For the third straight stage of the 2022 Vuelta a España, a breakaway rider earned the day’s flowers, and for the second time in three stages, the winner was a Spaniard. Jesus Herrada took his second career Vuelta victory, beating his Belgian, British, Australian and Italian breakmates in a sprint. Remco Evenepoel, the youngest rider to lead the Vuelta since 1988, had no problem retaining the red jersey.
You can watch the 77th edition at FloBikes.
The Course
Friday’s profile was an odd one. There was a 19.5 km long Cat. 1 climb in the middle of the parcours with a 43-km false flat leading to its foot. After the Puerto de San Glorio peaked it was steep descent followed by gradual downhill all the way to the line in Cistierna.
Another opportunity for a breakaway today at #LaVuelta22? pic.twitter.com/gsCCCT4OYB
— Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team (@qst_alphavinyl) August 26, 2022
Herrada’s sextet of fugitives skipped clear but were kept on a short leash. On the Puerto de San Glorio, Trek-Segafredo set a furious pace to shed sprinters like double stage winner Sam Bennett, but didn’t pull the escapees any closer.
Bennett’s Bora-Hansgrohe squad toiled to bring the green jersey back. Once he had returned, the peloton got back to the task of pursuing the break, with Arkea-Samsic and BikeExchange-Jayco pitching in.
But it wasn’t to be. With 10 km remaining, the gap was just over a minute, and no matter what the sprinters’s teams did, the escape, now a quintet, wouldn’t be denied. Herrada gave Cofidis its first Vuelta victory since 2019 when he was the winner on Stage 6.
Saturday is the second summit finish of the 77th edition, 10.2-km, 7.9 percent Colláu Fancuaya.
2022 Vuelta a España Stage 7
1) Jesus Herrada (Spain/Cofidis) 4:30:58
2) Samuele Battistella (Italy/Astana Qazaqstan) s.t.
3) Fred Wright (Great Britain/Bahrain-Vicorious) s.t.
2022 Vuelta a España GC
1) Remco Evenepoel (Belgium/Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl) 25:21:34
2) Rudy Molard (France/Groupama-FDJ) +0:21
3) Enric Mas (Spain/Movistar) +0:28
4) Primož Roglič (Slovenia/Jumbo-Visma) +1:01
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