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La Vuelta a Espana 2020 Stage 16 - As it happened
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Published 06/11/2020 at 10:27 GMT
La Vuelta 2020 - The expected crosswinds did not do the damage they promised but the breakaway could not go the distance on a day Magnus Cort won the stage and Primoz Roglic extended his lead over rivals Richard Carapaz and Hugh Carthy by six seconds.
Peloton / during the 75th Tour of Spain 2020, Stage 16 a 162km stage from Salamanca to Ciudad Rodrigo / @lavuelta / #LaVuelta20 / La Vuelta / on November 06, 2020 in Ciudad Rodrigo, Spain.
Image credit: Getty Images
New top 10 after Stage 16
Roglic's lead is up to 45 seconds over Carapaz with Carthy now 53 seconds down. It's all to play for in tomorrow's penultimate stage to the Alto de Covatilla...
Third stage win for EF Pro Cycling
What a race the American team are having with Cort adding to earlier wins from Woods and Carthy - although the British rider will be 53 seconds down on GC now in third place after Roglic took that time bonus. Looking at the reaction of the Slovenian, he was angry at not winning that stage. To be fair to him, he had to come from far back after Rui Costa (who took third place) cut him up on the home straight.
Bonus seconds for Primoz Roglic!
A late surge by the race leader saw him take second place and pick up six bonus seconds - and that's a massive coup for the Slovenian. Richard Carapaz wasn't far behind in fifth but he let his rival off the leash and has paid the consequences.
Victory for Magnus Cort!
It looked like nobody wanted it with all the leadout men looking over their shoulders and waiting for their teammates to come forward. In the end, it was Alejandro Valverde who rolled back the years and surged through - and it looked like the Spanish veteran was going to pick up a first victory in over a year, but the big Dane Magnus Cort powered through to take the win for EF Pro Cycling.
Final kilometre
Frenchman Bruno Amirail (Groupapa-FDJ) countered with 1,300m to go and opens up a little gap ahead of the flamme rouge. But he's going to get caught...
2km to go: All over for Cavagna
He shakes his head in anger and annoyance - he almost pulled off a right coup, but it's now all over for Remi Cavagna, the last man standing from the break. Movistar have four on the front including their man in white, Enric Mas.
4km to go: Heartbreak for Remi?
Just 10 seconds now for the Frenchman who, if he looks over his shoulders, will see Mitchelton-Scott coming to the front to commit to the chase with Movistar in a bid to lead out their Kiwi fast man Dion Smith. We're hearing mixed reports that Jasper Philipsen is here - that would make the Belgian the clear favourite - but that's unconfirmed. Magnus Cort, too, is one to watch.
8km to go: Cavagna holds his margin
He's done the downhill and maintained his advantage - but now it where it's going to get hard for the Frenchman. It looked like it was all over but he's digging deep and could pull this off...
12km to go: 15 seconds for Cavagna
He's won in similar circumstances before but today it will be a tall order, surely. It's a flat finish in Cuidad Rodrigo although there is a slight uphill ramp in the penultimate kilometre.
17km to go: Stannard dropped
The Australian has been distanced by Cavagna having held out to win the intermediate sprint. The Frenchman won a stage in last year's Vuelta and he's been a regular fixture in breakaways this year. He has an uncanny ability to time trial his way forward, defying an entire entity with his own individual strength. He's now burying himself on this final descent after that last uphill rise...
22km to go: Amador acceleration
The Russo-Costa Rican is now on the nose of the peloton ahead of his teammate Carapaz and a handful of Movistar riders as they tackle that climb ahead of the intermediate sprint. They're letting the two leaders dangle out ahead, with Cavagna and Stannard still 15-odd seconds clear. The pack is about 50-strong and the dangermen are Magnus Cort and Dion Smith, two solid sprinters who are still in the mix. Of course, there's always the prospect of a fifth stage win from Roglic...
30km to go: Movistar come forward
This is far from a regular downhill all the way to the finish. After this first descent there's a climb to the intermediate sprint at Serradilla del Llano, then another small drop and a second rise before the last part of the descent ahead of the flattish run to the finish. Our two leaders have just 10 seconds to play with as Movistar come to the front to keep the pressure up.
