LUINTRA, Spain (AP) English rider Simon Yates won a hot and hilly sixth stage of the Spanish Vuelta on Thursday, while Darwin Atapuma of Colombia kept the overall lead for a third consecutive day.
Yates, the twin of fellow cyclist Adam Yates, completed the 163-kilometer (101-mile) route from Monforte de Lemos to Luintra in just over four hours.
The Orica BikeExchange rider attacked on a short ascent less than four kilometers from the finish and sped away for the victory by 20 seconds over runner-up Luis-Leon Sanchez.
Atapuma and title favorites Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana, and Alejandro Valverde came in a group half a minute later.
The seventh stage on Friday is a 158.5-kilometer (98-mile) ride over three category-three climbs from Maceda to Puebla de Sanabria.
