Remco Evenepoel into red as Primoz Roglic cracks, Jay Vine takes sensational wet win on Stage 8 at La Vuelta
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Updated 25/08/2022 at 17:34 GMT
What a day! Remco Evenepoel is the new red jersey after a brilliant statement ride in the pouring rain as three-time champion Primoz Roglic and a host of big GC names failed to stick with him. Only Jay Vine could finish clear of the brilliant Belgian, the Australian claiming his first pro win on a day for the ages at La Vuelta. Stream La Vuelta live and on-demand on discovery+.
Vine claims first pro win – although can you spot him in gloomy haze?
Zwift sensation Jay Vine (Alpecin-Deceuninck) claimed his first pro victory on Stage 6 at La Vuelta as Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) grabbed the leader's red jersey in the pouring rain. Three-time champion Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) could not live with the pace set by Evenepoel, crossing the line with a larger group 80 seconds later.
Such were the appalling conditions that TV images failed to capture Vine crossing the line – instead broadcasting a gloomy haze – before Evenepoel led home Enric Mas (Movistar).
Evenepoel was teed up by team-mate Julian Alaphilippe, hitting the front of the main pack with 8km remaining and then forming a four-strong select group with Roglic, Mas and Pavel Sivakov (Ineos Grenadiers).
A kilometre later and four had become two. Evenepoel had Mas as a passenger on his wheel as he set off in pursuit of Vine, the lone leader after the Australian had cruelly caught Ukrainian escapee Mark Padun (EF Education–EasyPost).
Vine, a late arrival in the sport after making his name from the comfort of indoor racing, held off Evenepoel and Mas to deliver a memorable win and round off a stage for the ages.
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‘Wow!’ – Watch the moment Evenepoel cracks Roglic in ‘biblical’ rain
After what must have seemed like almost an entire season spent riding in the dry, La Vuelta woke to a weather forecast that promised something else altogether. Though just about warm enough in Bilbao, conditions were grizzly from the start, and would only get worse throughout the stage.
A 10-strong breakaway formed early, without much argument, and was given licence to roam.
Highest placed in the general classification was Jan Bakelants (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert), while the standout rider from the group was Ukrainian Padun. The rest were no slouches, either.
The whole group, also consisting of Ruben Fernandez (Cofidis), Nelson Oliveira (Movistar), Fausto Masnada (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl), Kaden Groves (Bike-Exchange Jayco), Marco Brenner (Team DSM), Dario Cataldo (Trek-Segafredo), Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Mikel Azparren (Euskaltel-Euskadi), was capable of contributing to a stage win, if not necessarily winning it themselves.
Groupama-FDJ, the team of new race leader, Rudy Molard, had the responsibility for keeping the breakaway under control.
Five minutes was the lid they would ultimately put on the escapees’ lead. The break rotated and pressed forwards, while the peloton rolled through at a relatively leisurely pace. Not too leisurely, however, as the first 100km were completed at an average speed of 43kph, well ahead of the fastest time scheduled.
Only after the first categorised climb of the day was completed, 70km from the finish, was a decision made to begin to race from behind.
Ineos Grenadiers was the team to initiate an acceleration, with Australian national champion Luke Plapp moving to the front.
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‘One of the best things I’ve done’ – Evenepoel on taking red jersey
At 45km to go, a treacherous ride-hand bend caused first a crash from Dario Cataldo (Trek–Segafredo), from which he escaped largely unscathed, then another in the bunch involving Carl Fredrik Hagen (Israel Premier Tech) and Gregor Muhlberger (Movistar). Despite staying down for some time, and appearing to be in significant distress, the Norwegian rider was eventually able to get back on his bike and would finish the stage within the time-cut.
The first categorised climb of the day, the Collada de Brenes, was where the race broke apart. Ineos continued to push the pedals, and caused a sizeable split in the peloton. Padun, aware of the peloton’s approach decided it was now or never, saying goodbye to his breakaway companions with 40km left on the stage.
Masnada and Fernandez went after him. Back in the peloton, Masnada’s Quick-Step team-mates began the execution of a plan.
Alaphilippe rode on the front from just before the summit of the penultimate climb until the foot of the final one. Pressure was put on Padun out front, their primary target, Roglic, and the red jersey of Molard.
By the lower slopes of the Pico Jano, Padun held a lead just shy of a minute. On a different day, against other riders, that might have been enough.
The race kicked off a little further up the climb. As is his trademark, Evenepoel did not visibly launch an attack, but merely increased the pace to a speed that his rivals could not compete with. One by one all of them, except Mas, fell away.
Though it went practically unnoticed, Vine did make a move. The Australian, no threat to anyone else in the GC, headed out on the hunt for Padun, reaching and overhauling him 7km from the summit. His lead over the chasing duo hovered between 20 and 30 seconds.
Evenepoel looked strong. The Belgian did all the work, asking nothing of Mas who seemed content to sit on the young rider’s wheel. The duo gained ground on Vine, taking a few bites out of his advantage, but not enough to threaten the stage victory.
Emerging out of thick cloud, almost unseen by the cameras, Vine crossed the line to take his first professional race win.
"It’s almost unreal," said a jubilant Vine afterwards. "At 70km to go, I missed the break; got a flat tyre in the first 5km…
"Even though it was still the team’s plan if it all came back together for me to go on the final climb, it’s unreal to be able to do it. From the GC group, it’s incredible. I’ve been working towards this all year, after last year, coming so close. It’s a dream come true.”
Evenepoel, 22, is the youngest leader of the Vuelta since Ettore Pastorelli, 34 years ago.
“I’m really happy and proud to be here," Evenepoel said afterwards. "It’s a dream come true and the reason I’ve been working so hard and so long. I think what I showed today was one of the best things I’ve done on the bike. We can only be proud of what we achieved today.”
As well as the general classifcation, Remco Evenepoel leads the young rider competition. The white jersey will be worn tomorrow by Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates). The Spanish teenager put in an impressive performance on the final climb and now leads his team-mate, Joao Almeida, by more than a minute and half.
Victor Angellotti (Burgos BH) remains the leader of the King of the Mountains competition, while Sam Bennett also retains the green jersey of points leader.
Victor Angellotti (Burgos BH) remains the leader of the King of the Mountains competition, while Sam Bennett also retains the green jersey of points leader.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Remco Evenepoel (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl) 20’50'07"
2. Rudy Molard (Groupama FDJ) +21"
3. Enric Mas (Movistar) +28"
4. Primož Roglič (Jumbo Visma) +1'01"
5. Juan Ayuso Pesquera (UAE Team Emirates) +1'12"
6. Pavel Sivakov (Ineos Grenadiers) +1'27"
7. Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers) +1'27"
8. Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers) +1'34"
9. Simon Philip Yates (BikeExchange Jayco) +1'52"
10. Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) +1'54"
2. Rudy Molard (Groupama FDJ) +21"
3. Enric Mas (Movistar) +28"
4. Primož Roglič (Jumbo Visma) +1'01"
5. Juan Ayuso Pesquera (UAE Team Emirates) +1'12"
6. Pavel Sivakov (Ineos Grenadiers) +1'27"
7. Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers) +1'27"
8. Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers) +1'34"
9. Simon Philip Yates (BikeExchange Jayco) +1'52"
10. Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) +1'54"
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