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Slovenians rule Machucos: Pogačar pounces to brace of 2019 Vuelta wins

Primož Roglič pads lead over Valverde

September 6, 2019
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At the 2019 Vuelta a España the cycling world is witnessing the emergence of a new Grand Tour ace, 20-year-old Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates), who won the brutal 13th stage, his second of the race, and climbed into a podium position. Pogačar and compatriot Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) bossed the Machucos climb, race leader Roglič finishing alongside his countryman to pad his lead over Alejandro Valverde. Although Roglic’s win is looking cemented, the podium battle between Valverde, Pogačar, Nairo Quintana and Angel Lopez over the next week will be a thrilling one as only 1:08 separates fifth from second.

The Course

Seven categorized climbs were shoehorned into 166-km, with the formidable Los Muchucos ascent as the day’s sort-of-summit finish. Machucos was nearly 9.2 percent average over 6.8 kilometres. The final kilometre was mostly downhill.



The Breakaway

It was a typically large breakaway that surged clear early in the stage with 29 riders flying the coop. Among them was EF Education First’s Sergio Higuita, the best positioned of the fugitives on GC. Wout Poels of Ineos was first up the first Cat. 3 climb and Cofidis’s Jesus Herrada took maximum mountain points on the next one. More significantly, Geoffrey Bouchard was edging closer to KOM leader Angel Madrazo in the standings.

On the Cat. 2 Collado Dal Ason, the breakaway fragmented, with Stage 12 winner Philippe Gilbert pushing on with Herrada, Poels, Thomas De Gendt and five other riders. Poels peaked first. With 65-km remaining and the red jersey group 7:00, it seemed like the day’s winner would come yet again from the break.

By the time Herrada crested Cat. 2 Puerto de Alisas, Angel Lopez’s third place on GC was threatened by Higuita.

The Final 40 Km

Heading into the final 40 km, Hector Saez of wildcard team Euskadi Basque Country-Murias was solo in the lead, with the chasers 1:22 back and the red jersey 8:30 in arrears. With 31-km to go, Astana started to drive the favourites group. Higuita’s massive gap shrank, Bouchard kept closing in on Madrazo’s blue polka dot jersey and Saez carried on alone in front.

Saez started up Machucos with a half a minute’s gap on the closest pursuer and the red jersey 3:30 behind. Bruno Amarail caught him on the hardest grade.

First Quintana and then Pogačar attacked their rivals , but neither could make it stick. Lopez barely held on to the back of the favourites group. Armirail dispatched Saez but couldn’t stave off Pierre Latour.

The Slovenians left Quintana, Lopez and Valverde behind. With 2-km to go Latour’s bid for glory was doomed. The duo ripped past him and then worked together to ensure their gap.

https://twitter.com/ProCyclingStats/status/1169997440122019840

Pogačar’s sprint wasn’t contested by the red jersey and the phenom added Stage 13 to his Stage 9 victory in Andorra. He was also in a podium position, now sitting 17-seconds ahead of Lopez. Valverde lost 28-seconds and is now 2:25 behind Roglic. Quintana and Lopez lost 1:01.

Saturday’s route swings back in favour of the sprinters on Saturday, even though there’s a short, sharp rise to the finish. Sunday is another summit finish.

2019 Vuelta a España Stage 13
1) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates)
2) Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) s.t.
3) Pierre Latour (France/Groupama-FDJ) +0:27

2019 Vuelta a España GC
1) Primož Roglič (Slovenia/Jumbo-Visma) 49:20:28
2) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +2:25
3) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) +3:01
4) Angel Lopez (Colombia/Astana) +3:18
5) Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) +3:33