Trentin (Quick-Step Floors) 156 pts
3. Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) 128 pts
KING OF THE MOUNTAINS
1. Davide Villella (Cannondale-Drapac) 67 pts
2. Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) 47 pts
3. Chris Froome (Team Sky) 35 pts