Finn Fisher-Black of UAE Team Emirates during Vuelta a Espana 23 Photo: AFP
Nelson cyclist Finn Fisher-Black has made the podium for the first time on a grand tour.
Fisher-Black finished second on the 16th stage of the Vuelta a Espana.
The 21 year old was a contender on the 120km stage which finished on a steep climb, but he was unable to keep up with Danish Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard who went solo to finish 49 seconds ahead.
This is the first grand tour event for Fisher-Black who rides for UAE Team Emirates.
He is 34th in the overall standings, an hour and a half behind the tour leader American Sepp Kuss of Jumbo Visma, who is just 30 seconds ahead of team-mate Vingegaard.
Meanwhile Fisher-Black is losing a New Zealand team-mate with George Bennett is changing pro-teams.
The 33-year old Bennett is leaving UAE Team Emirates after signing a two year deal with Israel-Premier Tech.
He leaves UAE after two years and failing to make their team for the three grand tours this year.
"I'm really excited for my future with Israel-Premier Tech," Bennett said in a team-issued press release. "I'm already close with a lot of people in the team and it's clear that there is a great culture and desire to grow, and I want to be a big part of that.
"I'm looking forward to chasing results personally and as a team and to have the resources to be the best rider I can whilst surrounded by great people.
"I see a lot of opportunities, especially in Grand Tours and in the high mountains and I can't wait to get started."
Bennet first turned pro in 2012.
Vingegaard re-established the pecking order in the Jumbo-Visma team with a stunning victory on stage 16 to move close to the overall lead.
The Dane, who retained his Tour de France title this year, went off like a rocket on the steep finish to the 120km run through the Cantabrian valleys to outclass the peloton.
His American team mate Sepp Kuss struggled in the finale and lost more than a minute to Vingegaard but hangs on to the red jersey with a reduced buffer of 29 seconds.
Jumbo-Visma's Vingegaard dedicated his stage 16 win to an injured teammate. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Three-time Vuelta winner Primoz Roglic completes a Jumbo-Visma top three in the GC standings and is 1:33 behind Kuss. Spain's Juan Ayoso (UAE Team Emirates) is fourth, 2:33 adrift.
The Jumbo-Visma team were reeling earlier on Tuesday after the news that their rider Nathan van Hooydonck was in hospital after suffering serious injuries in a car accident at home in Belgium after falling ill at the wheel.
Vingegaard, who counted on team mate Van Hooydonck's steadfast support during his ride to the Tour victory this year, looked emotional after crossing the finish line.
After Tuesday's rest day there was no gentle return to action and although the stage from Liencres Playa was classified as flat until the steep finish, it was anything but relaxing.
The pace was relentless over the rolling terrain with the peloton trailing behind an escape group that contained Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) who topped up his points total.
Jumbo-Visma's pace ensured the breakaway was eventually reeled in and then it was every man for himself on the 4.8km slog to the finish with gradients reaching 15%.
Any notion that Kuss might be shepherded in to Bejes by Vingegaard and Roglic floundered as Vingegaard got out of his saddle and blasted up the slopes.
Fisher-Black tried to respond but finished second on the stage by 43 seconds with Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious) six seconds further back.
Roglic seemed in two minds whether to try and close the gap on Vingegaard or stay with Kuss and finished just over one minute behind to slip a place in the GC standings.
Thursday's stage concludes at the infamous Angliru climb when Vingegaard will be favourite to take the red jersey.
-Reuters/RNZ
