Spanish cyclist Mikel Iturria has won the eleventh stage of the Tour of Spain. On the 180-mile-long route from Saint-Palais to Urdax-Dantxarinea, the 27-year-old beat a breakaway group ahead of compatriot Jonathan Lastra and American Lawson Craddock.
The red jersey retained Primoz Roglic. The peloton with the overall leader had let the outliers go early and came with more than 18 minutes behind the finish.
The former ski jumper Roglic had taken the lead on Tuesday by winning the individual time trial. Roglic had ended his ski jumping career after a fall in 2011 and had switched to cycling. In second place of the overall ranking is road bike world champion Alejandro Valverde (Spain / Movistar) 1:52 minutes behind Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana / 2: 11).
The twelfth of 21 stages on Thursday will cover 171.4 kilometers from Circuito de Navarra to Bilbao. The driver field crosses four mountains of the third category.