The EF Pro Cycling team took its third stage win of the 2020 Vuelta a España on Friday. Danish rider Magnus Kort won from the lead group after pulling away from race leader Primos Roglic (Jumbo Visma) in Ciudad Rodrigo.

Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates) finished third but was relegated due to an erratic sprint.

"I think I timed my sprint well. At the last corner I was in a position not too far from the leaders. Maybe 200 meters to go, maybe less. I gave it my all from there," Cote said.

This was Cort's second win of the season with the coronavirus down, after the team's first stage win at Etoile de Besseges in February.

Asked how the intervening nine months had been, Colt revealed that he had only resumed training three weeks before the Vuelta after contracting COVID-19.

"I think the last nine months have been difficult for everyone. When I came back after a long break I was in good shape, but then I got the coronavirus and had to rest," Colt said in a post-race interview. So I had only trained for three weeks before this race.

On September 13, the 27-year-old tested positive for the virus during the Tirreno-Adriatico race and was forced to live in quarantine without completing the race.

On Friday's 16th stage of the Vuelta a España, Colt said he was focused on protecting his teammate Hugh Carthy (stage winner in Angliru and 3rd overall) and did not even think about winning a stage until the final climb, the 11.8 km long Puerto El Robledo He said he did not even think about winning the stage until the final climb, the 11.8km long Puerto El Robledo.

"I didn't start today thinking about winning this stage. With 25-35km to go, I suddenly saw an opportunity to go over the first category climb. The group wasn't that small, but I knew there weren't many faster riders than me. (Remi) Cavagna was still in front, but a lot of teams wanted to come back to the pack.

Cote's teammate Michael Woods, who won the stage 7 Villanueva de Valdegovia, said Cote was "a very classy bike rider" and "it was just a classy win."

"He always gives 100 percent for his teammates and was crucial to my victory this year. He also broke with me on stage 7. Tomorrow is going to be a tough day, but Hugh is ready," Woods said.