Jay Vine storms to victory on Stage 6 of La Vuelta as UAE Team Emirates-XRG seal back-to-back wins, Torstein Traeen captures red jersey

Australia’s Jay Vine stormed to victory on Stage 6 of La Vuelta as the Grand Tour reached the Pyrenean mountains. The 29-year-old launched an attack on the Alto de La Comella, and never looked back as he sealed UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s second consecutive victory. Torstein Traeen (Bahrain Victorious) became just the third man from Norway to take the red jersey.

Highlights: Vine dominates Stage 6 in the mountains as Traeen takes red from Vingegaard

Video credit: TNT Sports

Australia’s Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) claimed a dominant victory on Stage 6 of La Vuelta as the race tackled the Pyrenean mountains.

The 29-year-old attacked close to the summit of the penultimate climb, the Alto de la Comella.

The Australian was able to hold off all challengers to secure UAE’s second consecutive stage win.

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The day did not go all the team's way, however, as Juan Ayuso (UAE) cracked halfway up the ascent to Pal. He ended the stage more than ten minutes behind, with Joao Almeida (UAE) the outfit's uncontested leader.

Torstein Traeen (Bahrain Victorious) took the red jersey from Visma-Lease a Bike's Jonas Vingegaard. Just under a minute behind the Dane at the start of the day, he made the most of the opportunity gifted by Visma's decision to let the break go.

An attack from the chase group took the Norwegian clear of closest rival, Bruno Armirail (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale), to secure second place and the most significant result of his career to date.

‘This one will be extra special!’ - Vine claims Stage 6 victory on home roads of Andorra

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The sixth day of the Vuelta brought the first true mountain stage of the race. More than 4000m of accumulated climbing, with an uphill start, meant it was one that offered a big chance for the right breakaway.

The ten-man escape that formed contained a number of capable riders, and a few former Vuelta stage winners.

A mix of interests were represented, ranging from mountains points to stage hunting to the race lead itself. For a breakaway to succeed takes a willingness to work together, but also a preparedness on the part of the peloton to allow them to go to the line.

It became clear that both conditions were present by the summit of the second significant climb of the day, the Collada de Toses. As Louis Vervaeke (Soudal Quick-Step) and Vine fought it out for the KOM, the breakaway's lead tipped over four minutes.

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The long descent down to La Seu d'Urgell before the road rose up towards Andorra saw them add another one. The peloton eventually crossed the frontier to the race's fourth different country a full 6'34" behind the leaders.

Visma-Lease a Bike and Trek picked up the pace a little, but by the time the break reached Alto de la Comella, it was five minutes ahead and all but sure of taking the stage. But who from it?

Vine was most invested on the steep slopes of the Comella, but left it until he was sure of taking the five mountains points before attacking over the top, onto a descent familiar to him from being so close to his home. His relatively superior experience helped him establish a small lead and build it into a bigger one.

By the time he reached the somewhat easier slopes of the Pal climb, he was closing in on a minute's advantage as his former colleagues in the breakaway refused to commit.

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Attacks out of it started only to be shut down and discontinued. All the Australian had to do was what he'd done twice before in the same race.

Eventually, 6km from the summit, Traeen was able to tear himself clear, hitting out to secure the red jersey. The peloton was still minutes back meaning the Norwegian had nothing to lose to try for the stage win as well. If he could pull Vine back as well, great. If not, he would still be in rojo.

Back down the mountain the bunch, led by Lidl-Trek, rode at a reasonable pace, but not a furious one. Nonetheless it proved too hard for Ayuso, who lost contact, and with it his status as co-leader of UAE.

The inevitable attack from Giulio Ciccone (Lidl–Trek) initially proved promising, succeeding to separate himself and outgoing red jersey Vingegaard from the rest of the favourites.

Almeida worked well to bring them back to what remained of the group of twelve GC favourites as Vine was crossing the line to take his third Vuelta stage and claim the mountains jersey.

'I know these roads pretty well' - Vine explains how local knowledge helped deliver win

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Traeen finished the stage 54 seconds down on Vine, but minutes up on the Vingegaard group to lead the race by 31 seconds from Armirail. For Vine it was a particularly special victory.

"I got the call-up to do this race four weeks ago - it wasn't on my original schedule," he said. "To be able to win in front of my son and my wife - it's unbelievable."

For Traeen, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer several years ago and who suffered an extended concussion earlier in the season, it was even more special.

"I was unsure if I would ever be good again. I've been through quite a lot," Traeen said.

With an even harder mountain day to follow on Friday he refused to admit to growing his ambitions, adding: "If I'm in red after tomorrow, I will be really happy."