Stage Report: Remco Evenepoel needed extra KOM factors and his third 2023 Vuelta a España stage win. Each needs had been granted. Behind the Belgian the Jumbo battle was subdued, no assaults on the pink jersey of Sepp Kuss from ‘good friend or foe’. No change on the general.
The final Okay of stage 18
Sepp Kuss held his lead within the Vuelta a España on the finish of stage 18. His Jumbo-Visma crew protected him all day and within the finale, Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglič stayed with the pink jersey wearer all the way in which up the final climb. Almost 10 minutes earlier than the GC males crossed the road, Remco Evenepoel took his third stage victory of this Vuelta. The Belgian was within the early escape, for KOM factors, after which went solo to the end.
Remco Evenepoel took his fifth win as an expert bicycle owner
Race director, Fernando Escartín: “Cruz de Linares is yet one more unprecedented La Vuelta 2023 mountain move. On this event, nonetheless, there will likely be two ascents. It’s a new, powerful, mountain move that will shock a number of the riders, notably taking into the account their fatigue after arriving at Angliru. Groups feeling robust sufficient could plan methods to be able to knock the chief off the highest spot.”
Stage 18 profile
The eighteenth stage lined 179 kilometres, ranging from Pola de Allande. The primary climb was the Alto de las Estacas (5.1km at 7.5%). This was adopted by the harder Puerto de San Lorenzo (9.9km at 8.6%). An extended descent took the riders to the following col, the brief Alto de Tenebredo (3.4km at 9.5%). Within the last, the Puerto de la Cruz de Linares (8.3km at 8.6%) needed to be climbed twice on the ending circuit. The finish-line was on the summit of the second time up the Puerto de la Cruz de Linares.
One other day in pink for Sepp Kuss – Will his ‘teammates’ assist or assault him as we speak?
There was the same old assaults from the gun. KOM jersey wearer Remco Evenepoel was amongst the early motion once more. He was, in fact, a part of the ‘break of the day’, which was made up of 14 riders. Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) and Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) had been there, together with Max Poole (dsm-firmenich), Julien Bernard (Lidl-Trek), Lewis Askey & Lorenzo Germani (Groupama-FDJ), Nico Denz (BORA-hansgrohe), Jarrad Drizners & Andreas Kron (Lotto Dstny), Andrea Piccolo (EF Training-EasyPost), Imanol Erviti (Movistar), Hugo Hofstetter (Arkéa-Samsic) and Paul Ourselin (TotalEnergies).
Ander Okamika fuelling up in Pola de Allande firstly
The lead rapidly elevated. Jumbo-Visma had Robert Gesink on the entrance of the peloton, however the crew had no intention of pulling them again. The break’s lead elevated to greater than 10 minutes, so it was sure the winner can be from this group and we may guess who that may be. Evenepoel was the primary to cross the highest of each the Alto de las Estacas and the Puerto de San Lorenzo to safe victory within the mountains classification.
Remco Evenepoel was on the entrance firstly
The peloton let the escape go
Evenepoel then put extra strain on up the following climb, the Alto de Tenebredo (Cat-3), this thinned the group out. With Evenepoel, Bernal, Caruso, Poole, Bernard, Piccolo, Kron and Ourselin began the Puerto de la Cruz de Linares for the primary time. It was Kron who put within the first assault. Evenepoel, Poole and Caruso adopted, the remaining may solely watch.
Luis Leon Sanchez nonetheless within the Vuelta, however with a whole lot of bandages
After Kron’s acceleration, it was Evenepoel who made his transfer and it was Kron who was first to be dropped. Then it was Caruso who was in bother, then 4 kilometres from the highest Max Poole needed to let go. On the prime of the Puerto de la Cruz de Linares, the younger British rider was virtually 1:30 behind the Belgian champion. He got here again a bit on the descent, however on the flatter and technical half, Evenepoel rode away. On the ultimate climb, the Soudal Fast-Step KOM had greater than 2 minutes on Poole and Caruso, who had been collectively.
Evenepoel desires these KOM factors
Good and inexperienced in Asturias from all of the rain
Evenepoel took extra time and effectively earlier than the end it was clear that he would take the stage victory. Evenepoel was the primary to cross the road after 179 kilometres to take his third stage victory of this Vuelta. Damiano Caruso was second at virtually 5 minutes. Third place went to Andreas Kron, who was simply forward of Max Poole.
The peloton had been at over 10 minutes
Evenepoel had his KOM factors – Stage win?
