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Zwift Academy ace Jay Vine wins second Vuelta stage in three days

Remco Evenepoel keeps red jersey on summit finish

August 27, 2022
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For the second time in three days, Australian Jay Vine, who picked up an Alpecin-Deceuninck contract after his Zwift Academy virtual racing exploits, won a stage of the 2022 Vuelta a España on a misty summit finish. He also took over the King of the Mountains lead. Vine took his first professional victory on Thursday. Remco Evenepoel had no problem keeping his red jersey.

You can watch the 77th Vuelta a España at FloBikes.

The Course

There was plenty of climbing on Saturday, with a Cat. 2 arriving almost immediately after the start, and four more categorized climbs before the 2022 Vuelta’s second summit finish, 10.2-km, 7.9 percent Colláu Fancuaya. It was steepest at the top.

One thing was for sure on Saturday: there would be a new man in blue polka dots, as a crash made Victor Langellotti abandon soon after Vine surpassed him in the competition, the Australian having tipped over opening climb Alto de la Colladona first. Stage 6 winner Vine was part of a 10-man breakaway that included Mikel Landa, Thibaut Pinot and Stage 5 winner Marc Soler.

Vine also racked up maximum KOM points on Cat. 2 Alto de la Mozqueta and Cat. 3 Alto de Santo Emiliano.

Midway through the 153-km stage, the breakaway’s gap was 4:30. Mikel Landa was the best placed at +6:33.

Atop Cat. 3 Puerto de Tenebredo and Cat. 3 Puerto de Perlavia, Vine took more points ahead of Pinot. Fugitive Mads Pedersen was first over the day’s intermediate sprint, yanking the green jersey from Sam Bennett’s shoulders.

Colláu Fancuaya

When the race reached the foot of the final climb, the break held a 3:30 lead and was down to an octet. Movistar and Ineos led the field. Julian Alaphilippe pushed the pace. Alexey Lutsenko started the hostilities in the fugitive group with 6.4 km to climb, but soon it was Vine solo in search of his second stage win.

Jay Vine goes solo on the final climb.

Richard Carapaz and João Almeida dropped from the red jersey group. Tao Geoghegan Hart accelerated.

Suddenly, live images from the race stopped in the misty conditions.

Primož Roglič, Evenepoel, Enric Mas and Carlos Rodriguez separated themselves from the other favourites. Simon Yates bridged over. Soler chased Vine by himself.

Vine finished 43 seconds ahead of Soler. Evenepoel, Mas and Roglič crossed the line together, having dispatched Rodriguez and Yates.

There’s more climbing on Sunday, a stage that ends on a 3.8 km ramp of 13 percent.

2022 Vuelta a España Stage 8
1) Jay Vine (Australia/Alpecin-Deceuninck) 4:05:24
2) Marc Soler (Spain/UAE-Emirates) +0:43
3) Rein Taaramäe (Estonia/Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) s.t.

2022 Vuelta a España GC
1) Remco Evenepoel (Belgium/Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl) 29:28:19
2) Enric Mas (Spain/Movistar) +0:28
3) Primož Roglič (Slovenia/Jumbo-Visma) +1:01