MADRID, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Nairo Quintana effectively clinched his first Tour of Spain title after holding off a series of Chris Froome attacks in Saturday's decisive mountain stage. Following custom, Froome did not challenge Quintana on the traditional ride into the Spanish capital on the 21st and final stage. Frenchman Pierre Latour (AG2R-La Mondiale) won the stage from a breakaway inspired by Esteban Chaves (Orica-BikeExchange), who succeeded in wresting overall third place from home favourite Alberto Contador and denying the Tinkoff team a podium place in their final Grand Tour. The Colombian has not officially won the race yet but Sunday's sprint stage is virtually a formality and the Movistar rider's time of five hours 23 minutes 44 seconds, which enabled him to finish 10th in stage 20, kept him ahead of Team Sky's Froome. Froome finished second at the Vuelta for a third time, after also coming close in 2011 and 2014.
In bicycle racing, the 71st edition of the Vuelta a España concludes with Nairo Quintana of Colombia winning the general classification.