The penultimate stage of the Vuelta a España on 7th September was a brutal affair, featuring over 5,000 metres of climbing across seven categorised ascents, including the gruelling summit finish at Picón Blanco. Multiple attacks lit up the early part of the race, with teams eager to force a breakaway and position their riders for the final climb.
Team dsm-firmenich PostNL was among those seeking to disrupt the peloton, with riders like Enzo Leijnse and Max Poole attempting to infiltrate the day’s key move. Despite their best efforts, the breakaway failed to fully establish itself, as the general classification teams, including Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, quickly stamped out any threats.
The real battle began in the latter part of the stage when the peloton reached the steeper climbs. As the GC teams moved to the front, the initial break was caught with 30 kilometres remaining, and the final ascent of Picón Blanco loomed large. Roglič, wearing the red jersey, was flanked by his remaining teammates after illness had ravaged much of his Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe squad.
While his rivals eyed potential opportunities to take time off the Slovenian, Roglič remained unfazed, allowing others to set the pace. Eddie Dunbar was the first to attack from the GC group with five kilometres to go, quickly opening up a gap. Dunbar’s move put the likes of Enric Mas, Richard Carapaz, and Roglič on high alert. Mas and Carapaz launched their own chases, but Roglič opted to keep a close watch, riding steadily up the steep gradients of Picón Blanco.
Dunbar held on for a solo victory, crossing the line with a seven-second margin over Mas. Behind him, the GC contenders finished in quick succession, with Roglič placing third on the day and gaining a few more seconds over second-placed Ben O’Connor. It was a controlled performance by Roglič, who knew that his overall lead was secure barring any final-day disasters. It’s the 2nd stage win in this year’s Vuelta from Dunbar, who also won Stage 11.
After the stage, Roglič acknowledged the difficulty of the final climb but remained focused on the bigger picture. “The last climb was hard, but really today all the climbs were hard,” he said. “But I won the fight, so I’m definitely happy with the result.”
With the final time trial in Madrid still to come, Roglič appears on the verge of sealing his fourth Vuelta a España victory, heading into Sunday’s race with a lead of over two minutes.
2024 Vuelta a Espana Stage 20 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Getty
