Vuelta a España Stage Report: Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) received stage 14 of the Vuelta a España in Villablino. Regardless of this being a hilly stage with an extended climb within the finale, the stage resulted in a bunch dash. Groves out-sprinted factors and KOM chief, Wout van Aert, who couldn’t end the arduous work of his Visma | Lease a Bike workforce. Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale) completed within the bunch to maintain the general lead.
The stage 14 finale
Vuelta race director, Fernando Escartín: “The longest stage of La Vuelta 24. A flat preliminary part would be the prelude to the powerful finale following the race’s go to to Asturias earlier than returning to Castilla y León by way of the Leitariegos Mountain Go. The climb won’t function steep ramps. Nevertheless, these 23 km can really feel notably difficult in a stage consisting of virtually 200 km.”
Stage 14 profile
Stage 14: The 14th stage begins in Villafrance del Bierzo. The primary hundred kilometres are once more pretty simple. Midway by way of the stage, there may be the Puerto de Cerredo. This climb rises about 9 kilometres with a mean gradient of 4.1% and won’t trigger too many issues. On the prime the riders will enter Asturias. On this stage, the Puerto de Leitariegos (24km at 4.1%) is the primary impediment. This begins after an extended descent in direction of Bimeda at 39 kilometres from the end. There are 24 kilometres of climbing, but it surely by no means actually will get very steep, it ought to take about an hour to summit. After the highest, there may be one other 16 kilometres of descent to the end in Villablino. The stage may very well be decisive, however the riders understanding that on Sunday they are going to be a climb of an HC class?
Stage 13 winner Michael Woods
The attackers once more noticed their likelihood and opened the battle early. It took a very long time earlier than a gaggle bought a niche, however finally Jhonatan Narvaez (INEOS Grenadiers), Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Marco Frigo (Israel-Premier Tech) and Isaac Del Toro (UAE Workforce Emirates) managed to flee. A gaggle with counter-attackers together with: Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Dstny) and Harold Tejada (Astana Qazaqstan) managed to cross to the leaders.
The jerseys in the beginning
Visma | Lease a Bike had been answerable for the peloton. It was Robert Gesink and Edoardo Affini who led the chase and saved the six inside catching distance. The lead was at 3 minutes for fairly a time, however Gesink and Affini quickly pulled a minute again. When the main group began on the Puerto de Leitariegos, the break solely had a lead of slightly over 1 minute. Affini, who had carried out a lot of the work then sat up.
Slim streets within the begin city
Gesink saved on pushing arduous for some time, with occasional assist from Cian Uijtdebroeks. The Belgian took over fully after a number of kilometres of the climb. The main group had already cut up: Tejada, Frigo and Narváez continued off the entrance, the opposite three needed to let go. 9 kilometres from the summit of the Puerto de Leitareigos, Tejada was additionally dropped, and a pair of kilometres later Narváez jumped away from Frigo. The Ecuadorian had a lead of about 40 seconds on the peloton.
A statue for the pilgrims who stroll the Camino
There’s water below the bridges within the north of Spain, not just like the south
Kruijswijk then took over from Uijtdebroeks. The tempo elevated and Narváez’s solo was quickly over. With 4 kilometres to go, the INEOS Grenadiers rider was caught. Lidl-Trek’s Tao Geoghegan Hart took over from Kruijswijk after which different groups additionally got here to the entrance and the tempo elevated as they bought nearer to the highest. Van Aert was close to the entrance of the group and jumped earlier than the KOM line to take 10 extra mountain factors.
Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was within the first a part of the break
Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Dstny) introduced up the second half
Pavel Bittner was struggling, however was simply in a position to stick with the peloton. The bunch nonetheless had round a 100 riders. Firstly of the descent, Crimson Bull-BORA-hansgrohe had an issue as chief, Primoz Roglič had a puncture, about 15 kilometres from the end. The Slovenian modified bikes along with his teammate, Daniel Felipe Martínez and, with the assistance of some teammates, was in a position to return to the large entrance group on the descent.
