Stage 13 of the Vuelta a España, with its quick however multi-mountain rode to the summit of the Col du Tourmalet, was at all times anticipated to be an important day for the general contenders however no one anticipated such drama and dominance.
It was an unimaginable day of racing and Chris Auld was there for Cyclingnews to seize the day’s motion. This particular characteristic is a collection of his pictures from a race altering day within the Pyrenees.
It was stunning sufficient to see João Almeida battle with 90km nonetheless to go and surprising to see defending champion Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) quickly undergo the identical destiny.
Then on the ultimate slopes of the Col du Tourmalet, Jumbo-Visma performed cat and mouse with their rivals. Jonas Vingegaard gained the stage and Sepp Kuss and Primož Roglič completed second and third to additionally fill the highest three locations on the GC.
After combating for survival together with his Soudal-QuickStep teammates, Evenepoel crossed the road greater than 27:05 behind what might solely now be described as his former GC rivals..
There was no sickness, no crash however simply an plain crushing actuality that “the tank was simply empty” mentioned Evenepoel after the stage on social media.
Jumbo-Visma unequivocally made the Vuelta their race to lose.
Vingegaard is third, with practically one minute to his nearest rival, Juan Ayuso (UAE Crew Emirates). Roglič moved as much as second general, whereas Kuss, who has appeared much less and fewer the domestique daily he has spent in pink, prolonged his result in 1:37 on Roglič.
The one query that seems to stay is who will go on to win the Vuelta.
The slopes of the Pyrenees have been lined with automobiles as a second Grand Tour was on its method to the Col du Tourmalet in 2023
The anticipation was constructing because the crowds gathered
The roads have been lined, with a pivotal GC stage virtually an inevitability given the stage was traversing the Col d’Aubisque, Col de Spandelles and eventually, the Col du Tourmalet
The lofty heights have been dwelling to many a Grand Tour battle, simply normally in July
This one did not wait to the Col du Tourmalet to unfold, with Jumbo-Visma rising because the dominant drive early
There have been loads of riders passing by earlier than the determine of defending champion Remco Evenepoel emerged
Tucked in together with his teammates and carrying white, this wasn’t the place he’d anticipated to be
However Jonas Vingegaard was precisely the place he’d been hoping to seek out himself, relishing the lengthy climb of the Tourmalet on the entrance of the sphere
Dylan van Baarle might now settle in and let his trio of group leaders end it off
Whereas the non climbing specialists rolled in and braced for the mountains to come back
Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) on the slopes of the Tourmalet
Jonas Vingegaard on his method to the road, to take victory on his daughter’s birthday
Behind it was Sepp Kuss in pink, who stretched his main margin within the general to all besides his teammate Vingegaard, who after stage 13 was in third
That, nonetheless, was not the tip of the Jumbo-Visma present of drive
Primož Roglič leapt out of the lead group to take third and transfer into second place general
Mikel Landa (Bahrain-Victorious) came visiting the road in seventh, after Juan Ayuso (UAE Crew Emirates), Cian Uijtderbroeks (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Enric Mas (Movistar)
Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) fought onerous to restrict his losses
João Almeida (UAE Crew Emirates) tried to claw his method again to the leaders however completed 6:47 behind Vingegaard
Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) in forty second has lengthy left his GC hopes behind, after a tricky begin to the Vuelta
Teammate Egan Bernal led a gaggle by means of just a bit furher again
Followers of Evenepoel had a protracted wait as whereas they could have anticipated to see the Belgian among the many prime group, it was sixtieth place for him, coming over the road simply after the group led by Bernal
