Elia Favilli got agonizingly close to a breakthrough win when he was caught less than 1km from the finish in today's stage of the Vuelta a Espana. The Italian had targeted the stage right from the beginning of the race and felt certain that he would have been able to beat his companions in a sprint.

Elia Favilli has been one of the most aggressive riders in the Vuelta a Espana. Today he was again on the attack and this time he got close to victory when he was brought back inside the final kilometre.

“The cooperation in our front group has been great," he said. "We remained three ahead at the end. We gave everything. It’s a pity we didn’t make it.

"I targeted this stage from the beginning of the Vuelta. It suited me well. I had to break away. I was the fastest in the front group. I was strongly hoping for going together to the finish but we attacked each other. Dennis and Jungels are stronger time triallists than me but I was powering in the hills.”

In the end, Roberto Ferrari sprinted to fifth for Lampre-Merida.

"Today the team didn't win but I must say that I feel like we did as we interpreted the race really well," sports director Joxean Fernandez Matxin said. "The team was amazing in the early part where they joined all breaks until the right group with Favilli went away. He was the man designated for the break. It is too bad that he was caught in the finale as he deserved this win.

"The sprint saw a great Pozzato pull at about 70 kph and then Ferrari took a very good 5th place."