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Evenepoel strikes back with second 2023 Vuelta stage triumph

World time trial champion also takes the KOM lead

September 9, 2023
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The day after reigning titlist Remco Evenepoel suffered a terrible day and dropped out of 78th La Vuelta Ciclista a España GC contention, the world time trial champion attacked from the gun and won Saturday’s 14th stage solo, earning the KOM lead in the process. Remco won Stage 3 in the first week. The top of the GC table took it easy and Sepp Kuss kept his red jersey.

The Course

The second day in the Pyrenees offered up three tough climbs and one easy one over 156 km. HC-rated Col Hourcère arrived at the 55 km point. Its HC fellow, Puerto de Larrau, came next followed by Cat. 3 Puerto de Laza. The summit finish was Cat. 1 Puerto de Belagua, 9.4 km of 6.3 percent.

Evenepoel was determined to recover something from this Grand Tour, and he kept on attacking in the early going. Eventually he headed up a 24-strong breakaway that contained Romain Bardet. Jumbo-Visma and UAE-Emirates had no one up the road, but they pulled the peloton, dropping Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal to add to Ineos Grenadiers’ misery.

On HC Col Hourcère, Evenepoel was first over, moving him close to KOM leader Jonas Vingegaard. Evenepoel and Bardet slipped the leash on the descent. Twelve former breakmates survived to make up the closest chase and the rest went back to the peloton.

By the foot of Puerto de Larrau, the Belgian-French alliance was 50 seconds ahead of the chase that contained stage winner Lennard Kämna, Damiano Caruso and Michael Storer, who has momentarily the KOM leader on Friday. The peloton was +4:20. Storer lit out after the duo.

Down the slopes fourth place Juan Ayuso attacked after his teammate Finn Fisher-Black wound up the pace. Kuss, Vingegaard, Primož Roglič, Enric Mas and a couple of others responded. Bora-Hansgrohe brought the red jersey group back together. Evenepoel took over the KOM lead by tipping over first. Storer was still 2:00 behind the leading duo.

Ayuso was active on Larrau.

As Evenepoel took more KOM points on Puerto de Laza, Landa’s Bahrain-Victorious grabbed the reins in the Kuss-Roglič-Vingegaard bunch. After the descent down the other side of Puerto de Laza, a long drag led to the final climb.

Puerto de Belagua

By the time the final climb kicked up, Remco and Romain were almost 5:00 ahead of Storer and two other chasers and 8:00 ahead of the peloton. Evenepoel had been doing most of the work, and the Basque, French and Spanish fans showed their appreciation. At the 4 km to go mark, Evenepoel took his leave of Bardet.

Thirteenth place David de la Cruz of Astana was the only rider who bothered to try to move up the GC, but he didn’t make it to the finish with a gap.

Evenepoel was emotional after this victory. He had salvaged something from his Grand Tour season.

Sunday ends the second week with a little more relaxed parcours of Cat. 2s, the final one cresting 9 km from the finish in Lekunberri.

78th La Vuelta Ciclista a España Stage 14
1) Remco Evenepoel (Belgium/Soudal-QuickStep) 4:13:38
2) Romain Bardet (France/DSM-Firmenich) +1:12
3) Lennert Van Eetvelt (Belgium/Lotto Dstny) +6:33

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