Chris Froome has been awarded the 2011 Vuelta a Espana title after the original winner was banned for doping.

It means the Team Ineos rider is Britain’s first Grand Tour winner, as Sir Bradley Wiggins did not win the Tour de France until July 2012.

Froome also now has seven titles from cycling’s three-week races.

Spaniard Juan Jose Cobo was stripped of the 2011 Vuelta a Espana title after being found guilty of an anti-doping violation based on “abnormalities” in his biological passport from 2009 and 2011.

The International Cycling Union banned Cobo for three years – a ruling he has not appealed with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Riding for Geox-TMC, Cobo beat Froome by 13 seconds eight years ago, with Froome’s fellow Team Sky rider Sir Bradley Wiggins coming third.

The British pair are now listed as first and second.

Commenting on the decision, Froome tweeted: “Better late than never! The 2011 @lavuelta holds some very special memories for me”.

Froome adds the title to his Tour de France wins in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017, his Vuelta win in 2017 and the 2018 Giro d’Italia crown.

News of Cobo’s doping violation came just a day after Froome sustained multiple fractures in a high-speed bike crash.

He hit a wall at around 35mph during practice before stage four of the Criterium du Dauphine race and was forced to withdraw from the Tour de France that began on 6 July.

Froome fractured his right femur, elbow and a number of ribs, and was in intensive care as he had major surgery at St Etienne hospital.

He said he accepted he was embarking on a “long road to recovery” but vowed he was determined to start “returning back to my best”.

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