35km to go: Stannard takes KOM points
Stannard leads Cavagna over the summit and they have a slender 20-second lead over the pack. Luis Angel Mate of Cofidis put in a dig before the summit but was caught by Rob Power of Sunweb before both were eventually reabsorbed by the pack going over the top.
38km to go: Setting the Stannard
It's all Stannard now as he sets tempo with Cavagna on his wheel. But the pack are closing in - they have already gobbled up Madrazo and now they have Goosens on their plate (and it's not even December yet). It's Amador and Wurf on the front for Ineos with Carapaz tucked in behind.
40km to go: Cavagna attacks!
Moments after Angel Madrazo became the fourth Burgos-BH escapee to be tailed off, the Frenchman zips clear of Goosens and Stannard. The pack are just 45 seconds back - and Cavagna is soon joined by the Australian Rob Stannard, who has been in multiple breakaways in this Vuelta, most notably yesterday.
42km to go: CRASH!
The cameras catch the aftermath of a fall from a Deceuninck Quick-Step rider in the pack - he overcooked a bend and wend into a rocky ditch on the side of the road on the downhill segment. He looks okay as he trundles back in search of his bike. It may have been Jannik Steimle, the young German who came third yesterday. Just 50 seconds now for the four leaders.
45km to go: Ezquerra caught
Jesus Ezquerra is caught by the pack, which is being paced by four Ineos riders (including the green jersey Richard Carapaz) and trails the four leaders by 1'10". Off the back of the pack, numerous riders have been tailed off - including the double stage winner Tim Wellens of Lotto Soudal.
47km to go: El Robledo
We're onto the Cat.1 El Robledo climb which is 11.7km at 3.8% - which sounds pretty tame, but that's because there's a 3km downhill stretch after the first 3km and that brings down the average somewhat. In reality, that downhill part is followed by a ramp which hits 12%.
Meanwhile, Ezquerra has indeed been dropped, so it's just Madrazo out ahead now from the Burgos-BH team.
50km to go: Osorio caught
Then there were two... We had four Burgos-BH riders on the move today: Willie Smit was caught after failing to catch the break, while Juan Felipe Osorio has just been swep up after being distanced on that last climb. That leaves Angel Madrazo and Jesus Ezquerra as the two remaining Burgos riders in the five-man break - although the latter seems to be struggling a little on this gradual rise to the foot of the next climb. The peloton, meanwhile, is 1'40" down.
55km to go: Ineos continue pulling
Chris Froome has a stint on the front but it's Van Baarle again now for the Ineos Grenadiers. They have reduced the lead to 2'30" ahead of this second categorised climb, so it looks like the breakaway won't go the distance today. Behind Ineos, Jumbo, EF and Movistar have set up their trains, with freelancers Dan Martin and Wout Poels there without any support, for now, from the Israel Stand-Up Nation and Bahrain-McLaren teammates.
63km to go: Van Baarle bossing it
Dylan van Baarle is on the front of the pack on this descent and he has the green jersey of Richard Carapaz, his Ineos teammate, on his wheel. They're really pushing it but have Roglic and the Jumbo train right behind at the head of a strung-out peloton. The break's lead is down to 3'15" now after this injection of pace behind.
68km to go: Battle in the bunch
Ineos, Jumbo-Visma and EF Pro Cycling are jostling for positions ahead of this descent as the peloton comes over the summit. There are loads of hairpins on this descent, which could be a crucial point turning-point in today's stage.
71km to go: Stannard takes KOM points
Ahead of Goosen and Cavagna - not that it matters, of course, what with Guillaume Martin guaranteed the polka dot jersey now provided he makes it to Madrid. They go onto the technical descent with a gap of around 1'30" on Osorio and 4'45" on the pack.
75km to go: Osorio stuck in the middle
The leaders are onto a ledge in this climb; they drop down through a small stone hamlet, cross a stream via a narrow bridge and then continue on towards a larger town with some rather fruity architecture (including a corrugated iron structure which could be anything from a sportshall to a library).
