While the last week of this Vuelta includes a number of tough mountain stages, Stage 11 will claim the bragging rights of the queen stage. 213k including an HC climb to the finish at Calar Alto. Before that another HC climb, a Cat 1 and two Cat 2’s.
The top 6 on the GC are an unexpected group after Stage 9’s breakaway success, we will see if they can hang on today.
With all that climbing Kudus is a logical choice to top the favorites.
About 10k gone. 12 riders up the road at the moment in three groups. The first group is Warchol, Vosekalns, Sosa, Benito, Cataford, and Nareklishvili. Vosekalns is 2nd on GC so surprising they have let him go. Sosa and Warchol are both very serious climbers. But GC logic might not apply today as Grieg have shown little interest in protecting red, they have already left the chase to Puma and they have Vingegaard in the second group on the road along with Hamilton. Those two trail the leaders by 19 seconds. The next group is another 27 seconds back with an additional 1’19 to the peloton. The third group is Carapaz, Schlegel, Eenkhoorn, and Roman. Carapaz another serious climber.
The first climb is a Cat 2 (10,1k at 4.9%). With 5k to climb the second 6 are together but have been unable to catch the front 6. The gap stands at 48 seconds. The peloton at 3’15 from the leaders.
At the top Warchol takes the points ahead of Sosa and Vosekalns. All the rest dropped. Gap to the peloton is 5’19, gap to the 6 chasers is 1’29.
Cataford takes 5th on the climb keeping him 2 points up on Vosekalns in the virtual KOM for now. Doesn’t seem like that is a jersey he is going to hang on to.
The gap is up to 6’12 as Puma takes the peloton over the top of the climb. No regrouping in the break so far.
175k to go, 5k to climb in the second Cat 2 (16.6% at 3.4%). The front 6 back together. The chasers at 1’05, peloton at 5’54.
By the top it is down to the same 3 but this time Vosekalns jumps early and takes maximum points, he now has the virtual KOM lead. Cataford and Nareklishvili have been dropped not just by this group but also by the 2nd group on the road, Benito is with that group. Those 7 chasers are at 1’04. The peloton at 7’36.
As the the three leaders reach the sprint point with 140k to go they have almost been caught by the chasers (who have dropped Benito). The peloton at 9’19 now. In 12k they start the first HC climb, the Puerto de Velefique (16k at 6.5%)
As they start the HC climb there are 9 riders at the front (behind in GC/Behind Herklotz): Warchol (+9’55/+4’47) Vosekalns (+0’44/-4’24) Sosa (+9’10/+4’02) Vingegaard (+12’31/+7’24) Hamilton (+17’26/+12’18) Carapaz (+8’53/+3’45) Schlegel (+10’29/+5’21) Eenkhoorn (+11’35/+6’27) Roman (+12’29/+7’21)
Puma led peleton is currently at 7’56.
4.4k to climb. Roman and Hamilton begin to lose touch with the leaders. Peloton at 9’31 with 5 Puma riders still on the font. Only 1 rider dropped ( Nyoni).
Vosekalns and Eenkhoorn dropped soon after.
At the top Vingegaard, who has been sitting on given his team have the red jersey, makes the cheeky move and attacks. But Sosa is having none of it and comes around him to take maximum points. Peloton at 9’53. Warchol and Carapaz 14 seconds behind these two. The rest stretched out down the mountains
The 134-man peloton reach the top with a deficit of 10’04 to a leading group including Warchol, Carapaz, Vingegaard and Sosa. Shirota and Preidler attack to take 10th and 11th in the KOM (2 and 1 point). Vosekalns took 6th, good for 6 points. He is up to 50 points, 14 ahead of Cataford and 16 ahead of Sosa. In the peloton. Puma down to two men with Herklotz, Brändle and Cemazar. Not clear who is going to lead the chase.
100k to go, Heidemann and Stork have made it back to the front. The former leading on the downhill and has the gap down to 9’32. Schlegel has made it back to the leaders.
The 9 who started the last climb together are back together as they start the next climb, the Cat 1 Collado Venta Luisa (25.8k at 4.7%). Their lead is 8’16. Still 77k to ride.
For the first time Puma pushes the pace on a climb and, with 15k to climb, Brändle and Cemazar cut the lead down to 6’56. 114 riders left in the peloton. Hamilton has been dropped from the break.
7k to climb for the leaders. Roman and Vosekalns have been dropped. Cemazar is the last man working for Puma and the lead is holding at around 6’50.
1.5k to climb for the leaders. Cemazar has cracked and the lead is up to 7’55.
At the top Warchol takes maximum points ahead of Eenkhoorn and Vingegaard. Vosekalns doesn’t score his lead is down to 6 over Warchol and 10 over Sosa.
The other teams refuse to help Puma and the peloton is still 101 riders strong as they cross the top, 8’38 down on the leaders.
