Early stages see Swift well-placed in Vuelta

Temperatures topped the high thirties this afternoon, where Degenkolb held his nerve to beat Australia’s Davis and Swift, who had hit out early, but settled for a third-placed finish.

Germany’s Degenkolb narrowly edged to his first Grand Tour stage win on his Argos-Shimano bike in the 181-kilometre race from Pamplona to Viana in a time of four hours, 38 minutes and 40 seconds.

Local favourite Jonathan Castroviejo retained the leaders’ red jersey for the Movistar team ahead of tomorrow’s first mountain stage into the Basque region.

Yesterday’s race was the first proper road stage of the race following Saturday’s team time trial and the general classification remained unchanged, with Team Sky leader and the overall runner-up in the Tour de France Chris Froome 12 seconds behind the lead.

n Hull’s Dave Shackleton secured victory in the Stocksbridge Cycling Club Road Race staged on an 80-kilometre course around Penistone yesterday – six laps of a hilly nine-mile circuit.

The 31-year-old, who rides for Wilson’s Wheels, took the win ahead of his breakaway rivals. Congleton CC’s Mike Harrison was second and Simon Maudsley of Rother Valley Racing came in third. The race had split from the very first lap with many riders calling it an early day and taking an early shower.

Over the next few laps various groups made efforts to stamp their mark, but it was Shackleton, Harrison and Maudsley who got away and crossed the line around 30 seconds clear of the rest.