Cycling: Steve Cummings wins stage 13

Britain's Steve Cummings secured the ‘best win of his career’ as he took stage 13 of the Vuelta a Espana, while Spaniard Joaquin Rodriguez retained the overall lead, according to the BBC.

BMC rider Cummings powered away from the breakaway group with one kilometre left to cross the line unchallenged. Australia's Cameron Meyer took second with Spain's Juan Antonio Flecha third. Rodriguez retains a 13-second lead over Alberto Contador, with Britain's Chris Froome still 51 seconds back in third. Cummings, 31, has crashed four times this season, breaking his pelvis during the Tour of the Algarve and his left wrist while racing in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco.

“It's been a long, hard year,” said Cummings. “I crashed really badly in the Tour de France so I wasn't sure of my condition when I came here. But I knew if I got through the first week all right, things could start to get better.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 2^nd, 2012.