Anton takes win on Basque home soil as Cobo foils Froome

Vuelta a Espana 2011 stage 19 photo gallery by Graham Watson>>

Igor Anton took a joyous stage win for Euskaltel-Euskadi on home soil in the nineteenth stage of the Vuelta a Espana in Bilbao today.

As the Vuelta returned to the Basque Country for the first time in 33 years, Anton obliged with victory, roared on by the partisan, orange-clad masses as he dropped final breakaway companion Marzio Bruseghin (Movistar) at the foot of the last climb before the finish, El Vivero.

Behind, all attention was on the real battle in the Basque Country, between race leader Juan Jose Cobo and second-placed Chris Froome.

Froome attacked a kilometre from the top of El Vivero, but Cobo stuck stubbornly to his wheel. On the descent, the pair were quickly absorbed by the twenty-strong group of favourites.

Bruseghin held on for second, while Nerz and Zubeldia clipped off the front in the closing kilometres to deny Froome a chance of any bonus second gains. There were no major changes to the overall classification.

Tomorrow's penultimate day covers 185 kilometres from Bilbao to Vitoria. Of the four categorised climbs, the last - the Puerto de Urkiola - comes just under fifty kilometres from the finish before a flat run-in.

Results

Vuelta a Espana 2011, stage nineteen: Noja to Bilbao, 159.3km

1. Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi

2. Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Team Movistar at 41secs

3. Dominik Nerz (Ger) Liquigas-Cannondale at 1-30

4. Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Team RadioShack

5. Chris Anker Sorensen (Den) Saxo Bank-Sungard at 1-31

6. David De La Fuente (Spa) Geox-TMC at 1-33

7. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Leopard Trek

8. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale

9. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale

10. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank

Others

16. Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky

17. Juan Jose Cobo (Spa) Geox-TMC

18. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Team Sky

Overall classification after stage ninteen

1. Juan Jose Cobo (Spa) Geox-TMC in 77-59-12

2. Chris Froome (GB) Sky at 13 secs

3. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Sky at 1-41

4. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank at 2-03

5. Denis Menchov (Rus) Geox-TMC at 3-48

6. Maxime Monfort (Bel) Leopard-Trek at 4-13

7. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale at 4-31

8. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto at 4-45

9. Daniel Moreno (Spa) Katusha at 5-20

10. Mikel Nieve (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 5-33

Carlos Sastre leads Geox-TMC with Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome to the left

Bradley Wiggins ups the pace as Chris Froome (centre) is shadowed by Juan Jose Cobo (left)

Chris Froome launches an attack on the final climb, but he can't shake off Juan Jose Cobo

Igor Anton's determined solo effort

Igor Anton takes the win on home soil

Related links

Vuelta a Espana 2011: Cycling Weekly's coverage index

Vuelta a Espana 2011: Latest news

Froome narrows the gap on Cobo

Confusion reigns in Vuelta stage as riders tackle roundabout wrong way

Sky uses rest day to regroup before final leg of Vuelta

Wiggins upbeat despite losing Vuelta lead on Angliru

Crunch time for Wiggins and Froome in Vuelta

Wiggins says he will give it 100 per cent to defend Vuelta lead

Vuelta tackles unknown mountain top finish today

Froome: "This lead is a big milestone"

Wiggins in Vuelta: "We're in an amazing position"

Dan Martin delighted with King of the Mountains jersey

Sky dominates in Vuelta a Espana

Martin delighted with first ever grand tour stage win

Wiggins: A fantastic finish

Interview: Wiggins looks ahead of crucial three days of Vuelta

Farrar taken to hospital after Vuelta crash

Arvesen quits Vuelta with crash injuries

Anton suffers again but Rodriguez becomes Spain's top contender

Wiggins pleased with strong ride in Spanish sierras

Cavendish abandons Vuelta a Espana

Vuelta a Espana 2011: Teams, riders, start list

Vuelta a Espana 2011: Who's riding?

Vuelta a Espana 2011 team list

Vuelta a Espana 2011

: Stage reports

Stage 17: Chris Froome wins but can't unseat Cobo from race lead

Stage 16: Haedo wins confusing stage 16 finish in Vuelta

Stage 15: Wiggins loses race lead as Cobo stakes claim for overall on Angliru

Stage 14: Taaramae takes stage as Wiggins puts time into rivals

Stage 13: Albasini wins Vuelta stage 13 as Wiggins hangs on to lead

Stage 12: Sagan takes second 2011 Vuelta stage win

Stage 11: Wiggins takes overall lead as Moncoutie wins stage

Stage 10: Brit Froome moves into overall Vuelta lead after time trial

Stage nine: Martin wins as Wiggins moves further up GC

Stage eight: Rodriguez wins again to take overall lead

Stage seven: Kittel wins chaotic bunch sprint

Stage six: Sagan takes Vuelta stage win in controversial circumstances

Stage five: Rodriguez takes second win for Katusha but Chavanel holds on

Stage four: Moreno wins first mountain skirmish at Sierra Nevada

Stage three: Lastras solos to stage and takes red jersey

Stage two: Sutton grabs stage win to set things right for Sky

Stage one: Leopard-Trek win opening TTT to put Fuglsang in front

Vuelta a Espana 2011: Photo galleries

By Graham Watson

Stage 17 photo gallery

Stage 16 photo gallery

Stage 15 photo gallery

Stage 14 photo gallery

Stage 13 photo gallery

Stage 12 photo gallery

Stage 11 photo gallery

Stage 10 photo gallery

Stage nine photo gallery

Stage eight photo gallery

Stage seven photo gallery

Stage six photo gallery

Stage five photo gallery

Stage four photo gallery

Stage three photo gallery

Stage two photo gallery

Stage one photo gallery

Vuelta a Espana 2011: TV guide

Vuelta a Espana 2011: ITV4 TV schedule

Vuelta a Espana 2011: British Eurosport TV schedule

ITV to show 2011 Vuelta