▁the ▁race ▁on ▁Stage ▁ 6 ▁following ▁a ▁crash ▁on ▁Stage ▁ 3 . ▁▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁ ▁López ▁was ▁named ▁on ▁the ▁start ▁list ▁for ▁the ▁V uel ta ▁a ▁España ▁in ▁a ▁strong ▁Ast ana ▁line - up ▁alongside ▁former ▁race ▁winner ▁Fab io ▁A ru . ▁On ▁Stage ▁ 1 1 , ▁he ▁took ▁his ▁first ▁grand ▁tour ▁stage ▁victory , ▁dist ancing ▁himself ▁from ▁race ▁favour ites ▁Chris ▁Fro ome , ▁V inc en zo ▁N ib ali ▁and ▁Wil co ▁Kel der man ▁in ▁the ▁last ▁ 2 km ▁of ▁the ▁first - category ▁clim b ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁Cal ar ▁Al to ▁Observ atory . ▁López ' s ▁fine ▁form ▁in ▁the ▁mountains ▁continued ▁on ▁Stage ▁ 1 4 ▁to ▁Sierra ▁de ▁la ▁P and era ▁where ▁he ▁once ▁again ▁dist anced ▁the ▁race ▁leaders ▁to ▁finish ▁second ▁to ▁Raf ał ▁Maj ka ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁especial ▁category ▁clim b ▁of ▁the ▁race . ▁He ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁following ▁Stage ▁ 1 5 ▁after ▁a ▁solo ▁escape ▁on ▁the ▁sum mit ▁finish , ▁yet ▁again ▁dist ancing ▁the ▁race ▁favor ites ▁for ▁his ▁second ▁V uel ta ▁stage ▁victory . ▁▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁in ▁the ▁start list ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁G iro ▁d ' Italia . ▁A ▁race ▁which ▁he ▁finished ▁in ▁ 3 rd ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁overall ▁classification ▁behind ▁Chris ▁Fro ome ▁and ▁Tom