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Philipsen claims Vuelta stage nine with sprint finish / Photo: © AFP
Philipsen claims Vuelta stage nine with sprint finish
Jasper Philipsen sprinted to stage nine victory at the Vuelta a Espana on Saturday to secure a second triumph in this year's race after he claimed an opening day win.
The Belgian Alpecin-Deceuninck rider edged out Elia Viviani on the line, with Ethan Vernon completing the podium.
Torstein Traen held onto the overall leader's red jersey for a third stage, two-and-a-half minutes ahead of race favourite Jonas Vingegaard.
The flat 163 kilometre run from Monzon Templario to Zaragoza was ideal for the sprinters after two days in the mountains.
John Bou, Jose Luis Faura and local favourite Sergio Samitier made an early move and were allowed up the road by the peloton on a warm day in north-east Spain.
Fighting against a headwind on exposed roads the race moved slowly, playing against the chances of the early breakers.
The peloton caught the break with 17 kilometres remaining and it left the fastest riders to duke it out, with Philipsen triumphing and Lotto's Italian veteran Viviani a fraction behind.
On Sunday a hilly stage nine takes riders 195.5 kilometres from Alfaro to the Valdezcaray ski resort.
F. Dumont--BTZ
