La Vuelta a Espana 2020 Stage 15 - As it happened
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 06/11/2020 at 13:27 GMT
La Vuelta 2020 - The longest stage of the race saw a 13-man move go clear over rolling roads through the rain before the Belgian Jasper Philipsen mopped up in a reduced bunch finish.
Peloton / during the 75th Tour of Spain 2020, Stage 15 a 230,8km stage from Mos to Puebla de Sanabria 924m /@lavuelta / #LaVuelta20 / La Vuelta / on November 05, 2020 in Puebla de Sanabria, Spain.
Image credit: Getty Images
Stage 15 top 10
Confirmation of the Belgian's win ahead of two Germans, a Brit and an Australian. There'll be no change in the general classification today as far as we know - but we'll keep an eyes out on the results in case anyone was caught out in a split. Although I've just heard that times for GC were taken with 3km to go because of the fog...
Emotional scenes at the finish
Jasper Philipsen is in tears as he hugs one of his team soigneurs and is then mobbed by his UAE Team Emirates teammates. That's the first Grand Tour stage win for the 22-year-old and he did it in some style: he was the fastest and strongest after such a long and different day in the saddle.
Victory for Jasper Philipsen!
The Belgian led it out as the road went uphill and he had enough zip in his legs to hold off Pascal Ackerman and Jannik Steimle. There was a top five, too, for Britain's Alfred Wright too.
Final kilometre
It's back together as they go under the flamme rouge with Mitchelton-Scott on the front ahead or riders from Quick-Step, Bora and UAE.
3.5km to go: Cattaneo caught
It's all over for the Italian - but we have some counter attacks now, most notably by a rider from Burgos-BH. I think it's Willie Smit.
7km to go: Gap comes down
"He's going into a headwind with only 34 seconds - I'm afraid it's not going to happen for him, Sean." Carlton with the brutal truth. With NTT now helping out Bora, it looks like Cattaneo is going to be left high and dry.
10km to go: Mader caught
So the only rider out ahead now is Mattia Cattaneo who has a really, really hard task now. His lead is down to 55 seconds and it's Bora-Hansgrohe who are leading the chase. "It's going to be a big ask for the Italian to stay out now," says Sean Kelly in the Eurosport commentary box. "I feel so sorry for him after putting in such a brave effort," chips in Carlton Kirby.
Meanwhile, the rain has eased a little and the mist has cleared to reveal some nice autumn colours...
12km to go: Cattaneo using all the tricks in the book
Lone ranger Mattia Cattaneo is hugging the top tube as he continues his pursuit of glory. He still has a minute over the pack, which has swept up that Guillaume Martin-Luis Leon Sanchez breakaway. With the downhill gradient easing, it's going to be a 10km from hell for the Italian out ahead...
17km to go: Time trial to the finish
Cattaneo is over the summit - which, I think, came in a tunnel - and is now on the sweeping descent before the final run into the finish. But it's no done deal: his Swiss pursuer is only 1'05" down and the red jersey main pack is only 1'35" back with the break somewhere in between. The weather is also atrocious - you can barely see for 20m in front.
20km to go: Cattaneo on course
This is a superb ride from the 30-year-old Italian, whose last win was 557 days ago. He has 1'25" on the break which has been caught and passed by Gino Mader, the young Swiss from NTT Pro Cycling, who has bridged over from the pack - and waltzed on right by. The pack is two minutes and so they appear to have given up. It's Mader or Cattaneo now...
25km to go: Alto de Padornelo
Superb effort from our lone leader Mattia Cattaneo, who hits the 6.4km climb with a gap of one minute over the break. It's just a gentle gradient of 3.5% so he could maintain this advantage, especially with the peloton now at 1'45". Chris Froome is the latest rider to drop back from the pack, his work for the day done.
It's Luis Leon Sanchez, the Spanish champion, who leads the chase... but they're more likely to be caught by the pack than they have of seeing Cattaneo again.
