Stage 20 marks the final chance for the climbers to damage their rivals. The recent stages have been a little easier and ZARA and to a lessor extent Polar and Sony Force – India have been willing to do the chasing. If that isn’t true today we could see a big win for the breakaway as there is little chance Puma’s tired little cats can control a big break today. The stage opens with the famous Puerto de Navacerrada (HC, 18k at 5.4%) commencing just 2.5k into the stage and closes with the famous Bola del Mundo. That climb is split into two pieces today with a Cat 1 climb to Puerto de Costos followed by a short flat section and then a Cat 2 climb to the finish. In between that finale and the opening HC climb the stage features two more Cat 1 climbs plus a Cat 2 over a total of 172k. There are some long valley roads in between, particularly after the opening climb, which could help Puma control things.
The organizers have Kudus as the favorite and today is probably best suited to his one advantage over Herklotz on the longer climbs. And while Herklotz has been dominant his GC advantage is a not insurmountable 1’55.
The first attackers are already onto the Puerto de Navacerrada. Warchol and Formolo are intent on one more round in their KOM slugfest and have both made it into the 5-man group. The others are Phodingam Seibeb and Eg. The last man’s presence is significant because in the group 28 seconds down on these 5 we have Carlsberg’s big gun - Quintana. The others in that group are Mavrikakis, Eenkhoorn, Nesset, and Carcueva. Attacks still coming.
One of the men on the move is Rodriguez, if he gets away it seems likely to mean ZARA won’t be doing the chasing.
Atkins chasing now as Moser takes accountability for one of the first time all race. Right now, there are 21 men off the front, the most significant name to be added recently is probably Carboni, since that would also take Sony – Force India out of the chasers.
Atkins brings back Carboni, that group also included Schlegel, Preidler, and Brozyna. With that strong quartet neutralized he eases off. Leaving 17 riders away with the front group at 1’49. 166k still to ride.
That appears to be it for the break, with 9k to climb and 161k in the stage the 17 escapees have come together and have a lead of 2’35. On the whole, not a nightmare group for Puma and Moser. The full list is: Hamilton, Lane Quintana, Eg Borisavljevic Mavrikakis Eenkhoorn, Nesset Carcueva, Warchol Phodingam Rubio, Slagter Christakos Formolo Seibeb Rodriguez
Nobody has more than 2 riders and only really Formolo, Warchol and Quintana are really top draw climbers. The first two have been in the breaks a lot and seem more likely focused on KOM points. Quintana is a real threat for the stage win but is 24 minutes off the GC lead and 13 minutes off tenth place. Mavrikakis, Nesset and Eenkhoorn are all strong but don’t seem like they have what it takes to really turn the race on its head. Among the break, Formolo is closest on GC and he is 16 minutes down.
900 meters from the top Warchol launches hoping to surprise Formolo. The peloton have kept the pace pretty high and are only 3’19 behind. Maybe in a sign of intent Moser are sharing the load with Puma.
Warchol's surprise falls flat, Formolo comes around to take maximum points and Warchol settles for 4th. Formolo now has a 44-point lead in the KOM competition. Barring a disaster he is looking pretty secure.
A few riders were distanced from the break over the top but despite another display of atrocious descending by Seibeb they are all back together as they pass the sprint that marks the beginning of the valley road. About 30k of flat roads now. Peloton at 4’58, three riders (Nyoni, Hodeg, Viennet) were dropped but have been able to rejoin.
The break reaches the first Cat 1 climb on the other side of the valley with a lead of 5’50. The climb is 12.2k at an average of 5% with the steepest sections in the last 2.5k. Puma doing most of the chasing with a little help earlier from Moser.
2.7k to climb for the break. Peloton at 7 minutes. Moser have come to the front to push the pace on the climb but given the rider is Kukrle it isn’t having a great effect.
Warchol tries the "attack with just under 1k to climb strategy again". The man is living the definition of crazy.
You have to feel bad for him, at least he gets second this time.
About half the break is dropped over the top but they should be good to come back on the descent.
Turek leads the peloton over 6’48 down. They did enough to control the gap. About 15 riders have been dropped from the peloton.
70k to ride for the break, the last four dropped riders (Christakos, Borisavljevic, Rodriguez and Seibeb) just got back on, they were dropped more due to positioning than weakness. The peloton at 6’20. In 6.5k the riders start the next climb which is the Cat 2 Puerto de Canencia (6.5k at 5.3%)
Formolo slightly mistimes his dash to the line and Eenkhoorn takes maximum points on the Cat 2 but it doesn’t matter much at this point. Peloton at 6’52 with Otruba on the front.
There is just a short descent and then the riders tackle the second Cat 1 which is shorter (8.7k) but steeper at 7.1%.
7k to climb for the break in the 2nd Cat 1, Eg doing the pacemaking. Christakos and Seibeb were dropped on the last climb and have not been able to rejoin. 117-rider peloton at 8’05. Moser were pushing the pace but seem to have run out of domestiques already so Puma back on the front.
