Stage 20 will bring the curtain down on the GC battle in the 2021 Vuelta and it does so with one more iconic finishing climb, this time the Bola del Mundo (13k at 7.9%). The HC finishing climb is preceded by 3 Cat 1s and a Cat 2 climb, so plenty of KOM points on offer, that jersey could change hands for the 5th straight day. If they let him the break Carboni could have a shot at a Giro/Vuelta KOM double. 168k to be ridden in total. Can the other teams finally put some pressure on Evonik.
The stage favorites are the 3 main combatants. Being 32 years old ( Tenorio), 33 yo ( Madrazo) and 34 yo ( Taaramäe) it could be viewed as a last ride for all of them at the top end of the sport. After this they all face the inevitable descent into the zombieland where scoring depth points in the Tour of Andorra counts as a good day.
Since it is the Vuelta perhaps one of them is rallying his team by quoting another man about to face his last ride:
“Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! spear shall be shaken, shield shall be splintered,
a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!”
Just 300 meters into the race and Madouas makes his intentions clear. He will know his fellow breakaway rider quite well by now, it is Nesset. No move from Sequera yet.
This was always bound to be big day for the breakaway. 12k gone and 18 riders out front with another 7 looking to join. Although that looks like it will be the extent of it. Biggest name in the break so far is Pinot (15th on GC). But no Carboni or Sequera so Madouas looks favorite for the KOM, he needs just 8 points to retake the lead.
143k to go and the breakaway has 3’56 over the peleton. Two more riders attacked so it is 28 riders strong.
The full list: Denz Kirsch (16th GC) Mavrikakis, Spanopoulos Turgis Eenkhoorn, Keinath, Mäder Nesset (19th), Sosa, Vingegaard Lammertink, Tolhoek Koshevoy (17th), Pinot (15th) Roman Boonratanathanakorn, Smith Fabbro, Quintana Cink, Prado, Schönberger Egger, Madouas (18th) Foliforov, Mamykin (20th) Meurisse
Koshevoy is 4th on KOM but he would need to take every point available to be a threat. But three Generali riders are here to try and make it harder for Madouas. Pinot closet on GC at 18’56. All of 15th to 20th on the GC are in the break.
700 meters to the top of the first climb and Madouas forces his way to the front. The peloton already 8 minutes back.
Madouas takes first and is back in front in the KOM. It seems likely to be permanent this time.
115k to go. The break is at the sprint point in Las Parjarillas. The next climb is a Cat 2. Denz and Turgis were dropped on the last climb and are still 1’33 back. They should be able to rejoin. The peloton at 9’04 with Zwift, King Power and Tinkoff keeping the lead under control to protect their lower top 10 GC spots.
Madouas adds more points at the top of the Cat 2. Peloton at 7’12.
91k to go as the breakaway starts the 2nd Cat 1, the Puerto de la Morcuera, 9.3k at 7%. Denz and Turgis have been dropped again. The peloton at 7’59 but is down to 80 riders with some big groups off the back. Nobody major dropped.
Forcing by Tinkoff and Grieg result in the two Puma and two ISA-Hexacta riders being dropped with 3k to climb. They still look good so it may be bad positioning. Kenyeres leading the peloton and the gap is 7’16, Tenorio must feel good today.
Foliforov leads the breakaway over the top. He has reduced the front group to 9 but there should be some regrouping on the descent. Still 82k to go.
8’17 later MOL lead the now 36-rider GC group over the top. Sequera, 11th on GC, is the most notable rider in trouble, but he should be able to get back on. MOL also running short on domestiques.
The front group has swelled back to 15 riders as they reach the beginning of the Puerto de Cotos (10.2k at 5.8%). Another group of 9 including Pinot is at 1’19. The peloton, with 34 riders (including Sequera) is at 8’02. The survivors up front are:
Kirsch (16th GC) Keinath, Mäder Nesset (19th), Sosa, Vingegaard Tolhoek Roman Smith Fabbro, Quintana Prado Foliforov, Mamykin (20th) Meurisse
61k to go for the peloton, they are on the Cat 1 climb now and Sosnitskiy is on the front.
The front group is back down to 10 as Foliforov leads them over the last Cat 1. Tinkoff can win the team jersey if this breakaway stays away. Dropped are Mäder, Vingegaard, Quintana, Prado, and Meurisse. The Pinot group at 3’21. Peloton now at 6’56. For the front group 40k of descent and false flat to go before the start of the final climb.
A 30 rider GC group reaches the top of the Cat 1 7’12 behind. Sequera has been dropped again, also Vlasov. So Madouas looks good for KOM and the young rider jersey. The fact many his biggest rivals are all working for their leaders has helped him.
Still about 1.5k to the official start of the final climb and Fabbro,, Tolhoek, and Smith attack the break. Only Meurisse was able to rejoin but the Pinot group, with 13 riders, is just 44 seconds behind the front group. The peleton at 7’36, Vlasov was able to rejoin and is now working on the front.