Sanchez's bad memories of Puebla de Sanabria
The Spanish veteran was in the mix when the race last came to Puebla de Sanabria but he was swept up on the home straight and took his anger out on the flag of a roadside spectator as the Belgian Jonas Van Genechten came through to take the win ahead of Daniele Bennati. Sanchez had to settle for 11th place.
28km to go: Break breaking up
Lastra and Stannard have been caught by the pack. It's raining pretty heavily now and it's played into Cattaneo's hands - he has 45 seconds on the break and 1'25" on the pack as he continues that grind towards the foot of the next climb. The Italian has shed his jacket ahead of the exersions of the climb and in a bid to get more aero ahead of the descent, which will be decisive today as it runs all the way to the finish.
30km to go: Cattaneo on the attack
After digs from Rojas and Donovan, it's the Italian Mattia Cattaneo who darts clear of the break to build up a small gap. The Quick-Step rider has 20 seconds on the break and 1'15" on the pack.
35km to go: Sam Bennett in trouble?
Ireland's Sam Bennett has been tailed off the back of the strung-out pack on this grind - and that may end his chances of a second stage win today. Bora-Hansgrohe take up the pacing accordingly to put a nail in Bennett's coffin. Just 40 seconds now for the break as they approach the final categorised climb.
42km to go: The rain starts to fall
It looks utterly miserable now as the riders collectively reach for their rain capes as the heavens prepare to open. The gap is down to 1'12" for the dozen leaders as they continue on their way up an uncategorised peak before the final climb. I would not like to be out there in the saddle today... The next hour or so is going to be hell for them.
50km to go: Wind blowing a gale
It's windier than a builders' cafe around breakfast time. Wellens has called it a day and is soft-pedalling as he awaits the peloton which is, in any case, only 1'55" behind the 12 leaders. Sensible from the Belgian, who will have more chances tomorrow. The peloton is all strung out now and there could be some splits...
55km to go: Wellens in trouble?
As the storm clouds gather and the first drops of rain come down, Tim Wellens has really knocked it off and is dropping back to his team car. Is he just having a chat or is he going to call it a day? He really turned himself inside out yesterday and he has nothing to prove. With the gap still 2'20" perhaps he thinks that the catch by the peloton is inevitable and so he's going to let himself be caught.
60km to go: Bora drop back
It's a constant grind for the riders as the road edges uphill on a false flat towards the intermediate sprint. Bora have dropped back to let Trek do the chasing with NTT, Movistar and Quick-Step. The gap is 2'20" for the break. The dangermen in this move are Wellens, Costa, Sanchez, Aranburu and Rojas. For Martin, the finish won't be steep enough. Wellens may be tired after his efforts tomorrow, while Astana have two cards to play which could work out in their advantage.
65km to go: Our 13 leaders
A reminder of the escapees who make up this break. They are Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), Mattia Cattaneo (Deceuninck Quick-Step), Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates), Robert Power and Mark Donovan (Team Sunweb), Alex Aranburu and Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana), Nick Schultz and Robert Stannard (Mitchelton-Scott), Jose Joaquin Rojas (Movistar), Julien Simon (Total Direct Energy) and Jonathan Lastra (Caja Rural-Seguros). Still three minutes for these men.
71km to go: Three minutes again
Bora have one man on the front ahead of a single rider from NTT Pro Cycling, with three Trek-Segafredo riders just behind. All three teams missed the move today so that's understandable. The gap is back up to 3'08".
76km to go: Martin... again
Guillaume Martin picks up another 3pts over the top - that's his fourth maximum haul of the day, with one more climb to go. Tim Wellens, who had taken 2pts in second place each time, seems to have given up now - he's not even third over the top on this occasion, with Sanchez and Lastra going over after the Frenchman.
That's not too surprising: there is a maximum 57 points left in this year's Vuelta and Martin's lead over Wellens is 54 points.
Misty towards the finish
The expected rain today has held off so far but the conditions on the approach to the finish today are pretty atrocious, as this tweet from our own Ashley House shows...
