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Domination: Jumbo-Visma goes 1-2-3 on Vuelta’s visit to the Tourmalet

Evenepoel suffers in the Pyrenees, drops out of contention

September 8, 2023
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The 78th La Vuelta Ciclista a EspaƱa headed into the French Pyrenees on Friday, where Jumbo-Visma utterly dominated, taking the top three positions on the famed Tourmalet in France: Jonas Vingegaard, Sepp Kuss and Primož Roglič. All three Dutch Bees have won 2023 Vuelta stages. The trio is 1-2-3 in the GC. Vingegaard also leads the KOM competition. Stage 13 was an unlucky one for last year’s winner Remco Evenepoel as he suffered a jour sans starting on the Aubisque and is no longer in a position to repeat. Kuss retains his red jersey.

Kuss and Vingegaard celebrate atop the Tourmalet.

The Course

The organizers made Stage 13 short and sweet. Over 134 km, the riders would face four climbs: Cat. 3 Puerto de Portalet right from the start in Formigal, Huesca la Magia, another famous HC Pyrenean climb in Col d’Aubisque, Cat. 1 Col de Spandelles, and then the mighty Tourmalet, 18.8 km of 7.4 percent. Up and down all day.

The action was hot from the gun. On Puerto de Portalet, Romain Bardet took the KOM points.

The Col d’Aubisque was where it all came apart for Remco Evenepoel. With three riders in the breakaway, he started to falter, and his team gathered around him in support. Michael Storer burst out of the peloton, flew through the front trio, and took 15 KOM points. The red jersey group crested 30 seconds later and Evenepoel’s bunch 2:00 later. Sixth place JoĆ£o Almeida was also having a bad day and was part of the Evenepoel group.

Evenepoel suffers on the Aubisque.

With the breakaway riders absorbed, Bahrain-Victorious at the pointy end of the field and Evenepoel 1:45 back, they descended off Aubisque and got ready for Col de Spandelles. Sepp Kuss, Jonas Vingegaard, Damiano Caruso and Antonio Tiberi moved off the front.

Spandelles had the greatest average grade of Friday’s four mountains, 10.4 km of 8.2 percent. Again, Geraint Thomas couldn’t hold the pace. Kuss’ quartet was caught by UAE-Emirates’ efforts. Group 1 was 25 strong. Vingegaard and Mikel Landa, who will be Evenepoel’s teammate next year, made a move, but second place Marc Soler fetched them back. Jumbo-Visma kept up the pace-making to make sure the defending champion didn’t get back on. Storer took over the KOM lead on the road by cresting first.

Col du Tourmalet

By the time it hit the foot of the Tourmalet, the red jersey group was 7:00 clear of Evenepoel. Five of the 22 riders in this bunch were Jumbo-Visma, who continued to control the pace. Fifth place Lenny Martinez was at the end of the string. The Dutch Bees’ Robert Gesink and Wilco Kelderman kept thinning out the numbers. Roglič wasn’t at the front.

The grind continued as the kilometres crawled by. When Kelderman peeled off, Vingegaard surged, snapping off three men. The double Tour de France winner went clear and first Juan Ayuso and then Enric Mas led the chase. Vingegaard extended his gap to 37 seconds, the crowd urging him on; Mas lit out after him with Kuss on his wheel.

Vingegaard checks to see where everyone is in a switchback.

With Vingegaard’s lead up to 50 seconds, the chase group of Mas, Ayuso, Kuss, Roglič, Landa and Cian Uijtderbroeks re-formed. The Dane had a minute’s gap with 1.7 km to climb. Kuss attacked just before the red kite. Then the Slovenian tried to break free. Landa was off the back.

Kuss came in 30 seconds after his teammate and Roglič was 33 seconds in arrears. Job well done, boys.

Saturday eases off a bit, but there are still two HC ascents and a Cat. 1 summit finish.

78th La Vuelta Ciclista a EspaƱa Stage 13
1) Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark/Jumbo-Visma) 3:51:10
2) Sepp Kuss (USA/Jumbo-Visma) +0:30
3) Primož Roglič (Slovenia/Jumbo-Visma) +0:33

78th La Vuelta Ciclista a EspaƱa GC
1) Sepp Kuss (USA/Jumbo-Visma) 46:42:54
2) Primož Roglič (Slovenia/Jumbo-Visma) +1:37
3) Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark/Jumbo-Visma) +1:34