Kaden Groves claimed his second stage win of the 2024 La Vuelta, triumphing in a closely fought sprint finish in Villablino on stage 14. The 156.5km route featured 2,883m of climbing, including the longest ascent of this yearโs race, the 22.7km Puerto de Leitariegos, which summited just 16.5km from the finish. Groves, who had already demonstrated his climbing resilience earlier in the race, narrowly edged Wout van Aert in a high-speed finale, securing his sixth career La Vuelta stage victory.
The stage began with a fierce battle for the breakaway, eventually seeing six riders escape: Isaac Del Toro, Jhonatan Narvaez, Xandro Meurisse, Marco Frigo, Victor Campenaerts, and Harold Tejada. Despite their efforts, the peloton, driven by Van Aertโs team, kept the gap manageable, ensuring the break was caught on the final climb. Narvaez launched a solo attack on the Puerto de Leitariegos, but Visma-Lease a Bikeโs relentless pace brought him back before the summit.
On the descent, Alpecin Deceuninck took control to position Groves for the sprint. Despite a mechanical for Primoลพ Rogliฤ, the race regrouped, and Groves unleashed a powerful sprint to hold off Van Aert, who was seeking his fourth stage win of the race. The result further cemented Grovesโ reputation as a versatile sprinter capable of surviving tough climbs to contest victories.
2024 Vuelta a Espana Stage Photos