Osorio is now 1'20" in arrears and his day is going to be pretty hellish here on in. The peloton, who are five minutes back, have eased up as they pass through a feed zone.
80km to go: Osorio dropped
Poor Juan Felipe Osorio - he dropped back from the break because he was suffering a bit, but he couldn't locate his team car and is now pedalling squares. He must have got the hunger knock or something because this is a big bonk from the Colombian, who has been out since shortly after the start today after bridging over to teammate Madrazo.
85km to go: Puerto El Portillo
The break hits the start of the Cat.2 El Portillo which is 14.3km long at a gentle average of 4.4%. With an unassailable 55-point lead in the KOM standings, Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) only has to finish the race to bring the polka dot jersey into Madrid. The gap drops under four minutes now for the six leaders.
87km to go: Almost time to climb
Bora-Hansgrohe are pulling on the front to keep the break on a leash. Of the six escapees only three have tasted success as a pro: Cavagna has five wins, Madrazo three wins (including a stage win in last year's Vuelta) and Ezquerra has one. Stannard, Goosens and Osorio are looking to break their collective ducks today...
92km to go: Gap drops a shade
Our six leaders - half of which decked out in the purple of Burgos-BH - see their gap drop to 4'20" as they continue collaborating towards the foot of the first categorised climb. Until that test, which should spice things up a little, let's go to another interview - this time from Grand Tour debutant Mark Donovan of Team Sunweb, who talks to Ashley House about his experiences of the race so far.
105km to go: Gap stabilises
The riders are on to a downhill stretch ahead of some more rolling roads. That's it for the wind for now - although we hear that it could get blustery towards the finish and after the last descent.
Here's Hugh Carthy trying to answer some probing questions that catch him a bit off guard. He's clearly not one to blow his own trumpet, is the Lancashire Hotpot...
Dylan van Baarle on Ineos's day
Ineos Grenadiers have opted not to send a man in the break and to protect their man Richard Carapaz today. Here's the moustachioed Dutchman on how he hopes today might pan out...
118km to go: Chasing duo caught
With their deficit only growing, Amezqueta and Smit sit up and are reabsorbed by the peloton. The race has covered 40.1km in the opening hour and the gap for the six leaders is now up to 5'05". It looks like this is the break of the day - although there willl be attacks in the pack on those two climbs coming up.
125km to go: Six clear, two in pursuit
So the first two groups have come together so we now have Cavagna, Stannard, Goosens, Madrazo, Ezquerra and Osorio out ahead in a 50% Burgos-BH move which has 1'40" on the two chasers, Amezqueta and Smit, who, should they join, would keep the purple jersey percentage at 50. The peloton, meanwhile, are almost five minutes back with the UAE Team Emirates and Bora-Hansgrohe teammates of yesterday's top two, Jasper Philipsen and Pascal Ackermann, pulling to reduce the gap. Despite the hills, they will hope to set up their fast men for a win no doubt...
132km to go: Almost four minutes now
The two leaders are 3'50" clear of the pack and still have 40" on that Cavagna chasing quartet with the next duo a further 40 seconds back. They have reached the top of an uncategorised rise on this exposed plateau and will now probably come together before the descent towards the rolling roads ahead of the first climb. Of all the riders out ahead, the Belgian Goosens is the best placed on GC, but he's 46 minutes down and so no threat to the favourites (or anyone in the top 22 for that matter).
135km to go: Attacks come thick and fast
The Burgos-BH duo of Madrazo and Osario are 2'35" clear of the peloton. They have four riders in pursuit after Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck-Quick Step) was joined by Robert Stannard (Mitchelton-Scott), Kobe Goossens (Lotto Soudal) and Jesus Ezquerra (Burgos-BH). They are 1'40" down on the leaders but could soon be joined by Julen Amezqueta (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) and Willie Smit (Burgos-BH). Blimey, if it all comes together that would mean an eight-man break half of which come from the same Burgos-BH team.
140km to go: Cavagna on the chase
With the lead of the two Burgos riders stretching out well above the minute mark, Frenchman Remi Cavagna has darted clear of the pack in pursuit. His move has sparked a response from a handful of riders from the pack who are trying to bridge over and join the Deceuninck Quick-Step breakaway artist.