86km to go: Alto de Fumaces
The gap is down to a Bora-compressed two and a half minutes for this baker's dozen of a group cosy up to the fourth Cat.3 climb of the day, the Alto de Fumaces (8.3km at 4.9%).
100km to go: Bora-Hansgrohe pull in peloton
The gap has come down to 3'30" after some sustained pulling from Bora on the front of the peloton. They don't have any riders in this 13-man move which explains their tactics. This finish may be a bit tough for Pascal Ackermann but perhaps Felix Grossschartner could do something. The Austrian finished second to Roglic on that uphill finish at Suances in stage 10 and has two other top-five finishes to his name in Spain.
Meanwhile, look at this lovely picture from the Getty wires. Try as I might, however, I can't see the Woods for the trees...
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2020/11/05/2929314-60180248-2560-1440.jpg)
The peloton riders through a wood during stage 15 of La Vuelta 2020
Image credit: Getty Images
110km to go: Over five minutes now
As that forgiving stretch of flat road nears its end, the gap for the 13 leaders is up to 5'30". They will climb up for a few kilometres before dropping down the back for a fast descent to the foot of the next categorised climb. How about some words from George Bennett? The Kiwi spoke to us before the stage about the challenges of protecting his teammate Primoz Roglic in his defence of the red jersey.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2020/11/05/2929217-60178308-2560-1440.jpg)
George Bennett - 'This is a day to survive for Jumbo-Visma and Roglic'
125km to go: Tanfield abandons
Three withdrawals to report. Britain's Harry Tanfield (Ag2R-La Mondiale) has just abandoned his maiden Grand Tour, which is a shame because he was always very good value with his interviews and he seemed to be enjoying himself despite suffering a lot on the steep stuff. That puts his French team down to just three riders... Merde!
The Dutchman Pim Ligthart (Total Direct Energie) has also called it a day, while before today's stage Gerben Thijssen (Lotto Soudal) threw in the towel. That puts us down to 145 riders remaining out of the initial 176.
130km to go: Wellens the only previous winner
The 13 leaders have completed the short downhill and are on a stretch of around 25km which is up on a plateau and flat - perhaps the only section of proper flat roads in this longest stage of the race. Tim Wellens is the only rider in this move who has won a stage at the Vuelta before: his two wins came yesterday and in the opening week of the race.
By contrast we have six riders who have finished runner-up in a Vuelta stage before: Aranburu, Sanchez, Martin, Jojas, Simon and Lastra. Costa has finished third before while Cattaneo, Power and Donovan have all finished fourth. Stannard's best finish is fifth and Schultz's is 15th.
It's crazy to think that Luis Leon Sanchez, the Spanish champion, has never won a stage in his national tour before. He has four Tour triumphs during his career, but his best in his eleven career Vueltas was second place in a stage in 2016, when he finished some 20 seconds behind winner Simon Yates. Will that change today?
136km to go: More KOM points for Martin
It's business as usual over the third summit of the day as Guillaume Martin crosses the line ahead of Wellens and the Italian Matteo Cattaneo to complete his run of maximum points over these third-category climbs. He's now onto 89 points in the polka dot jersey standings with Wellens his nearest callenger on 34 points. It's in the bag.
Can Wellens make it three?
In the absence of teammate and bike-packing pal Thomas De Gendt at this Vuelta, Tim Wellens has been having a veritable bonanza - with two stage wins to his name and, today, a chance to complete his hat-trick. We spoke to the 29-year-old Belgian ahead of the stage.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2020/11/05/2929192-60177808-2560-1440.jpg)
Wellens feeling 'really good' ahead of Vuelta Stage 15
145km to go: Alto do Furriolo
These climbs are coming thick and fast now. The latest one is 5.4km at 6.6% and welcomes the break onto its gentle gradient with an almost five-minute gap on the pursuing peloton.
158km to go: Martin doubles up
Three more KOM points for the Frenchman as Wellens is forced to settle for two points again over the top. The gap still around four minutes for this 13-man move.
