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Froome back in picture after Movistar penalty

BMC is now the official winner of Tuesday's stage and Ben Hermans its overall leader.

Sky's Chris Froome before the start of the first stage of the Tour of Catalonia, on March 20, 2017

BMC is now the official winner of Tuesday's stage and Ben Hermans its overall leader, instead of Movistar and Alejandro Valverde, who topped the overall standings overnight.

Valverde is now down in 16th place some 58 seconds adrift of Hermans and 14 seconds behind Chris Froome of Sky.

Wednesday's stage is likely to shake up the standings again as there are three category one mountain climbs and a summit finish.

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Movistar stunned their rivals Tuesday by winning the tricky 41km time trial where all team members have to stick together, beating favourites BMC and leaving key rivals Froome and Geraint Thomas of Sky trailing.

But Tuesday's original stage winner José Joaquín Rojas was given a three minute penalty for pushing struggling teammates Andrey Amador and Nelson Oliveira.

Feeling the sanction was too light BMC complained to race organisers that the offence warranted expulsion and on review Rojas's penalty was upheld and the rest of team Movistar were hit with a 60 second penalty.

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