(Reuters) – Denmark’s Mads Pedersen dominated a bunch sprint to win stage 19 of the Vuelta a Espana in style on Friday — his third victory at the race this year.
Overall race leader Remco Evenepoel finished safely in the peloton to maintain his two minutes seven seconds advantage over Spaniard Enric Mas.
Former world champion Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) already held a huge lead in the points category and showed his finishing prowess again to win by a bike length at the end of the 138km stage that started and finished in Talavera de la Reina.
The stage featured two ascents of the Puerto del Piélago but was not tough enough to have an impact on the battle for the red jersey, and predictably finished with a bunch sprint.
Pedersen was moved into position by team mate Julien Bernard and once he hit the front never looked like being beaten.
Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) finished second with Gianni Vermeersch (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in third place.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)
