Vuelta Stage 16: Fabio Jakobsen wins to tighten grip on green jersey

Fabio Jakobsen of Deceuninck-Quick Step has won his third stage of this year's Vuelta to extend his lead in the points classification at the Spanish Grand Tour.

The Dutch rider came off the wheel of Bora-Hansgrohe's Jordi Meeus to win in Santa Cruz de Bezana, with Matteo Trentin of UAE Team Emirates third.

Jakobsen, assisted by his team mates, had needed to chase back onto the peloton after UAE Team Emirates, working for Trentin, pushed hard to try and distance him on a sharp climb 60 kilometres out.

The Deceuninck-Quick Step was a minute off the back of the main group at one point but was safely back in the main group around 10 kilometres later.

An early crash on the 180km stage from Laredo resulted in the departure from the race of three riders – Sep Vanmarcke of Israel Start-Up Nation, Groupama-FDJ’s Rudy Molard, and Trek-Segafredo’s Giulio Ciccone.

Odd Christian Eiking of Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert retains the overall lead ahead of a stage tomorrow with a summit finish at Lagos de Covadonga as the battle for the red jersey resumes, followed by Thursday's much-anticipated first-time appearance of the Altu d'El Gamoniteiru.

The Norwegian leads second-placed Guillaume Martin of Cofidis by 54 seconds, with Jumbo-Visma's Primoz Roglic, seeking a third successive Vuelta victory, in third place, 1 minute 36 seconds off the race lead.