Last day reached in this Vuelta! And still an incredible 181 riders in the peloton. This means only 10 riders had to abandon the GT. A hilariously small number seeing the toughness of the race.
Only 1-2 sprinters will miss todays opportunity for a stage win and as the last sprint is quite some time ago here some names, that performed well so far:
Roelandts, Cavendish, Enger, Van der Lijke, Keukeleire all got their win.
Kennatugh, Guarnieri, Coquard, Groenewegen had some good results, some bad but were without a win so far, which is in especially bad for Grieg-Eftel as they were hoping on Guarnieri alone more or less.
Congrats to the best riders of this Vuelta. Gesink, Pluchkin next to each other. Next to them also the KoM winner Chamorro and in front the youth jersey of Lecuisinier.
7 riders form todays break and surely hope for exhausted teams and sprinters behind to beat them for this stage. Hofland Izagirre Seibeb Wallays Thurau Haig Selander
One of the worst things to happen in a cycling race. In especially when being on the 21st day of a GT. Mass crash in the peloton with 13 riders on the tarmac.
Apparently one team leader is hit and also a top sprinter...
It`s Nibali and Coquard. Also Kudus is down.
Good news though that for now all riders are on their bikes again. Let`s hope for no injuries and all able to defend their GC positions and Coquard being able to sprint today.
Fair move by the sprinter teams. While Red Bull, Orange and Grieg were doing the pace during the crash, they didn`t accelerate and hence all riders are back in the pack.
Though the break took profit from this surely as the gap is up to 3min with 50km to go, while it was the same 10km ago when the accident happened and the pace had upped.
18km and the break is giving it all. 1'25 still and this is going to be close. Behind Alarcon is chasing hard for Cavendish.
Inside the last 5km and still ~1min gap.
Thurau is the first to attack from the group.
About 650m in between breakaway and peloton. They really need to hurry to get this stage.
Tanner
Guarnieri
Enger
Coquard
Keukeleire
Groenewegen
Van der Lijke
Lay
Pedersen
Kreder
Roelandts
Hansen
Kennaugh
Chen
Cavendish
Thurau is caught again. Selander in the first position. Then Hofland and Wallays.
And with 1,6km to go the sprint starts. Selander in the worst position and Thurau just had attacked.
Hofland and Wallays with best chances as behind a small gap to the others.
And also in the peloton we see a chaotic early sprint. Boev the one to open it. And it`s really early.
On the right Kreder for Orange found the way to the front with Roelandts and Kennaught behind him. Also the Red Bull train behind them while the left side with Guarnieri, Enger, Keukeleire is a lot more open but hasn`t really started yet. Pace should be higher really.
Hence under the Flamme Rouge the break looks to take it. Thurau now done for the day and also Seibeb and Izagirre are beaten.
Wallays vs. Hofland it seems as Selander is passed and Haig is too late.
And Wallays takes it. Well deserved actually after being caught on the last kilometer in an earlier stage this Vuelta. Congrats to their 2nd GT stage this Vuelta.
Hofland and Selander next ahead of Haig. Then Izagirrre, Thurau and Seibeb.
Bad timing by the peloton or waiting for the crash victims? No matter what, the chance was there to take this today. Roelandts as best taking the unthankful 8th. Keukeleire and Van der Lijke behind.
Best news though that all crash victims were able to finish in the pack and hence keep their GC positions.
Gesink takes his first ever MG Grand Tour while Pluchkin is beaten for the first time in his last 4 GT attempts. Machado rounds up the podium ahead of U25 winner Lecuisinier.
Chamorro takes the KoM glory home for wildcard team Coldeportes. Hence both PCT teams with nice success here.
Feel the most for Pokerstars. 10th and 13th not bad but without Tenorio crashing a top5 would have been likely. So second GT with bad luck.
Also Jayco`z as Morton lost any top10 chances in the crash even though it`s hard to say where he could have finished. Last Red Bull who could have done better than 17th surely as the Giro had shown.
