Britain’s Tom Pidcock sprinted clear on stage two of the Vuelta a Andalucia to claim his fourth victory of the season.
After a sharp final climb Q36.5 rider Pidcock launched his sprint with 150m to go, with his former Ineos Grenadiers team-mate Brandon Rivera finishing second.
Another ex-colleague, Pavel Sivakov, now riding for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, finished third to take the overall race lead 32 seconds ahead of Pidcock, who rises to third in the general classification in the five-stage event.
Pidcock, who was disappointed to finish eighth on stage one after racing “over-enthusiastically”, was much happier with his performance on Thursday.
“Today I raced really smart. I didn’t have a big panic, I let the race play out, and in the end it was perfect. I know I’m in great shape,” said Pidcock, who celebrated by jumping his bike off a speedbump after the line.
“It’s really nice to get my hands in the air and be up there on GC.”
The 25-year-old has now won three individual stages this year, as well as the general classification at the AlUla Tour in Saudi Arabia.
His latest success arrived on the punchy 133.2km route from Alcaudete to Torredelcampo after he bridged across to the front of the race just under 40km from the finish to be involved in a five-man breakaway.
They comfortably held off a group containing overnight leader Maxim van Gils before Pidcock punched clear to win in style.
Stage two results
1. Tom Pidcock (GB/Q36.5) 3hrs 22mins 04secs
2. Brandon Rivera (Col/Ineos Grenadiers) Same time
3. Pavel Sivakov (Fra/UAE Team Emirates – XRG) “
4. Clement Berthet (Fra/ Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) “
5. Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) “
6. Maxime Van Gils (Bel/Red Bull – Bora Hansgrohe) 1min 10secs
7. Markus Hoelgaard (Nor/Uno-X Mobility) Same time
8. Tim Wellens (Bel/UAE Team Emirates – XRG) “
9. Ruben Guerreiro (Por/Movistar) “
10. Jose Manuel Diaz (Spa/Burgos Burpellet BH) “
General classification after stage two
1. Pavel Sivakov (Fra/UAE Team Emirates – XRG) 7hrs 4mins 35secs
2. Clement Berthet (Fra/ Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) +23secs
3.Tom Pidcock (GB/Q36.5) +32secs
4. Maxime Van Gils (Bel/Red Bull – Bora Hansgrohe) +1min 03secs
5. Tim Wellens (Bel/UAE Team Emirates – XRG) Same time
6. Marc Soler (Spa/UAE Team Emirates – XRG) +1min 38secs
7. Steff Crass (Bel/TotalEnergies) +1min 42secs
8. Johannes Staune-Mittet (Nor/Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) +2mins 43secs
9. Markus Hoelgaard (Nor/Uno-X Mobility) +2mins 46secs
10. Nicolas Prodhomme (Fra/Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) 3mins 02secs