Team Sky's Michal Kwiatkowski claimed the Vuelta a Espana's red jersey on Sunday, but he was pipped to a stage-two victory by Spaniard Alejandro Valverde.

With Chris Froome and Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas missing the Vuelta in favour of the Tour of Britain, Kwiatkowski represents Team Sky's best hope of winning the Vuelta again after Froome's victory last year and he moved to the top of the general classification standings at the end of the second stage.

Movistar's Valverde is 14 seconds behind overall, having timed his dart for the finish perfectly to overhaul Kwiatkowski just before the line.

Those two will be pleased to see Vincenzo Nibali down in 82nd overall but Valverde's team-mate Nairo Quintana is up into the top 10.

It was a bad day for BMC Racing after Rohan Dennis had won the opening individual time-trial on Saturday, with Richie Porte again struggling, while Peter Sagan was unable to stay with the leading pack.

A seven-rider breakaway early on never established a lead much greater than four minutes on the climbs.

The remnants of that break were reeled in with 30 kilometres to go by a group led chiefly by Sky and Movistar's riders.

As the finish line approached, Laurens De Plus was the first to make his move on the uphill sprint but he ended up third as Valverde beat Kwiatkowski to take the stage victory.

 

KWIATKOWSKI LOOKS READY TO STEP UP FOR SKY

Sky's rivals might have thought their dominance of cycling's Grand Tours would come to an end at the Vuelta given Froome and Thomas have been left at home.

However, even without their two leading riders, Sky are leading the way again and Kwiatkowski looks ready to emerge from his absent colleagues' shadow.

Kwiatkowski has never contended for a general classification crown before but he is Sky's most senior man at the Vuelta and has benefited from a number of elite riders still finding their way back to form and fitness.

STAGE 2 RESULT

1. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) 4:13.01
2. Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) +0:00
3. Laurens De Plus (Quick-Step Floors) +0:03
4. Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb) +0:03
5. George Bennett (Lotto NL-Jumbo) +0:03

CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS

General Classification

1. Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) 4:22.40
2. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) +0.14
3. Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb) +0.25

Points Classification 

1. Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) 40
2. Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing) 25
3. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) 25

King of the Mountains

1. Luis Angel Mate (Cofidis) 11
2. Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) 5
3. Pierre Rolland (Movistar) 4

UP NEXT… 

The riders must negotiate a 178.2km section that features a favourable finish for sprinters, while the only mountain pass occurs towards the beginning of the stage.