145km to go: Burgos-BH on the move
Spain's Angel Madrazo manages to escape the clutches of the peloton to build up a small lead before being joined by his Burgos-BH teammate Juan Felipe Osorio on the front. An interesting - and entirely unexpected - pincer movement from the Spanish pro-continental team there...
According the La Vuelta's official site, the Burgos-BH sporting director Oscar Cabedo said before the stage that his riders would be aggressive today in the hunt for that elusive win: "It may be [the last breakaway opportunity]. It should be a big fight today for the breakaway to make it. The thing is the GC is also at play and the GC teams don’t have many opportunities and we’re at a point where you don’t know what will happen. There’s so much at play, so many teams who are looking for something: sprinters, stage hunters, overall contenders… You never know what can happen."
Wurf: 'Richie is licking his chops'
"When the crap hits the fan," Cameron Wurf says he wants to be in the right place at the right time to set up his man Richard Carapaz. Is there a nicer chap in the peloton than the Aussie veteran, who was riding ironmans (ironmen?) before Ineos came calling and pulled him out of retirement earlier this year...
150km to go: No break or splits yet
The wind has made this quite a nervous start and all attempts to breakaway have thus far been thwarted as the race heads south-west out of Salamanca on long, straight, flat, exposed roads.
Meanwhile, some thoughts from Sean Kelly on today's stage, which he reckons could see things kick off big time...
162km to go: Stage 16 is under way
Javier Guillen waves the red flag and this intriguing stage has got going to a flurry of attacks from the gun. Stay tuned for what should be quite a feisty opening...
Winds expected for opening hour
While the two categorised climbs don't come until later on today, there are reports of strong winds which could prove a blustery obstacle for the peloton during the opening 40-odd kilometres of today's test. The teams of the GC favourites will be on red alert not to get caught out - while many will be pushing to take advantage...
It's not as if they haven't been warned... It looks like Ineos Grenadiers are already planning for a busy day for their man Richard Carapaz, who is keeping the green jersey warm for Primoz Roglic in the hope that he can take over the Slovenian's red jersey between now and Madrid. Just 39 seconds separate the two on GC, with Hugh Carthy of Britain a further eight seconds back...
In the balance of interest, it's fair to say Jumbo-Visma don't appear to be taking the threat lightly... they've already done a hearty warm-up on the rollers and are now on the front of the pack as the riders roll through the neutral zone.
One non-starter: Luis Leon Sanchez
Astana have confirmed that the Spanish champion has not started today's stage because of "personal reasons". Let's hope it's nothing serious and Sanchez and his family are okay. The 36-year-old was involved in yesterday's break and was riding his 11th Vuelta. His withdrawal means we're down to 144 riders from the initial 176 who took to the start.
Stage 16 preview
Today's Stage 16 of the 2020 Vuelta will see the peloton faced with a 162k ride from Salamanca to Ciudad Rodrigo. Here's the stage profile - with two categorised climbs and, before that, an exposed opening 40km of riding which we're hearing could be animated by some serious crosswinds...
Stage 15 recap
Jasper Philipsen won a wind-swept and sodden Stage 15 of La Vuelta on Thursday, outlasting Pascal Ackermann and Jannik Steimle in a reduced sprint finish.
No change in the general classification saw Primoz Roglic retain the red jersey from rivals Richard Carapaz and Hugh Carthy with three days of the race to go.
Slovenia's Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) emerged from well over six hours in the saddle to retain his 39-second lead over Ecuador's Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), with Briton Carthy (EF Pro Cycling) a further eight seconds back in third place.
Reaction from Stage 15
"Oh f*** it's amazing," an emotional Philipsen, shivering in the cold, said. "I can't describe how happy I am with this victory. It means a lot to me – I've been waiting all the Vuelta for the right moment and today it was unexpected.
"It was a really strong breakaway but with the headwind all day it made it really hard for the front group. In the end I started believing it more and more because in the beginning of the day I never expected it to be a bunch sprint."
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