3.8k to climb, Eg doing all the work. Rubio, Slagter, Phodingnam and Lane all dropped. Peloton at 8’09, the lead had got bigger but now Tinkoff have come to the front and are controlling things.
Eg’s pacemaking briefly reduce the group to 4 – Eg, Quintana, Nesset and Eenkhoorn but Carcueva drags Warchol and Formolo back up to them. 2.2k to climb. Tinkoff holding the gap at just over 8 minutes.
800 meters. Quintana attacks for the first time. Eg and Carcueva are dropped.
Quintana pries open a small gap by the top. 40k to ride. Peloton at 7’45. Rikunov on the front.
The frontrunners come back together on the descent and there are 5 riders at the front by the time they reach the beginning of the end – the Cat 1 Puerto de Cotos (13.9k at 4.8%). They are Quintana, Eenkhoorn, Nesset, Warchol, and Formolo. The next group with Borisavljevic, Mavrikakis, Rodriguez, Eg and Carcueva is at 1’48. Peloton is at 7’29 with Stork on the front.
Quintana launches an attack with 6.7k to climb. The others are able to follow so far.
Tinkoff have taken up the chasing again, in a very serious fashion, lead down to 6’05 as Lane is caught. On the front are: Rikunov, Foliforov, Rybalkin, Vlasov and Arslanov. Mamykin protecting Sivakov. So, 7 of 8 Tinkoff riders in the 44-man group. Arensman, 31st on GC, is the highest placed rider not here.
Formolo launches the next attack in the break. Nesset is dropped, Quintana wobbles but stays in touch.
Again Latour is the first to attack in the peloton. Godoy and Kirsch closest to him.
Godoy reaches Latour and they quickly catch the 5 chasers. The first five just 4’08 ahead now. With Nesset the only rider in between. This group has 25 seconds on the red jersey group where Carboni is taking over the chasing from Vlasov.
Soon after the attack is shut down.
Latour attacks again. This time Choi, Almeida, Tenorio and Godoy go with him. Conci takes up the chase.
Eenkhoorn leads the 4 frontrunners over the top. From here they have about 5.5k of flat and then the steep final section to the top of the Bola del Mundo. Latour, Choi and Almeida have dropped the other two and are 2’41 behind the break and 47 seconds up on the Red Jersey group.
Over the top Eenkhoorn gets a gap on Quintana and Formolo, Warchol further back. The Latour group at 2’08. Red Jersey group at 2’50, all the other contenders still in that group.
Eenkhoorn hits the final climb of the Vuelta with 11 seconds on the two chasers, 24 seconds on Warchol, 1’42 on the Latour group and 3’03 on the Red Jersey group which is being led by Kirsch. Latour moving up to 4th on GC right now. The final climb is only 4k but it averages 10.3% with a max of 18%, the last 1.5k is very hard.
2.5k the riders can see the daunting path ahead. Warchol has closed in on the others.
Eenkhoorn is caught by Quintana and Formolo but the 3 GC attackers have them in their sites now.
2k to ride, the break isn’t going to win today. Red Jersey group, led by Morton is 1’29 back. Warchol in between.
Situation looks like this:
The red jersey group fractures on the climb. Morton, Herklotz and Kudus at the front. They are 42 seconds behind the front 6. Wellens and Sivakov losing their spots to Latour, at the moment.
1.5k to go, the top 3 on GC reach the front of the race. This very steep finish favors only one man. Wellens also closing in on this group, protecting his GC position.
1k banner. Herklotz on the front. The breakaway riders dropped. Wellens and Godoy 25 seconds behind. Sivakov also with that group.
500 meters. Herklotz unable to drop Kudus and Morton so far.
300 meters. Herklotz still can’t shake the other two. Wellens and Sivakov have passed Latour, doesn’t look like we will have much change in the GC.
But Kudus can not get any closer and Herklotz gets his 6th stage win. Morton takes 3rd which has been his role this race. Behind Sivakov has edged ahead of Wellens, only 10 seconds separated them in GC.
Sivakov pulls away from Wellens to take 4th. We will wait for the time gaps.
Latour gets 6th, where he is in GC. Choi 7th, also his spot. Almeida gets 8th, ditto for him.
Godoy gets 9th and Quintana 10th. No redeeming stage heroics for him, he does move back up to 18th on GC. Geoghegan Hart and Tenorio take 11th and 12th.
Wellens loses 24 seconds to Sivakov and drops to 5th on GC. Given their relative TT skills he probably would have lost it tomorrow anyway. Other than today very much confirms the status quo on GC.
Herklotz moves up to third in the points. Formolo has secured the KOM jersey. Almeida now leads the young rider competition by 35’52, he should be safe in that jersey. Tinkoff reduces EA’s team advantage to 2’42, that jersey is probably the only one in play tomorrow.
Vuelta a Espana 
