STAGE PRELUDE

Race organizer Unipublic had designed stage 15 of La Vuelta a Espana 2024 as a mountainous 143-kilometer ride from Infiesto to Valgrande-Pajares Cuitu Negru. The action was still taking place in Northwestern Spain and the riders in the Vuelta peloton would have to prove their worth on a challenging route that would include one Category Three climb, two Category One climbs, and conclude with a Beyond Category climb – the Valgrande-Pajares Cuitu Negru, which featured gradients of up to twenty-four percent.

While yesterday’s stage had been decided in a mass sprint across the finish line, today’s route of stage 15 was expected to result in a battle between the General Classification favorites, which would likely have a pivotal influence on the overall classification.

Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R) was still leading the general classification before today’s stage 15, but his advantage had been reduced to 01:21 minutes by a strong and fiercely riding Primoz Roglic (Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe), who had set his sight on claiming an additional Vuelta a Espana Champion title in this year’s race. Enric Mas was third for Movistar, while Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) was fourth, and Mikel Landa fifth for T-Rex-Soudal-QuickStep.

HOW THE STAGE UNFOLDED

Denmark’s Kasper Asgreen (T-Rex-Soudal-QuickStep) joined forces with Txomin Juaristi (Euskaltel-Euskadi) in the first attack of the stage, shortly after the start had been given. The peloton got stretched out and multiple additional breakaway attempts were launched. Active riders at the front included Wout van Aert (Visma-Leae a Bike), Harold Tejada, Max Poole (DSM-Firmenich), Jonas Gregaard (Lotto-Dstny), Thomas Champion (Cofidis), Marco Frigo (Team PremierTech), and Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates).

The speed in the peloton was intense from the very beginning of the stage, and the peloton even split for a short while with 120 kilometers remaining, leaving Vuelta race leader Ben O’Connor behind. Fortunately for the Australian and his Decathlon-AG2R teammates, the riders regrouped later.

Meanwhile, the front group had fought its way to a fifty second advantage over the chasing peloton. The group featured Vine, Asgreen, Frigo, Riley Sheehan (PremierTech), Gregaard, Poole, Champion, and Kern Parma’s Pablo Castrillo.

While Louis Meintjes (Intermarche-Wanty), Mathis Le Berre (Arkea B & B Hotels), and other riders were trying to bridge the gap to the front group, the breakaway compatriots reached the Alto de la Colladiella (Category One) climb, which would have to be climbed two times in today’s stage.

Vine was first to reach the summit. He was followed by Frigo and Poole. A long descent followed.

The breakaway group was caught by the chasing peloton when 93 kilometers of the stage remained. Counterattacks were immediately launched. 

Three small groups had formed in front of the main peloton and now reached the Alto de Santo Emiliano climb (Category Three; 5.6 km; 4.9%). The front groups merged into one on the climb and now featured significant riders such as Steven Kruijswijk (Visma-Lease a Bike), Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates), Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates), Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates), Bruno Armirail (Decathlon-AG2R), Valentin Peret-Peintre (Decathlon-AG2R), Daniel Felipe Martinez (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Aleksandr Vlasov (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Oier Lazkano (Movistar), jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious), and Louis Meintjes. 

Additional riders attacked from the peloton and tried to bridge the gap to the front. Soudal-QuickStep was pulling in the main peloton more than two minutes behind the front group when 75 kilometers remained.   

The riders reached the Alto de la Colladiella for the second time with 62 kilometers remaining. Multiple riders were dropped from the front group on the Category One climb while the front riders were climbing at intense speed to keep the chasing peloton at bay. The main peloton was still spearheaded by riders from Team T-Rex-Soudal-QuickStep.

The front riders reached the summit of Alto de la Colladiella with a time advantage of approximately two and a half minutes over the main peloton. At this point of the stage the front group featured Sivakov, Vine (who won the KOM sprint), Oscar Rodriguez (Ineos-Grenadiers), Armirail, Vlasov, Pacher, Ion Izagirre, and Castrillo. Kruijswijk, Daniel Martinez, and Stefan Küng were chasing behind.

