Remco Evenepoel just keeps piling it on at the Vuelta a España. On Tuesday the man in the red jersey obliterated the race’s only individual time trial to put more time into his rivals. It was the young Belgian’s first Grand Tour victory. He leads new second place Primož Roglič by 2:41.
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The Course
The only individual time trial of the race was 30.9 km in length and quite flat. Intermediate time checks were at the 10.4 km and 21 km marks.
Eight riders didn’t start on Tuesday, some with COVID-19, including double stage winner Sam Bennett, making it 27 riders who have left the race since it started on August 19.
The Top 5
Evenepoel was likely to tighten his grip on the red jersey. Mas was unlikley to hold off Roglič. Who was the strongest between Rodriguez and Ayuso?
1) Remco Evenepoel (Belgium/Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl) 34:02:32
2) Enric Mas (Spain/Movistar) +1:12
3) Primož Roglič (Slovenia/Jumbo-Visma) +1:53
4) Carlos Rodriguez (Spain/Ineos) +2:33
5) Juan Ayuso (Spain/UAE-Emirates) +2:36
Boy van Poppel was the first rider to leave the start ramp in Elche, and he stopped the clock at 38:02, but his time was quickly surpassed.
Frenchman Remi Cavagna was going great guns on the course, setting the best intermediate times. His time of 34:18 knocked Aussie Michael Hepburn off the top of the table.
Tenth of GC, Pavel Sivakov was the first rider to match Cavagna’s top first intermediate time. Simon Yates, hoping to jump over Rodriguez and Ayuso, was only two second slower than Cavagna and Sivakov. Although both Mas and Roglič were doing very well at the first intermediate split, Evenepoel was smashing the course, beating teammate Cavagna’s time by 21 seconds.
Roglič was on a great ride, but he wasn’t going to touch the man in red. The Slovenian bumped Cavagna off the hot seat, perhaps with a softening back tire. But Evenepoel was 48 seconds faster.
Rodriguez was considerably faster than Ayuso, who lost fifth place to Simon Yates. Sivakov jumped up to ninth. Angel Lopez caught his two-minute man Jai Hindley but didn’t rise in the GC. João Almeida went the wrong way right at the end of the course and was fortunate to keep seventh.
Wednesday is one of the few opportunities left for the sprinters.
2022 Vuelta a España Stage 10
1) Remco Evenepoel (Belgium/Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl) 33:18
2) Primož Roglič (Slovenia/Jumbo-Visma) +0:48
3)…
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