La Vuelta race organizer Unipublic had designed stage 17 of Vuelta a Espana as a 141.5-kilometer ride from Arnuero to Santander in the province of Cantabria in northern Spain. The stage would conclude with a flat finale, which was expected to suit the remaining sprinters in the Vuelta peloton.

The stage, however, would also feature two challenging Category Two climbs mid-stage, which could possibly appeal to breakaway optimists. Following intense battles in yesterday’s grueling mountain stage, the general classification favorites were expected to be granted ample opportunity to relax and recover in today’s stage.

The general classification of this year’s Vuelta a Espana was spearheaded by Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R) before today’s stage 17, though the Australian rider only had a five second advantage over Primoz Roglic of Team Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe, who has won the Vuelta a Espana on three previous occasions. Enric Mas was third in the GC, 01:25 minutes behind the GC leader, while Richard Carapaz is fourth with a 01:46 minute deficit. Mikel Landa is fifth, David Gaudu sixth, Carlos Rodriguez seventh, and Mattias Skjelmose eighth for Lidl-Trek.

While Michael Woods (Team PremierTech) and Sander de Pestel (Decathlon-AG2R) would not appear at the start of today’s stage for unknown reasons, Wout van Aert (Visma – Lease a Bike) had been forced to abandon this year’s Vuelta in yesterday’s stage due to a serious crash he suffered on a descent while courageously taking part in a breakaway. 

The action in today’s stage 17 of La Vuelta a Espana started early when multiple attacks were launched by courageous riders. 

A quartet eventually formed a viable breakaway group. The four courageous optimists were Jonas Gregaard (Lotto-Dstny), Thomas Champion (Cofidis), Thibault Guernalec (Intermarche-Wanty), and Xabier Isasa of Euskaltel-Euskadi - also known as the rolling oranges.

Oier Lazkano (Movistar), Maurice Ballerstedt (Alpecin-Deceunink), Alessandro de Marchi (Jayco-Alula), and Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) launched a counterattack, but the attempt was short-lived.

The front quartet of Gregaard, Guernalec, Isasa, and Champion had fought its way to a lead of more than four minutes over the chasing peloton when one hundred kilometers of the stage remained.

The front group reached the Alto de la Estranguada (Category Two; 5.5 km; 8.7 percent), which featured steep sections of no less than 14.2 percent. Isasa got dropped from the group on the climb. 

Gregaard was the first rider to reach the top of the Alto de la Estranguada, followed by Guernalec and Champion. A short, fast and wet descent awaited the riders. 

Isasa regrouped with the other three breakaway riders on the descent, while Champion suffered a mechanical issue with his bike and had to wait for his team car at a very annoying time.  

The riders reached the second and final categorized climb of the day – the Alto del Caracol (7.1 km; 6.6%). The final kilometer of the climb would expose the riders to an average gradient of almost ten percent. The racing conditions were rainy, which would make the decent even more dangerous and risky for the riders in the Vuelta peloton.

Champion had got his bike trouble fixed by a team mechanic and managed to catch up with the front trio on the climb. At this point seventy-five kilometers of the stage remained, and the front quartet had an advantage of 04:15 minutes over the main peloton, which was headed by riders from team Decathlon-AG2R in support of their race leader Ben O’Connor.

Gregaard was again the first rider to reach the top of the climb and was followed by Guernalec and Champion. Meanwhile, the Alpecin-Deceuninck team had sent riders to the front of the peloton to control the pace and reduce the advantage of the front quartet. Perhaps the Alpecin-Deceuninck team was aiming for an additional stage victory for its sprinter Kaden Groves.

When thirty kilometers of stage 17 remained, the front quartet had an advantage of 02:10 minutes. Things were starting to look appealing for the sprinters in the peloton and Alpecin-Deceuninck riders were still leading the chase on somewhat wet roads.

It was raining when fifteen kilometers of the stage remained, and the advantage of the front quartet had been reduced to less than one minute. Always courageous Victor Campenaerts launched a solo attack from the main peloton to make the leap to the front riders.

Thomas Champion had been dropped from the breakaway group when eight kilometers remained. When seven kilometers were left, the three riders in the attack group had an advantage of just twenty seconds.

The riders reached the port of Santander and rode on the rainy roads along the port. Nine seconds separated the front group and the main peloton when three kilometers remained. 

The breakaway was caught when two kilometers remained. Other riders tried their luck.

Kaden Groves launched his sprint in the final half kilometer of the stage and powered to victory in stage 17 of Vuelta a Espana 2024. What an impressive win for the Alpecin-Deceuninck team. Team DSM-Firmenich’s Pavel Bittner finished second, while Vito Braet (Intermarche-Wanty) completed the stage podium.

Ben O’Connor leads Vuelta a Espana ahead of Primoz Roglic, but the Australian rider now has no more than a five-second advantage over the Slovenian rider, who has won the Vuelta a Espana on three previous occasions. Enric Mas is third, 01:25 minutes behind the leader, while Richard Carapaz is fourth with a 01:46 minute deficit. Mikel Landa is fifth, David Gaudu sixth, Carlos Rodriguez seventh, and Mattias Skjelmose eighth for Lidl-Trek. 

Thursday’s stage 18 of La Vuelta a Espana 2024 will be a 179.5-kilometer ride from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Maestu-Parque Natural de Izki in the Basque Country. The stage concludes with a descent to the finish line but features a Category Two and a Category One climb mid-stage.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for complete coverage from Vuelta a Espana 2024.

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