Summary Jens Keukeleire won a bunch sprint to clinch the 12th stage of the Vuelta a Espana on Thursday.
BILBAO (AFP) - Belgium s Jens Keukeleire won a bunch sprint to clinch the 12th stage of the Vuelta a Espana on Thursday as Nairo Quintana retained the overall lead.
The 193.2km hilly race to Basque city Bilbao allowed Colombian Quintana and second-placed Chris Froome to take a backseat ahead of Saturday s trip into the Pyrenees, where they re likely to resume hostilities.
"You don t get easy days, there haven t been any and there won t be any," said Quintana of Thursday s stage.
With him leading the race, his Movistar team are usually setting tempo in the peloton.
"Every day the tempo is very high, we don t want the usual breakaway to gain too much time.
"Today we left other teams to control (the breakway) and we were a little calmer.
"Tomorrow (Friday) we hope it won t be a big breakaway."
Sky s Tour de France champion Froome is just 54 seconds back on red jersey holder Quintana in the overall standings, with Alejandro Valverde third at 1:05.
While Quintana, who was a disappointing third at July s Tour, is believed capable of extending his overall lead this weekend, Briton Froome will have a significant edge over the Colombian in the 19th stage 37km individual time trial.
The 27-year-old Keukeleire of Orica easily won a dash to the line on Thursday as France s Maxime Bouet of Etixx came second and Italy s Fabio Felline of Trek took third.
"I suffered for this win, but I wasn t the only one out there suffering," Keukeleire said after his first major Tour stage success.
"It s just a fantastic feeling to win a stage."
Friday s stage is a 213.4km run featuring four small hills as the peloton heads through France before arriving at Urdax Dantxarinea.
