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Red jersey Evenepoel imperious on Vuelta summit finish, takes second stage victory

Enric Mas closes in on third career Vuelta runner-up spot

September 8, 2022
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Remco Evenepoel took his second victory of the 2022 Vuelta a España on Thursday’s summit finish, riding away from his closest rival Enric Mas in the final metres of the stage. Evenepoel added a few seconds to his lead over Mas, and Mas buttressed his second place. Three stages remain.

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The Course

Thursday piled all its categorized climbs into the second half of 192 km from Trujillo to Alto del Piornal. The riders would climb Alto del Piornal twice, with the summit finish 13.3 km of 5.6 percent.

Very early in the action, there was a crash that involved Wednesday’s winner Rigoberto Uran, fourth-place Carlos Rodriguez and KOM leader Jay Vine. Vine had to abandon the race.

This left double stage winner Richard Carapaz as the mountains classification leader on the road. Carapaz was part of the enormous, 42-rider breakaway that rolled up an 6:10 lead by the foot of the first categorized climb, Cat. 2 Alto de la Desesperá.

Sixth-place João Almeida (Portugal/UAE-Emirates) decided to attack from the peloton in an attempt to jump over fifth-place Angel Lopez and fourth-place Carlos Rodriguez. Carapaz was first over the top of the Desesperá. On the descent, a UAE-Emirates rider dropped back from the breakaway to help Almeida. Lopez’s Astana squad worked to bring back the Portuguese.

By the start of Alto del Piornal I, Almeida was 50 seconds ahead of the peloton, and the brigade of escapees was 4:00 clear.

Third place in 2020, Hugh Carthy, hoping to emulate teammate Uran, made a move from the breakaway.

Hugh Carthy makes a surge. Pinot, Gesink and Higuita chase.

Thibaut Pinot and Sergio Higuita bridged over to Carthy. Astana were losing numbers at the pointy end of the peloton, as Almeida carried on his bid to climb the ladder, Marc Soler having dropped back to help. Carapaz brought over two more reinforcments and crested first.

On the way to Alto del Piornal II, Almeida’s gap over the red jersey group diminished even after he joined the remnants of the huge breakaway. The peloton also drew closer to Carapaz, Pinot and company.

The final ascent, Alto del Piornal II, took on the mountain from a different side. The Almeida group was +1:35 of Carapaz and the Evenepoel group was +1:56.

Mas attacked with 9.6 km to climb and Evenepoel was able to match him; their bunch regrouped. Up front Elie Gesbert and Robert Gesink rid themselves of Carapaz and Pinot.

Evenepoel made his own attack with 8.5 km remaining and once more most of the favourites came together. Gesink dumped Gesbert with 6.5 km still to ride.

Mas kept trying to shift Evenepoel to no avail. Could Gesink hang onto a 30-second gap with 3 km to climb? Another try from Mas inside the red kite made it very close. Mas and Evenepoel caught Gesink and the red jersey took the victory.

Angel Lopez jumped over Carlos Rodriguez into fourth. Mas has over three minutes on third-place Juan Ayuso.

Friday’s stage is short and contains a double ascent of a Cat. 2 climb but no summit finish.

2022 Vuelta a España Stage 18
1) Remco Evenepoel (Belgium/Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl) 4:45:17
2) Enric Mas (Spain/Movistar) +0:02
3) Robert Gesink (The Netherlands/Jumbo-Visma) s.t.

2022 Vuelta a España GC
1) Remco Evenepoel (Belgium/Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl) 69:59:12
2) Enric Mas (Spain/Movistar) +2:07
3) Juan Ayuso (Spain/UAE-Emirates) +5:14
4) Angel Lopez (Colombia/Astana) +5:56
5) Carlos Rodriguez (Spain/Ineos) +6:49