Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel almost certainly sealed his victory in the Vuelta a España on Saturday, with only a crash or another unforeseen incident standing between him and the final win on Sunday.
The QuickStep-Alpha Vinyl competitor came under repeated attack from his closest rival Enric Mas (Movistar Team) on the final mountain stage to the Puerto de Navacerrada, but was able to answer every surge. He crossed the line sixth on the stage, just two seconds behind Mas, and holds a two minute and five second lead heading into Sunday’s flat stage to Madrid.
”I don’t know what’s going through my head and my body right now. It’s amazing,” he said. “I’ve been working so hard to come here in the best shape possible. To now win this Vuelta is just amazing. It’s actually the first Grand Tour I start healthy. I’m really happy to be the first guy to win a Grand Tour for [team manager] Patrick [Lefevere] as a CEO and for Belgium, for my country, for my teammates, for my parents, for my fiancee… I’ve been away from home so many days, so many weeks, so many months. And it’s all thanks to them as well.”
Evenepoel came under sustained attack earlier this week by defending Vuelta champion Primož Roglič, who started the race under his usual level due to the crash which led to his withdrawal from the Tour de France. The Slovenian’s fitness was steadily improving and it looked possible he could take back the race leader’s red jersey, only for him to crash on stage 16 and to withdraw the following morning.
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Mas, who had been sitting third overall, inherited second in the overall classification and did what he could to overhaul Evenepoel but was not able to break the elastic. The latter is now set to become the first Belgian winner of a three-week race in 44 years. Spanish rider Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates), who is five minutes and eight seconds behind Evenepoel in third place, is poised to become the youngest Grand Tour podium finisher in 118 years.
Evenepoel said he was on edge heading into Saturday’s decider, which was ultimately won by breakaway rider Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers).
”I was really stressed this morning. I didn’t sleep too much last night. You know what’s coming to you and it was a super tough stage. I’m just super happy that I’ve won La Vuelta. Today I responded with the legs. I didn’t think about winning the stage, I just wanted to win the general classification. I only had to follow, to control and believe in my power. In the end the race was super hard but we did really well. It’s the most beautiful day of my life. It’s an amazing year.”
Meanwhile Lara Gillespie (Ireland) took her second stage win of this year’s Rás na mBan when she won stage four of the race in Piltown. She was best in a 28 rider sprint to the line, beating fellow Irishwoman Ellen McDermott (Team BoomPods), the British riders Madelaine Leech (Cams-Basso), Kate Richardson (Alba Development Road Team) and Monica Greenwood (Team BoomPods) plus a third Irishwoman, Fiona Mangan (IBCT-RDL Team).
Gillespie earlier won stage one of the race on Wednesday, becoming the first Irish stage winner since Olivia Dillon back in 2014. Taking a second victory is a reflection of her talent and also the strong work her Ireland teammates did for her.
Kelly Murphy and Eve McCrystal rode strongly towards the end to bring back a dangerous move by Caitlin Conyets (Lux-CTS p/b Specialized), with McCrystal then leading out Gillespie for the gallop.
Race leader Lieke van Zeelst (Greenmount Cycling Academy) finished safely in the front group and remains five seconds clear of stage three winner Richardson in the general classification. Zoe Langham (Pro-Noctis-Rotor-Redchilli Bikes) Becky Storrie (Cams-Basso) are third and fourth, 22 seconds back.
Kelly Murphy remains best Irish rider overall in 15th place, one place ahead of Gillespie. The race concludes on Sunday with a 2.5 kilometre morning time trial and then an afternoon city centre criterium race, both of which are taking place in Kilkenny city.
Finally Megan Armitage followed up her superb fourth on stage three of the Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l’Ardèche on Thursday by placing seventh on stage five on Saturday. She finished in a small group which crossed the line 45 seconds behind the solo stage winner Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM Generation).
Armitage moves up one place to ninth overall. The 2.1-ranked race concludes on Monday.
