ALTO DE VELEFIQUE, Spain (Reuters) - Italian rider Damiano Caruso won stage nine of the Vuelta a Espana on Sunday after a tremendous solo display in the mountains of Andalusia, while reigning champion Primoz Roglic came second to increase his overall lead.

Caruso spent the final 70km of the 188km stage from Puerto Lumbreras to Alto de Velefique out front alone and although Roglic and Enric Mas were eating into his lead by the end, the 33-year-old clung on to win his fourth grand tour stage and his first at the Vuelta since 2017.