Picture 1 of 19
Primož Roglič (Purple Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) made his decisive transfer within the race for the general Vuelta a España on stage 19 as he took solo victory on the summit end of Alto de Moncalvillo and moved into race lead.
On the early slopes of Alto de Moncalvillo, the three-time champion was ferried forward of the main group by teammates Daní Martinez and Aleksandr Vlasov earlier than using away from his Purple Bull practice simply inside 5km to go.
Enric Mas (Movistar) was the one rider in a position to make any response, abandoning a bunch of GC favourites to bridge a part of the way in which again to Roglič and gained a 30-second benefit on the pink jersey Ben O’Connor (Decathlon–AG2R La Mondiale).
O’Connor might solely watch as his 13-day pink jersey streak and GC lead disappeared, however he battled to stay inside two minutes of the Slovenian rider.
Mas was stung by the steep inclines of the ultimate slopes of Alto de Moncalvillo and was handed by David Gaudu (Groupama–FDJ), who swept in forward of him for second place. Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl–Trek) additionally acquired the higher of Mas within the final 100 metres to take third, 46 seconds behind Roglič, whereas Mas trailed in 4 seconds later.
O’Connor completed 1:49 behind Roglič, shedding his pink jersey however holding onto second place – 1:54 behind the brand new race chief, and 26 seconds forward of Mas in third place.
Talking after the stage end, stage winner Roglič mirrored on the day’s racing. “I had some very nice reminiscences from this climb. It did not disappoint me once more – lovely.”
Whereas many anticipated Roglič to take victory at present, the brand new pink jersey argued it was by no means within the plan. “I mentioned I do not want the stage however I can’t say their names however some guys determined we do not take heed to you anyway, we pull. Now we have nothing else to do,” he mentioned. “I needed to make a name and I say, OK, we’ve got to all be on the identical facet, then we go for it.”
Requested if he felt he had sealed his GC victory, Roglič was cautious.”Probably not. I imply, we are saying on a regular basis ‘the Queen stage to return’, it is the final one tomorrow, the massive one, it’s undoubtedly tremendous laborious, after which nonetheless we do not do the traditional laps in Madrid – it is once more a decisive day for the GC, time trial.
“So I am removed from accomplished.”
Unsurprisingly O’Connor reduce a despondent determine on the race end. “I used to be a bit damaged on the finish there, I really felt fairly good till the midway,” the Australian mentioned. “However it’s simply stage 19 I suppose.”
Talking concerning the startling assault from the three Purple Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe riders, he mentioned, “I wasn’t stunned, however I did not anticipate myself to be so unhealthy on the finish. A bit common to be sincere however that is the fact.”
O’Connor accepted there have been two testing days forward, and that his ideas had been targeted on the race end, “Monday, having beers, sitting on the terrace and stress-free.”
The way it unfolded
The peloton set off from Logroño under a brilliant cloudy sky and in opposition to the putting pastoral landscapes of Bilbao, with the Rioja wine area on the day’s itinerary of sights.
The 139 riders remaining in La Vuelta a España peloton had been quickly leaping into assaults, with Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Dstny) an endearing (albeit predictable) protagonist of the early breakaway makes an attempt.
With 23km handed, a bunch of 23 tried to interrupt free, however a roaring 50kph peloton absorbed the assault shortly.
Across the 30km mark, Edward Planckaert (Alpecin Deceuninck), Fran Miholjevic (Bahrain Victorious) and Vito Braet (Intermarché-Wanty) managed to ascertain a niche, with Isaac Del Toro (UAE Crew Emirates) and Simone Petilli (Intermarché-Wanty) efficiently bridging throughout to them.
With 125km left, the 5 riders had a niche of 1:20 and it appeared that the day’s foremost breakaway was fashioned.
The peloton appeared shortly resigned to the 5 escapees, and it took solely quarter-hour for that hole to swell to 4 minutes.
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale and Purple Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe had been lively on the entrance of the peloton controlling the tempo by the 100km market and towards the class 3 climb of Puerto de Pradilla that sat virtually fully centrally on the stage profile.
The break held, however the efforts of Purple Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe on the lengthy ascent chipped into their benefit because the 5 riders handed the summit of the Puerto de Pradilla with a slimmer margin of two:40 on the peloton.
Except for a quick break up and a tussle of peloton firepower between Movistar, Purple Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, the primary group was largely orderly because it approached the ultimate 40km.
With 35km remaining, the break had only one:30, with the 1,490m summit end of Alto de Moncalvillo looming on the horizon.
It was a margin that the riders held on the 25km mark, however the aggressive flip of tempo that foreshadowed the ultimate ascent – starting with 8.6km to go – noticed their hole shrink to 30 seconds with 12km remaining earlier than they had been swallowed up solely kilometres from the foothills of the climb.
Because the ascent started, so too did the choice with all however the main GC contenders spat out of the primary group as Purple Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe set a blistering tempo on the early kilometres of the climb.
With 5.8km left of the ascent, Primož Roglič was catapulted forward of the favourites group by Purple Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe henchmen Daní Martinez and Aleksandr Vlasov. Nobody was in a position to react, as Ben O’Connor was left to observe the Purple Bull trio trip into pink.
On the 5km mark, Martinez and Vlasov had been relieved of their supporting duties because the three-time Vuelta champion rode solo into an open empty street and certain Grand Tour victory.
Outcomes
Outcomes powered by FirstCycling