Visma | Lease a Bike and Movistar took management of the peloton
Jhonatan Narvaez (INEOS Grenadiers) was caught with 20 kilometres to go
Alpecin-Deceuninck was now doing the lead work. Their sprinter, Kaden Groves, was nonetheless there. Into the ultimate kilometre, dsm-firmenich-PostNL hit the entrance. They had been leading-out Bittner, who had recovered slightly. Within the remaining kilometre, it was Groves and Van Aert who had been in the most effective positions. The dash was led-out by Edward Planckaert for Groves, who then held off Van Aert. The Australian succeeded by a couple of wheel, taking his second stage win on this Vuelta. Van Aert was second. All of the GC males completed collectively.
Visma | Lease a Bike had been working arduous for Wout win
A late bike change for Primoz Roglič on the prime of the ultimate climb
Stage winner, Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck): “It feels actually good. I didn’t count on it to be a dash because it was however Jumbo managed it and to have a one on one dash towards Wout [van Aert] is superior. The climb was fairly okay within the wheels. It might need been a bit arduous if they begin attacking however fortunately Jumbo rode a very arduous tempo, nobody attacked and my teammates additionally bought over with me so we may management the end. The workforce did a fantastic job. Edward [Planckaert] once more did a superb lead-out like he did in Sevilla however at present I didn’t hesitate and I feel I did a very good dash. It felt fairly a bit like a drag race towards Wout and in the long run it was ok to beat him. It’s clearly very nice [to be up to 6 La Vuelta stage wins]. I really like racing right here. It’s my third Vuelta and my sixth win. It’s good to see the consistency and the arduous work paying off.”
It appeared like Wout van Aert was on his technique to one other stage win, however…
General chief, Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale): “There was a few assaults anyway [after Roglic had a mechanical]. The stage was nonetheless there for grabs, and a few guys tried to get away. I don’t actually know to be sincere, it was fairly fairly quick down there. For me, sure, it was [a quiet stage]. It look a very long time for the break to go, after which Visma did a very wonderful job controlling. It wasn’t easy anyway, so tougher than I anticipated. I wouldn’t have been shocked [because of Kaden Groves’ win]. He can climb so effectively. He’s actually unbelievable. He’s a expertise, he’s a category, and I’m glad that he has received at present. I watched the replay of [Cuitu Negru] from 2012. It’s fairly epic. It’s fairly arduous. We’ve carried out some arduous climbs and this will likely be one other one to the checklist.”
Kaden Groves beat the KOM and pointe chief by a wheel’s size
# Meet up with all of the Vuelta, and different information in EUROTRASH Monday. #
Vuelta a España Stage 14 Consequence:
1. Kaden Groves (Aus) Alpecin-Deceuninck in 4:21:34
2. Wout van Aert (Bel) Visma | Lease a Bike
3. Corbin Sturdy (NZ) Israel-Premier Tech
4. Mathias Vacek (CZ) Lidl-Trek
5. Pau Miquel Delgado (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma
6. Filippo Baroncini (Ita) UAE Workforce Emirates
7. Simon Guglielmi (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Inns
8. Arjen Livyns (Bel) Lotto Dstny
9. Xabier Berasategi Garmendia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
10. Carlos Canal Blanco (Spa) Movistar.
Vuelta a España General After Stage 14:
1. Ben O’Connor (Aus) Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale in 56:31:49
2. Primož Roglič (Slo) Crimson Bull-BORA-hansgrohe at 1:21
3. Enric Mas Nicolau (Spa) Movistar at 3:01
4. Richard Carapaz (Eu) EF Schooling-EasyPost at 3:13
5. Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Soudal Fast-Step at 3:20
6. Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa) INEOS Grenadiers at 4:12
7. Florian Lipowitz (Ger) Crimson Bull-BORA-hansgrohe at 4:29
8. Felix Gall (Aust) Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale at 4:42
9. David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ at 4:44
10. Adam Yates (GB) UAE Workforce Emirates at 5:17.
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