Another attack by Tolhoek drops Fabbro who is back with the chasers, 20 seconds behind the leaders. Pinot group another 54 seconds behind.
The GC group are on the final climb of the Vuelta. Gazelle and MOL appear serious about putting some pressure on Taaramäe but given the size of his lead and the number of teammates he still has it seems like a mostly symbolic gesture.
9k to go and Tolhoek and Smith are brought back, still 11 riders in the group. The Pinot group now at 2’12. Looks like they are out of it.
The next attack comes from Kirsch, Keinath, and Mamykin.
7.8k to go for the break. Nesset and Smith have bridged across to the leaders just in time to see Mamykin attack.
The peloton still has 32 riders, they are 6’35 behind with no action so far.
Up front Nesset tries to counter but Mamykin looks very strong, his lead is 25 seconds over the Grieg rider and 40 seconds over the other 3.
Aular now leading a 26-rider peloton. They have 7.8k to go, the Red Jersey again riding well back in the group. Up front Mamykin has 5k to go and a 44 second lead over Nesset.
Carboni, 13th on GC, and Vosekalns are dropped. Williams and Blums still with their leader.
With 6k to go, Haig attacks followed by Cattaneo.
And Tenorio follows.
Blums tries to close him down. Madrazo right behind him. Taaramäe a little further back but seems calm, he has faith in his teammates.
Under the 5k banner Blums catches Tenorio and Cattaneo and sets out after Haig who is 30 seconds ahead. They are also catching the remnants of the break now. Up front Mamykin has 3.2k to climb and a 1’11 lead over Nesset who has 1’09 over Kirsch, Keinath and Smith.
Kritskiy the first of the top GC guys in trouble. The rest of the top 10 still with Taaramäe (except Haig who is ahead).
The next attack comes from Madrazo, Blums is toast.
So Taaramäe takes things into his own hands. Just over 4k to go.
As they reach the Pinot group, it all comes back together. Haig, Madrazo and Taaramäe on the front of this group. All of the rest of the top 10 plus Bennett (12th) and De la Cruz (14th) but minus Kritsky, latched on the back.
All the GC action distracts from a great ride by Mamykin who has 2k to go, a 1’24 lead over Nesset and 2’35 over the next three.
Strong tempo from Madrazo splits the main group. Carthy, Meintjes and De la Cruz are the GC favorites dropped. Meintjes only has 3 seconds on Hirt and 19 seconds on Haig, there are still 2.5k to ride so his GC position is at risk. Carthy’s nearest competitor has already been dropped so he has more room to spare.
Bennett and Cattaneo are the next two GC riders dropped. Pinot also dropped.
Mamykin beginning to suffer with 500 meters to go but he is going to win Stage 20 of the Vuelta. His name will be at the top of the results page instead of written on the road.
Mamykin takes a solo victory. He should share the glory with Foliforov.
Haig is the next rider dropped from the leaders. He will be gaining one spot in the GC and can take credit for animating the race.
Nesset takes 2nd, 1’54 behind the winner, the best of his breakaway attempts but once again he isn’t quite able to take the big prize.
Madrazo and Taaramäe drop the others within sight of the finish line but can’t quite catch the rest of the break. Kirsch takes 3rd, Keinath 4th and Smith 5th.
Foliforov finishes strongly to take 6th.
Sosa 7th then Madrazo and Taaramäe. Evonik defends the jersey with relative ease. It is another Red Day for Taaramäe. Madrazo best of the big 3 on the day but will have to wait to see how much he gains on Tenorio, no matter the answer, a disappointing race for him.
A good day for Reis sees him take 10th on the stage followed by Tenorio, Hirt, Eenkhoorn and Meurisse. This group on 3’43, close enough to preserve Tenorio’s 2nd place overall by 20 seconds. 2nd in the Vuelta again for him but 3 stage wins is a nice consolation prize. A shout out to Eenkhoorn who ultimately was the only breakaway rider able to bridge from the Pinot group up to the next group.
Haig takes 15th at 4’11.
Cattaneo and Bennett 18th and 19th on 4’44 good enough for each of them to gain one GC place.
Carthy and Meintjes stuggle home on 5’59. The latter drops from 4th to 6th as Hirt and Haig gain. The former loses 2’16 to Reis which means the King Power rider goes from 9th to 7th. While Cathy drops to 8th.
A good day for Tinkoff in terms of stage points and they retake the team jersey by just 33 seconds from Moser but Kritsky loses 6’35 on the day and drops to 10th on the GC, his worst position since the first few stages.
Madouas ends up with a 19 point lead in the KOM competition and holds on to his 6+ minute gap over Aular in the young rider jersey. Vlasov drops back to 3rd. That is two more jerseys than Puma was expecting from this race.
Tomorrow Gaviria goes for 5 stage wins and all the jerseys become official.
Vuelta a España 
