Stage Report: One other day of loopy attacking on la Vuelta a España. Remco Evenepoel was within the motion once more, however it was the ex-World champion Rui Costa who took the stage honours. The GC riders all completed collectively for no total change.
Stage 15 remaining kilometre
The fifteenth stage of the 2023 Vuelta a España was received by Rui Costa. After a160 kilometres, the Portuguese rider of Intermarché-Circus-Wanty was one of the best escapee from a number one group that included Remco Evenepoel, there in search of KOM factors (and one other stage win). Costa received the dash from Lennard Kämna and Santiago Buitrago, though it grew to become a recreation of poker within the remaining kilometre. The peloton adopted at 3 minutes.
Stage 15 win for Rui Costa
Vuelta race director, Fernando Escartín: “The ultimate stage of the second week is one other beneficial day for a successful escape. The route features a first third class climb and a double ascent of Zuarrarrate, additionally a third class climb. The ultimate climb takes place simply 8 kilometres from the finish-line, which means it may effectively decide who wins the stage.”
Stage 15 profile
The primary 50 kilometres of stage 15 have been up and down, then the Puerto de Lizarraga (19.3km at 2.6%) was the primary climb of the day. The stage completed with two laps round Lekunberri, together with the Puerto de Zuarrarrate (7.3km at 4.8%), with the final summit 8 kilometres from the end.
A cheerful Sepp Kuss and Jonas Vingegaard at the beginning
Remco Evenepoel was again to his previous assured self after his victory yesterday that he wished to attempt once more. He was very lively within the opening kilometres, however couldn’t get away. Andreas Kron, Egan Bernal and Filippo Ganna have been additionally not given any area. Everybody knew that this was a transition stage with alternatives for the escapees, and so the tempo was very excessive within the first hour.
Remco Evenepoel desires to maintain the KOM jersey to Madrid
No main group had managed to get away by the beginning of the Puerto de Lizarraga. It was the KOM, Evenepoel who confirmed his energy and he instigated a big main group. UAE Workforce Emirates wished to make use of this robust begin to power a distinction within the total rankings.
Seven Tour de France wins between them – Miguel Indurain and Jonas Vingegaard
Marc Soler jumped away with another riders, however was countered by Jonas Vingegaard and Aleksandr Vlasov. They joined the main group, however Jumbo-Visma didn’t need them to get away and pulled again the escape with some problem. Cian Uijtdebroeks was additionally in problem, he was behind a break up within the peloton and needed to chase alone to return again to the peloton.
The beginning in Pamplona
A brand new main group fashioned on the steepest sections of the Puerto de Lizarraga. As soon as once more it was Evenepoel who prompted the break up. He was joined by Santiago Buitrago, Lennard Kämna, Rui Costa, Cristián Rodríguez and later Jonathan Caicedo, Chris Hamilton, Kenny Elissonde, Rudy Molard, Nico Denz, Jimmy Janssens, Andreas Kron, Geoffrey Bouchard and Einer Rubio.
Out by Pamplona’s sixteenth century metropolis wall
Jumbo-Visma stored the distinction to below 3 minutes as Buitrago was at 13 minutes from the purple jersey, Rodríguez at 17 minutes and Evenepoel at 19 minutes have been nonetheless comparatively shut. The lead elevated the primary time on Zuarrarrate, because the main group went into battle. Alpecin-Deceuninck took over command within the peloton for sprinter Kaden Groves.
The assaults got here type the gun
The ten leaders together with Evenepoel, Buitrago and Hamilton, crossed the summit greater than 3 minutes forward of the peloton and began the ultimate 30 kilometres. The lead slowly elevated, which means the stage winner would come from the escape. On the Puerto de Zuarrarrate it was everybody in opposition to Evenepoel, who had finished an excessive amount of and will not assault on the climb.
Everybody wished to be within the break – Besides Jumbo-Visma
Buitrago and Costa determined to make their transfer early on the climb. They opened a spot of 15 seconds and, led by the Colombian, that distinction to the Evenepoel group grew to 25 seconds. Kämna managed to leap throughout to the 2 leaders simply earlier than the highest. It was Buitrago who began the 8 kilometre descent, after a robust kick, with a slight lead, however he was shortly introduced again.