162km to go: Alto de Carcedo
The Martin chasing trio has caught the Wellens break and so we now have a baker's dozen of 13 riders clear with four minutes on the pack as they hit the next climb, another third-category offering, but just 4km at 5%.
Roglič: Trailblazer or Iconoclast?
Remember his pairing up of the green jersey with his yellow arm-warmers and yellow/blue gilet? Well, now back in the race lead on a day of inclement weather and we get to see the Slovenian's zero-sh*ts approach to sartorial sense in the saddle.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2020/11/05/2929218-60178328-2560-1440.jpg)
Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) during stage 15 of La Vuelta 2020
Image credit: Getty Images
Just for a comparison, here is a link to the piece I wrote about him the last time round, plus a picture of his previous Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle get-up... I think the red combo is even worse because he's back on the celeste Bianchi.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2020/10/27/2923748-60068928-2560-1440.jpg)
Primoz Roglic - Vuelta 2020, stage 7 - Getty Images
Image credit: Getty Images
165km to go: Martin in chasing trio
The Frenchman has joined compatriot Julien Simon (Total Direct Energy) and the Spaniard Jonathan Lastra (the Caja-Rural rider who instigated this move) in pursuit. They trail the leaders by 1'20" with the pack now at three minutes. Martin, it seems, isn't happy to give Wellens a sniff of his polka dot jersey - although he could well also be eyeing a win. He's come close in this Vuelta but no cigar as yet - unlike his Belgian rival, who's now puffed on a couple of Cubanos.
170km to go: 10 go clear
Martin and Wellens were caught by the pack but, as the road continued to edge uphill towards the start of the next climb, the Belgian responded to a move by Mattia Cattaneo (Deceuninck Quick-Step) and a new move off the front formed. Also present are: Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates), Robert Power and Mark Donovan (Team Sunweb), Alex Aranburu and Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana), Nick Schultz and Robert Stannard (Mitchelton-Scott) and Jose Joaquim Rojas (Movistar). They have about 55 seconds as they approach the climb.
175km to go: Martin on the move
Guillaume Martin, the polka dot jersey, zipped clear to take maximum points over the summit of the Amaro climb to bag another three points - which puts him up to 83pts. Yesterday's winner, Tim Wellens of Lotto Soudal, darted ahead of the pack in pursuit of the Frenchman, crossing the line for second place and another 2pts which puts him level with Carapaz on 30pts in the KOM standings.
177km to go: 'Carapaz' move caught
That 20-man move has been brought to heel on the climb but it's a good indication, perhaps, of things to come. That said, we're hearing conflicting reports about whether or not Carapaz was even in that move. Despite the juicy titbits on the rumour mill, the Vuelta's official website didn't include the Ecuadorian or George Bennett in its list of riders on the right side of that split...
According to them, the break included: Lennard Hofstede (Jumbo-Visma), Mattia Cattaneo (Deceuninck-Quick Step), Rui Costa, Sergio Henao (UAE Team Emirates), Michel Ries (Trek-Segafredo), Rob Power, Michael Storer (Sunweb), Ion Izagirre (Astana), Martin Laas, Felix Grossschartner, Ide Schelling (Bora-Hansgrohe), Tsgabu Grmay (Mitchelton-Scott), Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ), Clément Champoussin (AG2R La Mondiale), Kobe Goossens (Lotto Soudal), Victor Lafay, Luis Angel Mate (Cofidis), Carlos Barbero (NTT), Jose Joaquin Rojas, Marc Soler (Movistar), Jonathan Hivert, Pim Ligthart (Total Direct Energie), Jonathan Lastra (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Oscar Cabedo (Burgos-BH).
182km to go: Alto di San Amaro
Richard Carapaz attacks! The Ecuadorian puts in a dig and it splits the pack on this first Cat.3 climb, the San Amaro (6km at 6.2%). The split comes and none of his GC rivals are there with Roglic, Carthy and Martin all caught napping there. Roglic does have George Bennett and Lennard Hofstede in the leading group - and the gap is small - but it goes to show how aggressively today could be ridden.
