Stage Report: After Remco Evenepoel’s collapse on Friday, the Belgian champion romped away on Stage 14 to take the stage victory by 8 minutes type the Sepp Kuss group. He additionally took the KOM jersey. The GC males have been watching one another and completed collectively – No change on the general placings.

The ultimate Ok of stage 14

Remco Evenepoel confirmed that he was not completed with this Vuelta a España on Saturday by successful a tricky stage, the day after his collapse on the Col d’Aubisque. Within the Pyrenees, the Belgian was on the entrance of the race virtually all the day with Romain Bardet, end second in Larra-Belagua. The favourites stayed principally collectively after UAE Staff Emirates and Bahrain Victorious put stress on the GC group. Sepp Kuss stays total chief.

Remco Evenepoel takes stage 14

Race director, Fernando Escartín: “Following the fatigue of the Tourmalet, the riders must face a really demanding mountain stage with an unprecedented finale together with two particular class climbs. It is a beneficial day for an escape. As within the earlier stage, it’s not lengthy when it comes to kilometres, however the velocity mixed with fatigue might make this a really robust day.”

Stage 14 profile

The stage 14 was thought-about simply as robust because the Tourmalet stage on Friday. The peloton needed to deal with two massive HC climbs, with the end on the Puerto de Belagua (9.4km at 6.3%).

Remco Evenepoel seemed like he had recovered for no matter his downside was on stage 13

The general chief, Sepp Kuss, initially

From the beginning in Sauveterre-de-Béarn, France, the primary 50 kilometres have been flat to the foot of the Col Hourcère (11.6km at 8.3%). from the gun there was a giant struggle to get into the early ‘break of the day’.

The beginning was in France and the end in Spain

The Burgos-BH followers have been on the Kilometre 0 for native rider Cyril Barthe

Thomas De Gendt was the primary to attempt to many extra would comply with. Remco Evenepoel was certainly one of them. After shedding loads of time and his prime ten GC place on Friday, the Belgian champion mentioned earlier than the beginning that he would assault the remainder of the Vuelta. He used his energy within the first hours of the stage to go along with all of the strikes to verify he was within the early break.

The flare smoke was nonetheless there for the riders

Remco Evenepoel wished to be within the break right this moment and attacked from the beginning

The Soudal Fast-Step chief would succeeded in his mission. After 30 kilometres a big group broke away together with Evenepoel, Romain Bardet, Simone Petilli, Finn Fisher-Black, Stefan Bissegger, Lennert Van Eetvelt, Lennard Kämna, Michael Storer and Damiano Caruso.

Evenepoel was in each transfer

The inexperienced jersey, Kaden Groves was within the early break for some time

On the Col Hourcère, the peloton allow them to go and eased off the chase, this allowed the hole to extend to about 5 minutes. It turned apparent {that a} rider within the break of the day would have a superb likelihood of successful the stage.

The early break was too massive to succeed

Mattia Cattaneo managed to cross to Evenepoel to assist

Within the descent of the Cat-HC climb of the Hourcère, Bardet and Evenepoel attacked collectively. The Frenchman and the Belgian labored nicely collectively and the others of the escape have been quickly at nicely over a minute behind. On the Puerto de Larrau (15.1km at 7.8%), Evenepoel and Bardet distanced Storer, Van Eetvelt and Jonathan Castroviejo, the rest of the break. The duo of Bardet and Evenepoel would struggle for the stage victory within the final 50 kilometres.

Evenepoel and Bardet have been gone on the descent of the Hourcère

Evenepoel broke away with Bardet and took the lead within the KOM competitors

Evenepoel jumped away from Bardet on the Puerto de Belagua. Sooner or later after his collapse, the Belgian champion hit again with a storming solo journey for the stage victory. Evenepoel additionally took the polka dot jersey with a snug lead.

