Tour of Spain Stage 17: Vaustino V > Peña Cabarga, 211kms

If Chris Froome has hopes of winning this VUelta, he'd better not stay at the back much longer..!

A huge escape hs worked its way in front, led by LeMevel and Chavanel...

GARMINVUELTA

Euskatel doesn't like the make-up of the escape - they begin a long hard chase to close a minute's gap...

This is no ordinary Toro - it carries graffiti from Basque hardliners who live in the area...

Juan Jose Cobo is having his bike fixed as the peloton carries on its pursuit...

That was yesterday, today's another day - Juan Jose Haedo has swapped winning stages for bottle-carrying duties...

The escape is climbing the day's first hill, but it's breaking up as well...

Stijn Devolder is leading the Vacansoleil team in pursuit about one minute back...

The escape has been caught but Katusha are setting a fast pace because Wouter Poels has been left behind by a split on the descent...

KATUSHAVUELTA

A new escape gets away, led by Chavanel again...

QUICKSTEPVUELTA

The climb of the Portillo de Lunada has become - Stuart O'Grady tries to nurse his tired teamate, Oliver Zaugg...

Marzio Bruseghin and Matthias Frank have got across to the Chavanel escape, as has Moncoutié...

The peloton descends into Cantabrica over the Portillo de Lunada...

SCENERYVUELTA

Katusha are leading the race towards the uphill finish for Rodriguez...

Daniel Martin launches the first attack on the final climb...

Martin looks good and determined as the climbing starts...

GARMINVUELTA

Bruseghin has found his second wind and caught Martin with four-kilometres to go...

Chris Anker Sorensen is chasing the duet...

Denis Menchov is guarding Cobo in a group 20-seconds back...

GEOXVUELTA

Brseghin, Martin and Sorensen only have a slender lead with two-kilometres left...

Jurgen Van den Broeck has a go now...!

OMEGAVUELTA

Cobo is waiting for the expected attack by Froome...

Froome has attcaked and dropped Cobo as the last kilometre begins..!

SKYVUELTA

Chris Froome wins atop the Peña Cabarga, but Cobo has almost caught him...

SKYVUELTA

Nicholas Roche looks exhausted after the finish...

AG2RFATIGUEVUELTA

Roche and Martin are all smiles a few minutes later - it's great to have friends..!

FRIENDSVUELTA

Juan Jose Cobo is also smiling, but his lead has shrunk to just 13-seconds...