Chris Horner (RadioShack-Leopard) leads the Vuelta a Espana. The American took the lead by jumping away from Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) on the final climb of Stage 19, a rugged, 181-km ride from San Vicente Barquera to Oviedo. Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) won the stage in 4:16:13, with Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) outsprinting Rodriguez’s teammate Daniel Moreno for second.

Vasily Kiryienka (Sky) has won Stage 18 of the Vuelta a Espana. The Belorusian jumped into the break of the day and then jumped away from it, soloing home to take the rugged, 186.5-km ride from Burgos to Pena Cabarga in 4:46:48. Chris Anker Sorensen (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff) finished second at 0:28, and Adam Hansen (Lotto-Belisol) took third at 1:18. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) remains the red jersey, but he had his 0:28 overnight advantage virtually wiped away on the day’s final climb.

Team Sky Pro Cycling's Vasil Kiryienka climbs to victory in stage 18 of Vuelta a Espana 2013 as Chris Horner reduces Vincenzo Nibali's overall Vuelta a Espana lead to a minimum.

Team Belkin's Bauke Mollema sprints to victory in stage 17 of Vuelta a Espana 2013 as Vincenzo Nibali maintains overall La Vuelta lead for Team Astana.

Warren Barguil (Argos-Shimano) has taken his second stage of this year’s Vuelta a Espana. The French climber pipped Rigoberto Uran (Sky) in a photo-finish sprint to take Stage 16, a 147.7-km ride from Graus to Formigal, in 3:43:31. Bartosz Huzarski (NetApp-Endura) took third, and Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) kept the red jersey despite losing nearly half of his overall lead to attacks from his rivals.

Argos-Shimano's Warren Barguil takes his second stage victory in Vuelta a Espana 2013; Vincenzo Nibali's overall Vuelta a Espana lead minimized by Chris Horner (Team RadioShack).

Alexandre Geniez wins queen stage of Vuelta a Espana 2013; Vincenzo Nibali keeps overall Vuelta a Espana lead.

On a day that saw his team captain bow out of the 2013 Vuelta a Espana because of hypothermia, Daniele Ratto (Cannondale) salvaged the race for his team. The Italian was the sole survivor of a daylong break in the cold and rain, winning Stage 14, a mountainous, 155.7-km ride from Baga, Spain to Collada de la Gallina, Andorra in 4:24:00. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) finished second at 3:53, and Chris Horner (RadioShack-Leopard) took third at 3:55. Nibali has tightened his grip on the red jersey.

Daniele Ratto rides to stage victory for Team Cannondale ahead of Vincenzo Nibali and Chris Horner; Vincenzo Nibali leads Vuelta a Espana overall.

Warren Barguil (Argos-Shimano) has won Stage 13 of the Vuelta a Espana 2013. The 21-year-old neopro surged away from a nine-man break in the last km to win the rugged, 169-km ride from Valls to Castelldefels. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r-La Mondiale) outsprinted Bauke Mollema (Belkin) for second at 0:07. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) remains the red jersey.