Evenepoel was on a mission

Evenepoel did many of the work, however Bardet couldn’t assist a lot

Behind within the GC favourites group, it was clear that UAE Staff Emirates was not going to offer in to the dominance of Jumbo-Visma. On the Puerto de Larrau the group went on the offensive, however the three leaders of Jumbo-Visma have been greater than in a position to react.

UAE put stress on within the peloton

Wout Poels introduced the GC favourites group to the end collectively

The favourites remained collectively on the ultimate climb with Bahrain Victorious in management. David de la Cruz attacked within the ultimate kilometres, however he posed no risk to the Jumbo-Visma main trio.

Remco Evenepoel again with a win

Stage winner, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Fast-Step): “Yesterday was a very tough day, and in addition the night. I couldn’t sleep an excessive amount of, I had a really dangerous night time, with loads of destructive ideas in my head. As we speak I wakened and I advised myself: ‘simply go for it, benefit from it’. I did a recon of this stage as a result of it was an necessary stage for the GC. I knew completely knew how the climbs have been, how exhausting they have been, as a result of it was a very robust stage. It’s simply tremendous good to take a second stage win. The primary hour of racing was full gasoline. I used to be feeling fairly good, at all times within the combine. I ended up alone within the entrance group however then Mattia Cattaneo joined us and he set a robust tempo on the primary climb. Juanpe Lopez attacked, I countered and we have been within the entrance with solely Romain [Bardet]. The hole obtained larger on the descent and we labored rather well collectively. I mentioned I used to be gonna do the tempo on the climbs so long as he was gonna collaborate with me on the flat. I will be very proud with this reply after yesterday. The mountain jersey and a few stage wins, I believe that’s some good targets in the direction of Madrid.”

One other day nearer to Madrid in pink for Sepp Kuss

General chief and eighth on the stage, Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma): “[What Remco Evenepoel did] is de facto spectacular. It’s a pleasant strategy to bounce again after yesterday and I’m glad for him that he might get a win after yesterday possibly being a disappointing day. Hats off to him. We knew he can be motivated to assault however we weren’t significantly anxious in regards to the breakaway right this moment, we simply needed to give attention to staying collectively as a result of we knew the second climb, Larrau, can be tough if riders basically attacked there, however we saved it beneath management and all of it stayed collectively to the end. We knew that it was one of many higher probabilities [for rivals] to strive one thing, particularly with how exhausting the primary two climbs have been, so shut collectively. [UAE Team Emirates] did a very spectacular stage however all three of us have been there and guys like Attila [Valter] and Robert [Gesink] got here again so we have been at all times in a superb place as a group.”

The top of a tough day within the Pyrenees

# One other robust day tomorrow – Keep PEZ for the very best protection. #

Vuelta a España Stage 14 Consequence:
1. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal Fast-Step at 4:13:38
2. Romain Bardet (Fra) dsm-firmenich at 1:12
3. Lennert Van Eetvelt (Bel) Lotto Dstny at 6:33
4. Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) INEOS Grenadiers at 6:35
5. Michael Storer (Aus) Groupama-FDJ at 7:24
6. David de la Cruz (Spa) Astana Qazaqstan at 8:21
7. Aleksandr Vlasov (-) BORA-hansgrohe at 8:22
8. Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma
9. Wout Poels (Ned) Bahrain Victorious
10. Juan Ayuso (Spa) UAE Staff Emirates.

Vuelta a España General After Stage 14:
1. Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma in 51:04:54
2. Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma at 1:37
3. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma at 1:44
4. Juan Ayuso (Spa) UAE Staff Emirates at 2:37
5. Enric Mas (Spa) Movistar Staff at 3:06
6. Marc Soler (Spa) UAE Staff Emirates at 3:10
7. Mikel Landa (Spa) Bahrain Victorious at 4:12
8. Aleksandr Vlasov (-) BORA-hansgrohe at 5:02
9. Cian Uijtdebroeks (Bel) BORA-hansgrohe at 5:30
10. João Almeida (Por) UAE Staff Emirates at 8:39

Like PEZ? Why not subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter to obtain updates and reminders on what’s cool in highway biking?