Vuelta a Espana 2016: Stage 16 Results, Latest Standings and Highlights

BMC Racing's Jempy Drucker won a tight sprint finish to claim Stage 16 of the 2016 Vuelta a Espana on Monday. 

After a fascinating run that included a strong breakaway and a technically challenging finish, Gianni Meersman of Etixx-Quick-Step led out the sprint in the closing metres but was pipped to the line following a perfectly timed burst from Luxembourg's Drucker.

Meersman eventually finished fourth behind Drucker, Bora Argon’s Rudiger Selig and Giant-Alpecin’s Nikias Arndt, while Movistar's race leader Nairo Quintana maintained his significant advantage in the general classification over Team Sky's Chris Froome.

Sky Cycling provided the stage result and posted the current GC standings:

After a tough few days in the Pyrenees, Monday's stage was a relatively flat affair, including just one categorised climb midway through the 158-kilometre run before a fast descent and flat finish.

Many on the road were fortunate to still be in the race, after more than 90 riders were reprieved from expulsion after Stage 15 despite coming home way outside the time limit, per Cycling Today.

Following the neutralised start of Monday's run from Alcaniz to Peniscola, six riders went in the breakaway—BMC's Silvan Dillier, Katusha's Sven Erik Bystrom, Cofidis' Luis Angel Mate, Direct Energie's Julien Morice, Cannondale's Davide Villella and Lampre-Merida's Mario Costa.

Cycling writer Felix Lowe noted that four of the six in the break were among those who were allowed to remain in the race after Sunday's decision:

The peloton kept the gap to the break between 90 seconds and three minutes for much of the running, through the climb and the descent ahead of the flat run to the finish.

The Vuelta's Twitter feed noted that the sprinters' teams were on the front of the main group in the chase:

Meanwhile, Team Giant-Alpecin provided an update with 50 kilometres remaining of the stage:

It always looked as though the front six would be caught before the finish, and they were eventually gobbled up with 12 kilometres to go.

The pace was unrelenting when Team Sky hit the front as the race entered the final 10 kilometres.

The aim for the GC teams was to stay out of danger in the narrow closing sections that included a number of dangerous turns and roundabouts.

Giant-Alpecin and BMC took up the mantle at the head of the pack as the finish approached and the riders prepared for a sprint finish.

With 2.5 kilometres to go, Tinkoff's Daniele Bennati broke out the front and looked to get a jump on the peloton.

He almost made the move stick but was caught with just metres to go to the line. Meersman was forced to make a move for the line slightly earlier than he would have wanted, and Drucker surged from behind to take the stage win.

The peloton will now enjoy the second rest day of the 2016 race on Tuesday, with the final and potentially crucial stages to come in the run to Madrid.