Richard Carapaz hasn’t had a very good Vuelta a España considering he was one of he pre-race favourites, but on Thursday the Ecuadorian won from a breakaway on a summit finish. It was his fourth Grand Tour stage victory and his first in the Vuelta, it also the first strage triumph for an Ecuadorian. Remco Evenepoel didn’t have the smoothest day, crashing mid course, but he kept the red jersey.
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The Course
Stage 12 would take the riders along the Costa del Sol on a relatively flat route until yet another Vuelta summit finish on Peñas Blancas, a long (19.8 km) but brutally steep (6.3 percent) climb.
Another tough summit finish on the menu at #LaVuelta22.
Today we start from Salobreña for a 192.7km stage at the end of which the riders will take on the slopes of the Peñas Blancas. pic.twitter.com/72myxBLHAq
— Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team (@qst_alphavinyl) September 1, 2022
What started as a four-man breakaway including blue polka dot jersey Jay Vine and Carapaz turned into an immense fugitive group of 32. Only four teams weren’t represented. Wilco Kelderman was the best positioned on GC: +14:04. This brigade hurtled towards the climb.
Samuele Battistella (Italy/Astana Qazaqstan) had been in two previous breakaways and finished runner-up on each day. He decided to bolt on his breakmates before the climb.
Back in the peloton, Evenepoel crashed but carried on with his rivals waiting for him.
Battistella was brought back to the breakaway, which hit the foot of Peñas Blancas with a 10:45 advantage. Kelderman was virtually in fourth place and his teammate Matteo Fabbro drove the pace, whittling down the group.
After Jumbo-Visma had streamlined the red jersey group, Movistar took over. With the field down to 23, Quick Step assumed the pace making.
With 4.7 km to go, first escapee Élie Gesbert and then Jan Polanc attacked. Jay Vine couldn’t hang. Gerbert got loose again and Kelderman closed him down.
Back in the peloton, Enric Mas put in a thrust that Evenepoel and Angel Lopez could match. Roglič and few others made it back.
Carapaz attacked with 2 km remaining and immediately opened up a gap.
Kelderman crossed the line 9 seconds after the Ecuadorian, but jumped up 15 places on GC to sixth. Carapaz is now 16th.
The red jersey group grew again to 12 riders. A move from 4th place Carlos Rodriguez…
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