Luis Leon Sanchez got one step closer to the win in the mountains classification when the Spaniard scored important point in today's stage of the Vuelta a Espana. The Spaniard hopes that Alberto Contador and Alejandro Valverde will be more focused on the GC than the battle for the KOM points.

Luis Leon Sanchez was on a mission in today's stage as the Caja Rural rider wanted to score more points for the mountains classification. He joined the early break and managed to crest the first climb in first position to increase his lead over second placed Alejandro Valverde to 28 points.

"Every day I'm feeling better," he said. "I caught a cold in Portugal and after a quiet first week where I suffered from the pace, I am now getting stronger and I will continue to tight for a stage win. Hopefully, we can finish the race with a win and both I and the team are trying to find the right break. It is complicated, the GC is too tight and with bonuses at stake, there is little room for break.

"There are teams that have not won, including us, and this makes it difficult to get in the right break. We will continue to look out for the right attacks and see if we are lucky enough to fight for the win.  We also have to defend the mountains jersey but hopefully Alejandro and Alberto have other goals and forget about the mountains classification."

"These days are difficult," team principal Eugenio Goikoetxea said: "All teams want to join the breaks and this makes it difficult. We are in the fight and we will try every day. Today it cost a lot of energy but luckily Luis joined the right move and scored points. He has taken an important step and is now 28 points ahead which gives us options.

"We have to continue our work. We will try to keep going but it will be hard to win a stage. While there is life, there is hope and we hope that are good day arrives. We hope that the breaks will succeed and that we have the legs to finish it off."