The Ecuadorian cyclist Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) won this Saturday in the fourteenth stage of the Tour of Spain, with an exciting finish in the Sierra de la Pandera after 160 kilometers, while the leader Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step) lost almost a minute into the attack of Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma).
Carapaz pointed to favorite from a breakaway with nine other runners, none of the top in the general, 90 kilometers of metal. The Olympic champion endured the climb to Los Villares and also to La Pandera, in a recital through the hills of Jaén.
The Ecuadorian repeated victory in the Spanish round, after winning two days ago in Peñas Blancas, crossing the finish line alone with eight seconds over Miguel Ángel López (Astana Qazaqstan) and Roglic. The Slovenian cyclist, current triple Vuelta champion, struck fear into Evenepoel’s body and confirmed that everything remains to be decided, starting with a Sunday in the queen stage.
The reigning champion attacked at the rawest moment, just three kilometers from the end but in the leg-breaker of 15% unevenness that culminated in La Pandera. Gone are the Puerto de Siete Pilillas (3rd category) and the beginning of the stage with many escape attempts, until Los Villares put everyone in their place.
Roglic threatened with the great thrust, which in the end touched the minute, but made Evenepoel get up from the bike, who keeps the red jersey with 1:49 over the Slovenian and 2:43 over Enric Mas. The Movistar runner accompanied Roglic and Miguel Ángel López in the attack, but he had the last kilometer left over and could not cut that much.
Clément Champoussin (Ag2r Citroën), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan), Luis León Sánchez (Bahrain Victorious), Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ), Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), Filippo Conca (Lotto Soudal), Kenny Elissonde, Mads Pedersen ( Trek-Segafredo), Raúl García Pierna (Kern Pharma Team) and Marco Brenner (Team DSM) formed that escape in which the victory was raffled off.
The rent passed the four and a half minutes and the peloton did not seem willing to stretch, under control and push by Quick-Step that would end up paying the leader. After passing through Jaén capital, the difference seemed to decrease, but it continued to hover around 4 minutes, time that seemed enough for Carapaz to confirm his favoritism. Then, Robert Gesink (Jumbo-Visma) gave another pace to a peloton that became more select with each kilometer.
Ahead, the escape also started with the attack of the Spaniard Luis León Sánchez (Bahrain Victorious) although he soon had the company of Carapaz, Clément Champoussin (Ag2r) and Filippo Conca (Lotto Soudal), taking the narrow La Pandera road. It was at that critical moment that Roglic attacked Evenepoel.
The Slovenian, who had been warning that there was still Vuelta, took off from the group a hit Evenepoel, who had to clench his teeth to defend the red. He did not give Roglic to fight for the stage, but to encourage his options and the Spanish round, as did Mas and Superman López. The Catalan Juan Ayuso (UAE) had the misfortune of a final puncture but was ahead of him and the Andalusian Carlos Rodríguez (INEOS) also cut back with his fourth place.
With no time to rest, that will be on Monday, the peloton will face a pure mountain day this Sunday, between Martos and Sierra Nevada, with heat and climbs to Alto del Purche and Hoya de la Mora, a long and demanding pass that has already shone in Lap 17.
–CLASSIFICATIONS.
-Stage.
1. Richard Carapaz (ECU/INEOS Grenadiers) 4:09:27.
2. Miguel Angel Lopez (COL/Astana Qazaqstan Team) by 8 seconds.
3. Cousin Roglic (ESL/Jumbo-Vism) mt
4. Joao Almeida (POR/UAE Team Emirates) 27.
5. CARLOS RODRIGUEZ (ESP/INEOS Grenadiers) 36.
-General.
1. Remco Evenepoel (BEL/Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) 52:21:33.
2. Cousin Roglic (ESL/Jumbo-Vism) at 1:49.
3. ENRIC MAS (ESP/MOVISTAR TEAM) 2:43.
4. CARLOS RODRIGUEZ (ESP/INEOS GRENADIERS) 3:46.
5. JOHN AYUSO (ESP/UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 4:5