Moreno takes red jersey from Roche after stage win

Spaniard Daniel Moreno claimed the leader's red jersey by one second from Nicolas Roche in the Vuelta a Espana on Sunday after he won the ninth stage between Antequera and Valdepenas de Jaen.

Moreno led home a Spanish trio at the end of the 163.7km stage, collecting his second stage win of the grand tour having already succeeded on stage four.

Alejandro Valverde Belmonte and Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver finished four seconds shy of their compatriot Moreno, who burst clear in the closing stages of the uphill finish to collect the 10 seconds he needed for the victory with a provisional finishing time of four hours, 18 minutes and 57 seconds.

Coupled with his eight-second lead over Roche, who finished fourth in Valdepenas de Jaen, the 31-year-old has moved to the top of the general classification.

Moreno will be heartened by his stage win, adding to the one already secured on Wednesday, with 11 stages remaining before the final flat stage to Madrid on September 15th.