A few riders have managed to join the leaders – Zana, Van Bekkum and Faura. Plus Eddie Dunbar, who bridged up earlier. While the break and the peloton remain so close on the road, the race is very much in flux.
Vimsa-Lease a Bike are hatching a plan for Sepp Kuss. Kruijswijk dropped back from the front group to help pace him up after attacking from the peloton. So far, though, he hasn’t been able to join up to the leaders; nor has anyone else in the peloton, which remains 10 seconds behind the leaders as they climb the final 5km to the summit.
130KM TO GO
The constant action at the front of the peloton as more riders try to escape to join the break on the climb is keeping the lead group (picture below, although it’s now made up of seven riders, since Sütterlin was dropped) well within sight. They’re just a few seconds ahead, and the battle to form the break is far from over.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The riders are on the Puerto de las Abejas, the first of the day’s three climbs. It’s not the hardest of the day, averaging just 4.3%, but its length of 14.6km will ensure that climbers who want to get into the break have a chance.
One such rider is Santiago Buitrago, who Pello Bilbao attempted to launch up the road, but he has managed to go clear of the peloton yet. As it stands, there are 30 seconds between them in the peloton and the seven leaders up the road.
140KM TO GO
This leading group of seven is working well together, and have built a lead of 47 – which must be the biggest gap any group has managed all day so far.
The action is still very on in the peloton, where the attacks keep coming, and promises to continue to do so when they reach the day’s first climb in just a few kilometres.
The irrepressible Kevin Vermaerke is on the attack again. Aware that he’s a superior climber, his UAE teammate Oliveira dropped back to pace him, and the duo have just joined the five leaders. Together, they’re now 35 seconds ahead of the peloton.
Oliveira, Tronchon, and Johannessen (but not Weiess – he’s dropped back) have now bridged up to Leknessund, Kruijswijk and Sütterlin, but the new front group are only a mere 20 seconds ahead of the peloton. It seems like there is enough in the peloton unhappy with the situation to not allow them to form the day’s break.
There is plenty of firepower in the chase group trying to join Leknessund, Kruijswijk and Sütterlin. Oliveira, Johannessen, Tronchon and Weiss have formed a quartet, and are now just 10 seconds behind, and 30 seconds ahead of the peloton, where things still haven’t settled down.
Leknessund, Kruijswijk and Sütterlin are still leading, now 45 seconds up on the peloton. In between, some chasers are trying to join them. The fight is still on an the intensity remains high.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
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170KM TO GO
After 40km of attacking, this trio of Leknessund, Kruijswijk and Sütterlin is the first to manage to stay out for some time and build a promising lead. They’ve got 25 seconds as things stand.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Jasha Sütterlin, stage winner Andreas Leknessund and soon-to-retire Steven Kruijswijk are the latest to try an attack. It’s great to see the latter on the move and having some fun for himself, having done so much tireless work at the front of this Vuelta controlling the race for his Visma teammates Wout van Aert and Matthew Brennan. What a story it would be if he could take a stage win on the last Grand Tour of his career.
DNF – PAUL DOUBLE
Paul Double has abandoned the race. There’s been no crash we’re aware of, but the Brit has been struggling at this Vuelta, and was second-to-last at the bottom of the GC. Hard-going for a man whois primarily a climber.
There have been plenty of attacks, but still nothing sticking, an 8-man group the latest to try to no avail. This looks set to go on for a while longer yet.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Hannes Wilksch and Mats Wenzel were the latest to try a move, but, along with a flurry of poursuivants, have all be swept up back into the peloton.
The latter’s Equipo Kern Pharma is especially eager for some success today, given the doubt surrounding their future as they continue to seek a new sponsor.
The attacks are, as expected, coming thick and fast! For the time being we have a group of eight up the road by a few seconds but the situation is very much in flux.
Here were the riders at the start, before hostilities began.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
OFFICIAL START
And they’re off! The first third of this flat stage is flat, so it could take a while for a break to form. The riders best brace themselves for a long battle.
The riders are in the neutralised zone, but one rider not among them is yesterday’s winner Stefan Küng. That victory made it mission accomplished at this Vuelta for the Swiss time trialist specialist, as well as delivering his Tudor team a second victory following Marco Brenner’s success – a fantastic return for one of the race’s smaller teams.
There was a sense after yesterday’s time trial that Enric Mas had passed the all-important test at yesterday’s time trial, holding off the challenge by Primož Roglič in a discipline he excels less at with a healthy lead at the top of the classification still intact
However, this race is far from over – and today’s parcours is prime territory for an ambush. As one of the few to exceed 200km , and with plenty of climbing along the way, including a summit finish, both he and his Movistar team must be alert, and again need to rise to the occasion.