Evenepoel in search of KOM factors and possibly extra?
Evenepoel struggled on the final climb
On a flatter stretch, Kämna tried to make use of his time trialling talents and opened a small hole whereas taking lots of dangers. On a bend the German ran onto the grass and crashed, Costa and Buitrago flew previous and headed to the end. The pair couldn’t work collectively, this allowed Kämna to return to the duo with a kilometre to go.
Lennard Kämna attacked, however crashed on the ultimate descent
Buitrago and Costa didn’t work collectively and Kämna got here again
The Evenepoel group managed to get shut within the final kilometre, however within the dash from the entrance three it was Costa who took the victory by half a wheel forward of Kämna and Buitrago. Evenepoel sprinted to fourth place simply behind them. The peloton crossed the end line simply 3 minutes later. There was no change within the total rankings.
Costa received the stage after a robust hand of poker
The photo-finish wasn’t actually wanted for Rui Costa
Stage winner, Rui Costa (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty): “I believed in myself. The season began very effectively for me and now successful a stage of La Vuelta is essential for me and for the crew. I’m very very comfortable. I labored very arduous to organize for the Tour however issues didn’t flip our method with the crew, it was a bit unhappy. I nonetheless felt good legs so I requested the crew to let me do La Vuelta a España to try to get a stage win and now look… It’s not simple. It’s not nearly successful in the present day, it’s lots of dedication, lots of work that individuals don’t see. That is very passable for me. [Crashes like Kämna’s in the final] are issues that occur in races. We had already finished that downhill as soon as and I noticed that he was going very quick so I broke as a result of I knew that if we adopted his tempo, we’d crash. It’s a disgrace for him after which it was nearly taking part in for the stage win. It went my method and I’m very comfortable.”
The win went to the artful Costa
General chief, Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma): “It was one other good stage by [Remco Evenepoel]. I used to be speaking to him on the startline and I informed him: ‘You understand, we will’t allow you to go within the break on daily basis to get again on a regular basis you misplaced.’ He’s nonetheless far again and he informed me he’s simply going for stage wins. It’s good to see. These sorts of phases, you by no means know the way they’ll play out, however it was a extremely quick begin, then the final two climbs there was a little bit of pacing from Alpecin. They have been attempting to go for the stage win so the pace was excessive all day. It’s all the time like that the day earlier than the remaining day. Everyone desires to set free all of the vitality. I’m getting used to the general lead little by little!”
Six phases to go for Sepp Kuss
# Meet up with all of the weekend’s biking information in EUROTRASH Monday. #
Vuelta a España Stage 15 End result:
1. Rui Costa (Por) Intermarché-Circus-Wanty in 3:30:56
2. Lennard Kämna (Ger) BORA-hansgrohe
3. Santiago Buitrago (Col) Bahrain Victorious
4. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Fast-Step at 0:02
5. Andreas Kron (Den) Lotto Dstny
6. Einer Augusto Rubio (Col) Movistar
7. Cristián Rodríguez (Spa) Arkéa Samsic
8. Chris Hamilton (Aus) dsm-firmenich
9. Nico Denz (Ger) BORA-hansgrohe at 0:36
10. Jimmy Janssens (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck at 1:07.
Vuelta a España General After Stage 15:
1. Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma in 51:04:54
2. Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma at 1:37
3. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma at 1:44
4. Juan Ayuso (Spa) UAE Workforce Emirates at 2:37
5. Enric Mas (Spa) Movistar at 3:06
6. Marc Soler (Spa) UAE Workforce Emirates at 3:10
7. Mikel Landa (Spa) Bahrain Victorious at 4:12
8. Aleksandr Vlasov (-) BORA-hansgrohe at 5:02
9. Cian Uijtdebroeks (Bel) BORA-hansgrohe at 5:30
10. João Almeida (Por) UAE Workforce Emirates at 8:39.
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