Home > News

2018 Vuelta a España: Yates keeps red on hilly eleventh stage

De Marchi snags third career Vuelta stage win

September 5, 2018
Share on SMS

Alessandro De Marchi of BMC took his third career Vuelta win on Wednesday, attacking Katusha’s young Colombian Jhonatan Restrepo in the pouring rain to claim the 11th stage. Simon Yates (Great Britain/Mitchelton-Scott) kept the red jersey as most of the GC riders hit the line in Ribeira Sacra. Luintra together.

The Course

Stage 11 was another hilly affair with four categorized climbs and four uncategorized climbs across Galicia. The final Cat. 3 climb peaked 20-km from the finish, but another hill came after that. The final 600-metres were uphill at 4 percent.

Breakaway Failures

Vincenzo Nibali attacked immediately but was reined in. This was the story of the first 90-km: dig after dig that failed to stick as a breakaway. Seventh place Angel Lopez found himself 1:30 in arrears at one point and had to chase back on.

It was after the second categorized climb of the day that a break finally formed. It was high powered, with Thibaut Pinot as its main danger man. He had a working alongside in Leo Vincent. Movistar had to work to bring down a 4:30 gap. Yates’ Mitchelton-Scott had Jack Haig in the break and sat on.

With 67-km to go, Pinot, unhappy with the fugitives’ collaboration, slipped away with Dylan Teuns (Belgium/BMC), but the other 17-riders had him back for company within 10-km.

Colombia vs Italy

Bauke Mollema attacked his breakmates on a descent, with seven chasers able to make the junction. The group swelled on the final climb, its lead steady at 3:00. De Marchi and Restrepo flew away on the grades.

On the last uncategorized climb, the rain started to hammer the duo. De Marchi used this downpour to attack Restrepo. Behind, the GC riders started to attack in the peloton, thinning it out.

De Marchi would stay away from Restrepo to complete his career Vuelta hat trick, adding Wednesday’s victory to ones in 2014 and 2015. Most of the GC contenders finished together, with Emanuel Buchmann and Fabio Aru the only ones to lose some time. Michael Woods moved up two places on GC to 42nd.

Thursday is another lumpy excursion.

2018 Vuelta a España Stage 11
1) Alessandro De Marchi (Italy/BMC) 4:52:38
2) Jhonatan Restrepo (Colombia/Katusha) +0:28
3) Franco Pellizotti (Italy/Bahrain-Merida) +0:59
44) Michael Woods (Canada/EF-Drapac) +3:19

2018 Vuelta a España GC
1) Simon Yates (Great Britain/Mitchelton-Scott) 45:57:40
2) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +0:01
3) Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) +0:14
42) Michael Woods (Canada/EF-Drapac) +23:47

Categories: News |