A fast descent now awaited the riders, before a somewhat flat section as prelude to the final climb of the stage – the Valgrande-Pajares Cuitu Negru, which is one of the most challenging climbs in professional road cycling as it features sections with gradients of no less than 24 percent.

The main peloton was still spearheaded by riders from Team T-Rex-Soudal-QuickStep in support of team leader Mikel Landa when 35 kilometers of today’s stage 15 of Vuelta a Espana 2024 remained.

Primoz Roglic switched to a different bike when 23 kilometers remained.

Twenty kilometers now remained, and the seven-man front group reached the Cuitu Negru climb with a time advantage of more than three minutes over the main peloton, which featured the general classification favorites. The seven men in the front group were Sivakov, Vine, Armirail, Vlasov, Küng, Pacher, and Castrillo. Vine got dropped as he had used up all his energy reserves in support of teammate Sivakov. Armirail also proved unable to keep up.

The front quintet had a lead of three minutes when fifteen kilometers of the climb and stage remained. Küng was unable to keep up with the fast pace set by Sivakov, who was doing all the hard work in front.

Pacher also got dropped by Sivakov, Vlasov, and Castrillo. 

The general classification favorites joined forces with their respective lieutenants in the main peloton, which had been reduced to approximately twenty-five riders when ten kilometers of the stage remained.

While additional riders were dropped from the general classification favorites group, the front trio had an advantage of 02:30 minutes when eight kilometers remained. The GC favorites group only sported thirteen riders at this point.

Sivakov, Vlasov, and Castrillo had an advantage of two minutes when six kilometers remained.

Mikel Landa attacked from the GC favorites group six kilometers from the finish line. He didn’t form a viable gap, but only eight riders remained in the GC group now.

Sivakov, Vlasov, and Castrillo still had a lead of two minutes when they were three kilometers from the finish line. Castrillo attacked when the riders reached the worst gradients of the climb. Riders entered the fog, which surrounded the mountainsides. 

Castrillo was still solo in front when two kilometers remained, but Sivakov and Vlasov were chasing shortly behind the Spaniard.

Roglic attacked with teammate Florian Lipowitz. The other riders were unable to follow them. Ben O’Connor tried to hang on. Roglic left Lipowitz behind. He was now 01:39 minutes behind front man Castrillo.

Enric Mas caught Roglic. What an admirable performance from the Movistar team captain. The duo pressed on. 

Castrillo had an advantage of just 01:28 minutes over Roglic and Mas when one kilometer of the stage remained. But Vlasov had caught up with the Spaniard. Would Vlasov steal the stage victory from hard working Castrillo on the terrible climb?

Mas dropped Roglic further back, while Castrillo tried to drop Vlasov with furious accelerations. Other GC favorites were doing their best to try to minimize their time losses. 

Kern Pharma’s Pablo Castrillo crossed the finish line as winner of stage 15 of Vuelta a Espana 2024. It was his second stage victory in this year’s La Vuelta. Aleksandr Vlasov crossed the finish line thirty seconds later, while Pavel Sivakov completed the stage podium. Enric Mas was next to reach the finish line, closely followed by Primoz Roglic. Mattias Skjelmose impressively finished five seconds later, and Richard Carapaz 01:13 minutes behind the stage winner.

Ben O’Connor remains general classification leader. Primoz Roglic is 43 seconds behind the Australian. Enric Mas is third, 02:23 minutes behind O’Connor. Richard Carapaz is fourth, and Mikel Landa fifth. 

Monday will be the second rest day of Vuelta a Espana 2024. Riders in the Vuelta a Espana peloton will continue their quest for success in Tuesday’s stage 16 from Luanco to Lagos de Covadonga. The stage will feature grueling climbs, so hopefully the riders will use the second rest day to rest and recover wisely.

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

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