A very good morning to you and welcome to live coverage of stage 16 of the Vuelta a Espana.

Provisional overall standings: 1. RODRIGUEZ, Joaquin (Katusha) 70h 24' 39"; 2. NIBALI, Vincenzo (Liquigas - Doimo) + 33"; 3. MOSQUERA MIGUEZ, Ezequiel (Xacobeo - Galicia) + 53"; 4. SCHLECK, Fränk (Saxo Bank) + 2' 16"; 5. ROCHE, Nicolas (Ag2r) + 3' 01"; 6. VELITS, Peter (HTC - Columbia) + 4' 27"; 7. DANIELSON, Tom (Garmin - Transitions)+ 4' 29"; 8. TONDO VOLPINI, Xavier (Cervélo Test Team)+ 4' 43"; 9. SASTRE, Carlos (Cervélo Test Team) + 4' 53"; 10 GARCIA, David (Xacobeo - Galicia) + 6' 23"

Stage 16 provisional result: 1. NIEVE , Mikel (Euskaltel) 4h 51' 59"; 2. SCHLECK, Fränk (Saxo Bank) + 1' 06"; 3. DE WEERT, Kevin (Quick Step) + 1' 08"; 4. RODRIGUEZ , Joaquin (Katusha) + 1' 22"; 5. SANCHEZ GIL, Luis Leon (Caisse d'Epargne) + 1' 32"; 6. MOSQUERA MIGUEZ, Ezequiel (Xacobeo - Galicia) + 1' 40"; 7. GARCIA DA PENA, David (Xacobeo - Galicia) + 1' 42"; 8. ROCHE, Nicolas (Ag2r) + 1' 44"; 9. SASTRE, Carlos (Cervélo Test Team) + 1' 50"; 10 NIBALI, Vincenzo (Liquigas) +1' 59"

Mikel Nieve crosses the line and celebrates wildly. Frank Schleck finishes second 1m 05s behind. Kevin de Weert claims third.

Nibali has cracked inside the final kilometre!! All of his opponents flood past him. What a finish!

Inside the final kilometre and it's been a great ride from Nieve. He waited then sensed his chance before taking it expertly. Schleck is proving that he really is back after his injury in Le Tour.

At this rate Frank Schleck will occupy fourth place tonight as he gets the gap to Nieve down to 1m 36s with 1.8km to go. In the chasing group Nibali looks calm as Liquigas carry him along. Schleck is taking time out of Nieve with every wheel turn.

Now Schleck has the hammer down. It looks like he wants Sastre to join him so they can power up the climb together but Sastre doesn't have it. At the front Nieve continues to pound away towards victory.

Sastre gets over to Schleck. Meanwhile Peter Vilets has blown up. He could lose a bunch of time here. And Schleck goes again! Sastre does nothing this time.

And now Schleck ditches Sastre! What will the little Spainard do? Schleck is just 1m 53s from Mikel Nieve. He can't catch him...can he?!

Wow!!! Sastre catches and blows by Schleck and Danielson. Sastre attacks again. Schleck goes with him and Danielson cracks. If these two get going the overall classification could get very interesting.

There goes Sastre!! He's waited and waited and now he's gone. He's off to find Schleck and Danielson. And he's going at a fair lick too. Frank Schleck is looking for help from Danielson. Does he get it? Nope. Nibali sits at the front of the chasing pack and taps out a healthy pace.

Mikel Nieve knows he has victory in sight if he can maintain this push. He leads Luis Sanchez by 9s. Schleck and Danielson are breezing up the Cotobello. Will Schleck kick again? Surely he has to? He does!! But Danielson leaps onto his wheel.

Liquigas are slowly beginning to up the pace in pursuit of Schleck. At the front Nieve is riding beautifully and looks strong. Luis Sanchez continues to plug away behind him. Down the road Schleck waits for Thomas Danielson. And they look to move away together.

No reaction from Nibali as yet. Liquigas refuse to be rushed into panic and continue apace. Meanwhile Schleck is disappearing up the road, maybe 15s. Can he keep this up?

The front breakaway is down to four riders as Peterson loses the wheel of those in front. Now Nieve jumps away and the breakaway is in pieces. In the chasing group it's that man again - Frank Schleck - who looks to test the peloton. Tondo - currently fifth - cracks first. Schleck has gone again and flown!!

The breakaway look tired and the Esukatel riders are showing signs of wear but they continue to churn out the big gears. The gap is 2m 35s.

The breakaway is really beginning to gel. The gap is 2m 45s as they begin the climb of Cotobello. This will delight Luis Sanchez. He'll squeak into the top 10 tonight if he can finish strongly.

The gap has increased to 2m 10s as the chasing group hit the bottom of the final climb. What will Nibali do on this ascent? Will he sit back and watch or go on the offensive?

The breakaway is about to hit the final climb of the day towards to the finish at Cotobello. Meanwhile the pack are taking a breather on a flat section before they too begin the final climb. Nibali looks fresh towards the front of the peloton.

The gap to the breakaway is 1m 47s but they are starting to put the hammer down. The chasing pack has swelled considerably with the usual suspects towards the front.