Properly behind Evenepoel, the GC battle was underneath manner. The motion had began on the penultimate climb of the Puerto de la Cruz de Linares, the place Bahrain Victorious had lifted the tempo with Antonio Tiberi on the entrance. This thinned out the group of favourites. Nico Denz dropped again to this group within the valley earlier than the ultimate climb after which attacked with teammate Aleksandr Vlasov on his wheel. The Russian began the climb with a small lead.
Work as regular for Jumbo-Visma, however will it keep that method to the end?
It was solely a matter of time earlier than Evenepoel went solo
Vlasov was quickly caught because the pace had lifted within the peloton. This was primarily as a result of Wout Poels, who was working onerous once more for Mikel Landa. The Basque attacked midway up the climb. Nevertheless, it was Juan Ayuso, who is nineteen seconds forward of him on GC, had a solution to the acceleration. Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglič didn’t reply, however stayed with chief Kuss. Vingegaard, with the pink jersey on his wheel, closed the hole to Ayuso and Landa. The Dane then rode on the entrance.
One other win for Remco Evenepoel
It was the identical when Landa tried once more and Ayuso jumped on his wheel. Once more the others returned, after which they rode collectively to the final kilometre. Ayuso wasn’t completed and tried twice. This time it was Kuss who responded, whereas Roglič and Vingegaard adopted. It might be a dash for eighth place. Ayuso was the quickest, forward of Mas and Kuss. Roglič completed eleventh, whereas Vingegaard allow them to go within the last metres. Kuss strengthened his main place, the distinction to Vingegaard is now 17 seconds.
Sepp Kuss seemed way more assured as we speak
Stage winner and KOM, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Fast-Step): “The guts on the road was for Oumi, my spouse. This victory was for her. I felt I used to be the strongest on the group, I didn’t should waste any time and I simply needed to go. The legs had been tremendous good as we speak, a bit like in stage 14. It’s an incredible stage to win once more. I needed to chase the [KOM] factors for my jersey, I took all of the factors after which my third stage win, it’s superb to complete La Vuelta like this. After my off day in Formigal and Tourmalet, I simply needed to flip the web page and go for phases. I received three of probably the most lovely phases from this Vuelta and I take the mountain jersey. It has been an incredible Vuelta though the GC plan didn’t work out. I believe we could be very proud. To complete with such an excellent feeling and with such legs reveals that I’m nonetheless bettering and I simply had a little bit of a nasty week within the second week. We should always simply be blissful and proud.”
Kuss had his eye on the opposite GC males
Total chief and tenth on the stage, Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma): “To begin with, the fellows did a extremely nice job, pulling the entire day after which on the final two laps on this ending climb, Jan [Tratnik] got here again and he was driving tremendous for us after which Jonas [Vingegaard] did a extremely good tempo from the underside. I used to be just a little bit scared as a result of he’s so robust! He actually rode tremendous for me. Immediately we rode a extra defensive tactic. Throughout the crew and throughout the three of us, there was the ways we had agreed on for the Angliru, after which what technique we needed to comply with via after that stage. It’s all the time altering and there’s all the time some errors right here and there but it surely’s all the time inside measure. [Winning La Vuelta] is getting nearer. Tomorrow is certainly a better stage however we now have to remain focus after which for stage 20, it is going to be a extremely lengthy and onerous stage. We’re out of the massive mountains however there’s all the time some powerful ones.”
Solely Friday’s dash stage and Saturday’s onerous stage to go for Kuss in pink
# Solely three days to go to Madrid – Preserve it Vuelta PEZ. #
Vuelta a España Stage 18 End result:
1. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Fast-Step in 4:47:37
2. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain Victorious at 4:44
3. Andreas Kron (Den) Lotto Dstny at 5:10
4. Max Poole (GB) dsm-firmenich at 5:12
5. Paul Ourselin (Fra) TotalEnergies at 5:17
6. Julien Bernard (Fra) Lidl-Trek at 6:11
7. Egan Bernal (Col) INEOS Grenadiers at 7:01
8. Juan Ayuso (Spa) UAE Group Emirates at 9:29
9. Enric Mas (Spa) Movistar
10. Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma.
Vuelta a España Total After Stage 18:
1. Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma in 65:31:27
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma at 0:17
3. Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma at 1:08
4. Juan Ayuso (Spa) UAE Group Emirates at 4:00
5. Mikel Landa (Spa) Bahrain Victorious at 4:19
6. Enric Mas (Spa) Movistar at 4:30
7. Cian Uijtdebroeks (Bel) BORA-hansgrohe at 7:37
8. Aleksandr Vlasov (-) BORA-hansgrohe at 8:35
9. João Almeida (Por) UAE Group Emirates at 10:20
10. Santiago Buitrago (Col) Bahrain Victorious at 12:20.
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