Puma launches a furious chase down the descent and across the valley and as the leaders reach the final climb their advantage is cut to 6’43. The climb is 21.9k at 5.7%, with the first two thirds much harder and then mostly mild gradients in the last 1/3rd except for a brief stretch from 2.5k to 1k to go. The 6 left are: Warchol, Sosa, Vingegaard, Carapaz, Schlegel, and Eenkhoorn. Vosekalns is 2’16 back, he currently holds the virtual GC lead by 4’07 over Arensman but it seems likely he will lose a lot of time from here on in.
Sosa makes an early attack that puts Carapaz and Schlegel in trouble and distances Vingegaard.
As the peloton reaches the finishing climb, Puma finally gets some help as Christakos goes to the front. The gap is 6’49.
18k to climb Warchol attacks and brings Eenkhoorn and Vingegaard, who had recovered, with him. Behind the work from Polar has the gap down to 6’11.
Polar’s work sets up an attack from Latour. Stork, who hadn’t worked before goes to the front. The gap was just under 6 minutes when LaTour attacked.
Meanwhile another attack from Warchol dropped Eenkhoorn while Vingegaard barely hung on. Sosa is working to bring back the other 3.
Stork cracks and Soler takes over the chase of Latour. Vosekalns is almost caught, he won’t be taking over the GC today. Arensman still hanging tough at the front and he has a big cushion but he also still has another 17k of climbing to go. Up front the 6 leaders are back together.
Godoy attacks with Almeida on his wheel and they sweep past Latour. Simultaneously Warchol attacks the break again, this time Vingegaard and Sosa follow.
Vlasov almost closes down Godoy and Almeida but just as he fades Latour attacks again this time with Tenorio and Kudus on his wheel. The gap to leaders is down to 2’32 with 13k to climb, it doesn’t look like this one will go to the break. Only Arensman and Preidler from yesterday’s break are hanging on in the main chase group, it looks like the others will be falling down the GC.
The attack is followed by Herklotz but they don’t get a gap. They do wipe out the remaining time to the 3 chasers from the original break. And as Godoy attacks again the gap to the leaders is just 52 seconds. Arensman is beginning to slip down the group. The good new for him is he started the day with a 5’08 cushion on Herklotz.
Another attack by Latour is joined by Kudus and Herklotz and gets a small gap. Ahead Vingegaard keeps hope alive with an attack of his own. The main chase group is down to 13 riders and Arensman and Preidler have both been dropped.
10k banner and the break is over. These 6 hve 40 seconds on a 13-rider chase group being lead by Wellens. The red jersey group is another 1’10 back, Arensman has already lost a third of his cushion, Nesset is working to limit the damage.
8.4k to go, the 3 leaders are working well together. They have dropped all the breakaway survivors and have 25 seconds on the chase group. In the chase group, in addition to the three breakaway survivors, are: Morton Wellens Tenorio Sivakov Godoy Choi Quintana Almeida Formolo Geoghegan Hart
7k to climb and Almeida, Godoy and Geoghegan Hart are the first contenders dropped from the chase group. Morton and Wellens working have held the gap to 22 seconds. All the breakaway riders were also dropped. So far Arenman has been able to limit the damage to 2’16, but he is right at the back of his current group. Nesset still with him.
Just over 5k to go and Herklotz attacks. Kudus tries to follow. Latour look cooked. Quintana and Formolo have been dropped from the chase group.
Kudus catches back up to Herklotz while Latour falls into the chase group. With 4k to go the race situation (Arensman is in A8 but still in red by 1’18):
Tenorio, Latour and Choi are dropped from the chase group. The remaining 3, Wellens, Morton and Sivakov have a 22 second gap to the leaders. It has been about that for many kilometers but they haven’t been able to close it. The leaders are on the flatter sections at the top now but will hit that last steep section soon.
Herklotz uses the steeper gradients to attack and Kudus does not seem to be able to match him.
Herklotz is too good, he quickly opens up 28 seconds on Kudus, Morton is able to bridge up to the Eritrean. The gap to Arensman is 4’51, Herklotz back in red if he takes the time bonus.
Herklotz cracks just short of the line but wins Stage 11 to take his 3rd stage win. A great ride by him. He puts clear daylight into his rivals and more than covers the 5’08 needed to retake the Red jersey.
Kudus outsprints Morton for 2nd. They are 23 seconds down.
Sivakov is a surprise 4th ahead of Wellens both at 1’10
Choi (+1’55), Latour (+2’03) and Tenorio (+2’03) are next.
Quintana (+2’57) and Formolo (+3’09) complete the top 10.
Herklotz’ GC lead over Kudus is 1’08. Arensman holds on to third, and his breakaway companions Bernard and Preidler hold on to 8th and 9th.
Arensman also keeps White he still has 5’16 on Almeida.
With the GC guys taking he KOM points on the final climb Vosekalns takes back he KOM jersey, Herklotz does move up to 4th in that competition.
Vuelta a Espana 
