Nicolas Roche and Dan Martin both put in fantastic rides at the head of the Vuelta field on the first summit finish of the race (Photo: Sirotti)
Exactly two years after winning stage 2 and taking the leader's red jersey, Nicolas Roche went eyeballs out at the Vuelta a Espana on Sunday to repeat the feat.
In the end, the Irishman riding for Team Sky was forced to settle for 3rd on the stage after a late glory or bust effort came up short.
And in a great sign for Dan Martin's Vuelta hopes, the Cannondale-Garmin man was the best of the select group that came home on the finishing climb just behind the escape Roche was in.
Victory on the 165km stage 2 from Alhaurin de la Torre to Caminito del Rey was taken by Esteban Chaves (Orica GreenEdge) from Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) just one second back.
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Roche was further 8 seconds adrift in 3rd place.
He had pulled clear with the eventual winner and runner-up along with Movistar's Nairo Quintana on the cat 3 Alto de la Mesa; the stage finishing atop the 2.5km climb.
But while Roche attacked his breakaway companions near the finish, they reacted and caught him before the Irish rider paid for his effort and was distanced in the surge to the line.
Martin could not live with Chavez when the Colombian shot past him but the Irish rider distanced all of the big names on the ramp to the finish and looks in great condition.
Dan Martin charged out of the select group just behind the breakaway to take 4th on the day, just 5 seconds behind cousin Roche.
With yesterday's stage 1 team time trial scrapped from the general standings because the course was adjudged unsafe, the entire field started this morning on the same time.
It meant whoever produced the winning burst up the final climb would take not only the stage win but the 10 second time bonus that went with it and the race lead.
Quintana was the first to test the opposition when he attacked with 3km remaining just as the climb was beginning.
Roche was at the front and reacted, though the Colombian’s effort was half hearted and had no real impact.
However, when the head of the reducing field came back together it was Dumoulin who attacked.
And this time he put some daylight between himself and the bunch on the lower slopes of the short steep finishing climb.
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Chaves takes the stage and the leader's red jersey after a fantastic final climb where he shot from the depleted peloton to catch the breakaway.
Roche and Quintana went after him with Louis Meintjes of MTN-Qhubeka; with the latter losing his place out front with 2km of climbing remaining.
Behind the leading trio, Dan Martin had already attacked the fragmenting main field in a bid to catch the escape.
But Colombian Chaves came from behind, sprinted past Martin and caught the three up front with apparent ease.
Chaves immediately went to the front of the group and pushed the pace, with Quintana being dropped and Roche and Dumoulin hanging on for dear life.
And while Roche would attack Chaves and Dumoulin with 500 metres remaining, he could not shake them and when Chavez countered, the Irish man was spat out the back of the group and hung on for 3rd.
Just behind him, Martin was overtaking Quintana for 4th on the stage.
The illness that ruined the second half of the Irish climber's Tour de France last month has well and truly cleared up and if today's performance is anything to go by, Martin will be a contender for stage glory and to take the race lead at some point in the days ahead.
He put 12 seconds into Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) when he blasted up the finishing climb today. Tour de France winner Chris Froome (Team Sky) was a further four seconds back in 7th place today, with Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) a further second back.
Stage 2: Alhaurin de la Torre - Caminito del Rey (165km)
1 Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica GreenEdge 3:57:25
2 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:00:01
3 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sky 0:00:09
4 Daniel Martin (Irl) Cannondale-Garmin 0:00:14
5 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 0:00:26
6 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team
7 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:30
8 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:31
9 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Team Katusha
10 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:37
General Classification
1 Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica GreenEdge 3:57:15
2 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:00:05
3 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sky 0:00:15
4 Daniel Martin (Irl) Cannondale-Garmin 0:00:24
5 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 0:00:36
6 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team
7 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:40
8 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:41
9 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Team Katusha
10 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:47
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