Vuelta a Espana: Tim Wellens outsprints Michael Woods to take his second stage

Lotto-Soudal’s Tim Wellens secured his second win of this year’s Vuelta a Espana following a sprint finish at the end of stage 14.

Jumbo-Visma’s champion Primoz Roglic held on to his 39-second lead over Ineos Grenadiers’ Richard Carapaz.

Briton Hugh Carthy remains a further eight seconds adrift.

The leaders finished among a large pack three minutes and 44 seconds behind Wellens.

The Belgian told Eurosport: “It was not easy to win. I had to really fight to get in the breakaway, and then all my companions in the breakaway were really strong riders.

“I knew I had to take the last corner in first position and I felt Woods coming, but suddenly the finish line was there and I crossed first.”

There are four stages remaining of this year’s Grand Tour event, which has been shortened from 21 to 18 stages due to the coronavirus pandemic affecting cycling’s calendar.

There are two more hilly stages which will suit the sprinters before Saturday’s arduous penultimate stage, which features a tough climb up to La Covatilla ski resort in Salamanca.

Stage 14 result

1. Tim Wellens (Bel/Lotto-Soudal) 4hrs 37mins 5secs

2. Michael Woods (Can/EF Pro Cycling) same time

3. Zdenek Ņtybar (Cze/Deceuninck-Quick-Step) same time

4. Dylan van Baarle (Ned/Ineos/Grenadiers) same time

5. Marc Soler (Spa/Movistar) +11secs

6. Thymen Arensman (Ned/Sunweb) +13secs

7. Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fra/Cofidis) +3mins 11secs

8. Dan Martin (Ire/Israel Start-Up Nation) +3mins 44secs

9. Gonzalo Serrano (Spa/Caja Rural-Seguros) same time

10. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma) same time

General classification after stage 14

1. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma) 53hrs 57mins 5secs

2. Richard Carapaz (Ecu/Ineos Grenadiers) +39secs

3. Hugh Carthy (GB/EF Pro Cycling) +47secs

4. Dan Martin (Ire/Israel Start-Up Nation) +1min 42secs

5. Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) +3mins 23secs

6. Wout Poels (Ned/Bahrain-McLaren) +6mins 15secs

7. Felix Grossschartner (Aut/Bora-Hansgrohe) +7mins 14secs

8. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +8mins 39secs

9. Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus/Astana) +8mins 48secs

10. David de la Cruz (Spa/UAE) +9mins 23secs

• Watch 13 first-round ties on iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app this weekend. Find out more here.