HOYA DE LA MORA: Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez stormed to his second stage win at the Vuelta a Espana as Chris Froome extended his overall lead on a daunting stage 15 climb at high altitude on Sunday.
Froome was again well protected by his Sky teammates to finish fifth on the stage, six seconds ahead of Vincenzo Nibali, to open up a 1min 01sec lead over the Italian in the general classification.
“There was a lot of big attacks today and the team stayed with me,” said Froome.
“They controlled with the correct speed. It was just a fantastic day for the team.”
Lopez, who claimed his first Grand Tour win in Wednesday’s 11th stage, broke clear in the final five kilometers to win the mountainous 129.4km climb from Alcala la Real to the Sierra Nevada at 2,500m above sea level in 3hr 34min 51sec. “I’m delighted to have won in Calar Alto and here,” said Lopez. “As a team we deserve it because we’ve been active.”
Russia’s Ilnur Zakarin attacked in the final kilometer to take second, 36 seconds back, and also climb ahead of Wilco Kelderman into third overall.
Kelderman was third, a further nine seconds adrift, but both he and Zakarin remain over two minutes behind Froome.
Nicknamed “Superman,” Lopez has shown off his strength on a series of punishing climbs in the past week as he also finished second on a category one summit finish on Saturday.
Lopez followed an attack by Alberto Contador away from the group of general classification favorites and then reeled in Britain’s Adam Yates, who had attacked 25km out in search of his first Grand Tour win.
Victory also moved Lopez up to sixth overall, ahead of Astana teammate and 2015 Vuelta winner Fabio Aru.
Monday brings a welcome break for the peloton with the second rest day before Froome is expected to build on his lead once more on the only individual time trial of the race in Burgos on Tuesday.
“Sleep all day,” confessed Froome when asked of his plans for the rest day.
However, Froome is bearing down on a historic feat as only the third rider to win the Tour de France and Vuelta in the same year, with just one week to go till the finale in Madrid.
“We’ve seen everything in this Vuelta: crashes, attacks, I think I can expect everything next week,” he added.
“I’m just grateful to be in this position.
“Again a really big thank you to my team for the work they did today. It’s because of them that I’m still in the red jersey.”
Froome extends Vuelta lead, Lopez in second stage victory
Froome extends Vuelta lead, Lopez in second stage victory
Emirati driver Amna Al-Qubaisi set for historic Porsche Carrera Cup Asia debut
- The 25-year-old will become the first female driver to compete in the pro class of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia when the season begins at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend
DUBAI: When the UAE’s Amna Al-Qubaisi lines up on the grid at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend, she will once again make motorsport history.
The 25-year-old will become the first female driver to compete in the pro class of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia when the season begins at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend, from March 13 to 15.
Al-Qubaisi will join a highly competitive 30-driver grid from across Asia and beyond in one of the region’s leading GT racing championships.
The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia features drivers competing in identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, placing a strong emphasis on driver skill, precision and consistency throughout the season.
For Al-Qubaisi, the milestone represents another step forward in a career that has already seen her break barriers for Emirati and Arab drivers in international motorsport.
“The competition is incredibly strong, which makes it even more exciting,” Al-Qubaisi told Arab News ahead of the race weekend.
“My approach is to stay focused on my own development, work closely with my team, and maximize every session.
“It’s my first time competing in this car and on tracks I’ve never been to before. In a field like this, every small improvement makes a difference, so consistency, preparation and learning quickly are key.”
The Shanghai race weekend will also mark Al-Qubaisi’s first experience racing at the circuit, where Porsche Carrera Cup Asia runs as a support race to the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix.
The Emirati driver has had limited time to prepare. “I wasn’t able to go back to the country and do simulator work, so I manually watched onboard footage and made notes of the circuit.
“It’ll be my first time racing in Shanghai and we’re the support race with Formula One, so I’m really looking forward to learning and enjoying the weekend.”
One of the biggest challenges this season will be adapting to the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, which demands a different driving style compared with the machinery Al-Qubaisi raced earlier in her career.
“The biggest challenge for me is getting used to the car,” she explained.
“I’m very used to single-seaters and prototypes, so moving into a heavier car with less downforce means the driving style is very different. It’s all about adapting and trying to make the most out of the car.”
Al-Qubaisi has been a pioneer for women in motorsport in the region since the early stages of her racing journey.
In 2019, she became the first Arab woman to win a single-seater race, claiming victory in the Formula 4 UAE Trophy round at Yas Marina Circuit during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.
She later competed in the Italian Formula 4 Championship, Formula Regional Asian Championship, and F1 Academy, where she secured two race wins in 2023 and finished sixth in the overall standings.
More recently, Al-Qubaisi began transitioning toward sportscar and endurance racing. In 2025, she competed in the Ligier European Series with Group Virage alongside her sister Hamda Al-Qubaisi, where the pair secured three podium finishes during their rookie season.
Her move into Porsche Carrera Cup Asia follows her selection into the Porsche Talent Pool Asia, where she became the first Arab, and Arab female driver, to join the development program.
The championship calendar will take drivers across several of Asia’s most iconic circuits, including Fuji Speedway, Sepang International Circuit, the Bangsaen street circuit in Thailand and Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit.
While each venue presents a unique challenge, one track in particular stands out for Al-Qubaisi. “It’s hard to pick just one because they’re all incredible circuits,” she said.
“Fuji and Sepang are legendary tracks with a lot of history, but Singapore is definitely very exciting because racing on a street circuit is always unique. The atmosphere there is amazing. I raced there in F1 Academy back in 2024 so I’m really looking forward to experiencing that.”
For now, however, Al-Qubaisi’s focus is firmly on Shanghai as she prepares for the opening race of the season. “This weekend is about learning and enjoying the experience,” she said.
“The focus is to keep improving every session and build confidence with the car.”
