Chris Froome keeps Vuelta hopes alive

Chris Froome maintained his slim hopes of claiming the Vuelta a Espana title despite missing out on victory on stage 18 atop Monte Castrove on Thursday.

Dan Martin maintained his sixth place on today's stage but saw the Spaniard Samuel Sanchez (BMC Racing Team) move to within seven seconds of his time.

Martin has been on antibiotics since his crash earlier this week, with the tablets being prescribed as a precaution against a possible infection. Known to potentially affect a rider’s form, the medication may explain why he had very mixed feelings during the stage.

He positioned himself well as the action played out on the final climb, but when the riders ahead of him in the general classification put the hammer down, he was unable to follow. He ended up 12th, 48 seconds behind the stage winner Fabio Aru (Astana), and 31 seconds behind Sanchez, who took fifth.

The other Irish rider in the race, Philip Deignan (Sky), finished eight minutes 11 seconds back in 45th place. He is 44th overall with three stages to go.

The conclusion of the 157-kilometre route from A Estrada featured two ascents of Monte Castrove and one of the final opportunities to accrue time. Italian Fabio Aru (Astana) beat Froome to the line, but the Team Sky leader stole crucial seconds from Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) to move second behind overall leader Alberto Contador.

Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) now leads Froome by one minute 19 seconds after the Spaniard finished fifth, 13 seconds behind Aru.

Valverde fell to third, 13 seconds adrift of Froome and one minute 32 seconds behind Contador. It is unlikely Contador will relinquish the red jersey before Sunday’s concluding short individual time-trial in Santiago de Compostela, but stranger things have happened. Friday’s 180.5km 19th stage is from Salvaterra do Mino to Cangas do Morrazo.