188km to go: Oliveira caught
The peloton is back as one after the last man standing from the early break, Ivo Oliveira, is swept up. The riders covered 42.4km in the opening hour today so the pace is high despite that headwind. So, we go again...
Just 15 KOM points up for grabs
France's Guillaume Martin can breathe easy for no one is going to take his polka dot jersey today. The Cofidis man has a huge lead in this competition, his 76 points over double the 30-point tally of his nearest competitor, Richard Carapaz, the Ecuadorian who is currently second in the general clasitification. With each of today's Cat.3 climbs only offering 3pts over the summit for the first rider, the maximum haul for today's stage is 15.
Challenging conditions
It's not just the longest parcours and an early start which is conspiring against the riders today. There's a strong headwind and expected heavy showers all day to content with - on top of all that climbing (well over 4,000m) and another punchy uphill 'sprint' finish.
195km to go: Oliveira out alone
The Portuguese's former breakaway companions have been swept up and so it's just the UAE Team Emirates rider out ahead now, with a slender lead of 18 seconds on the pack. Spanish duo Jon Aberasturi and Gonzalo Serrano (both of Caja-Rural) have tried to escape the pack but to no avail. It's a fast pace as the riders approach the first of those categorised climbs.
198km to go: Four in break
Australia's Alex Edmondson (Mitchelton-Scott) managed to join the leaders to make it four out ahead, with the Spaniard Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek-Segafredo) trying unsuccessfully to bridge over. Oliveira, meanwhile, has ants in his bib shorts and is clearly not happy with the slender gap the leaders had. He's just zipped clear and this is where we pick up the stage now, live.
215km to go: Three went clear
There were multiple attacks from the outset but nothing stuck in the opening moments until Frenchman Romain Sicard (Total Direct Energie), Dutchman Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH) and Portugal's Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates) opened up a gap.
230.8km to go: Earlier start than expected
It looks like the organisers decided to start today's stage half an hour before the advertised schedule so we have some catching up to do...
Hola, amigos! Stage 15 is already under way...
Yes, it was an early start in this, the longest stage of the race, an undulating 230.8km schlep from Mos to Puebla de Sanabria. There are no fewer than five Cat.3 climbs but countless other hills and mounds on a day which is constantly up-and-down and boasts a whopping 4,400m of climbing in total - prime breakaway territory, but also terrain for a red ambush.
Results from Stage 14
Stage 14
1. Tim Wellens
2. Michael Woods
3. Zdenek Stybar
4. Dylan van Baarle
5. Marc Soler
GC
1. Primoz Roglic 53:57:05
2. Richard Carapaz +39
3. Hugh Carthy +47
4. Dan Martin +1:42
1. Tim Wellens
2. Michael Woods
3. Zdenek Stybar
4. Dylan van Baarle
5. Marc Soler
GC
1. Primoz Roglic 53:57:05
2. Richard Carapaz +39
3. Hugh Carthy +47
4. Dan Martin +1:42
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2020/11/04/2928770-60169368-2560-1440.jpg)
Stage 14 highlights - Quality break wins the day as Wellens and Woods duke it out
Stage 14 recap
Tim Wellens collected a second stage victory in this Vuelta a Espana, while Primoz Roglic retained red after a quiet day for the GC battle.
Wellens pipped Woods to the line, but the tactics from the Lotto-Soudal rider were perfect as he hugged the racing line, as the road wound around the corner to the finish line.
HOW TO WATCH LA VUELTA LIVE – TV & LIVE STREAMING
The Vuelta a Espana is live on Eurosport, eurosport.co.uk and the Eurosport App.
Each day Eurosport.co.uk will stream uninterrupted coverage of each stage. We will also have rolling coverage online on the website and our social channels.
And don't forget, we are bringing you podcasts from the Bradley Wiggins Show - check in with your podcast provider for the latest show.
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement