Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) confirmed his overall victory at the Vuelta a Burgos by winning the queen stage up Lagunas de Neila in the final uphill sprint against Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates).
The Slovenian sat in behind Yates and Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) once the Brit attacked in the final 3km, but as soon as they came to the final few hundred metres he moved to the front and easily out-kicked Yates to the line, able to look back at his rivals over the line.
“I felt good yeah, it was a hot day again and our guys had everything under control during the whole day and at the end, it was just full gas up [the final climb],” said Roglič.
He was able to play defensive up Lagunas de Neila, only properly showing his strength in the final sprint which even then wasn’t all out to the line, so his Vuelta a España preparation appears on track.
“You have to go deep, but for me, it was nice here to get some intensity in the legs and I’m happy with the win,” Roglič said. “I came here to get this final stimulus of racing and for sure it was hard racing, was super hot, so now I just have to wait til the start of the Vuelta.”
The Slovenian started the day 33 seconds ahead of Vlasov in second and 38 of Yates in third thanks to his team’s victory in the team trial and his stage win into Villarcayo and he extended that to 39 and 42 seconds of an advantage thanks to the bonus seconds.
This win maintains Roglič’s 100% record in stage races throughout 2023 ahead of his ambition to win a record-equalling fourth Vuelta a España as co-leader with Jonas Vingegaard.
An early four-man breakaway formed after 20km of racing on the relatively flat roads out of Golmayao, containing Joe Dombrowski (Astana-Qazaqstan), Jefferson Cepeda (EF Education-EasyPost), Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH) and Carlos Canal (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and their advantage would grow up to 3:22.
They were reduced to just three after Cepeda was forced to drop back to the peloton due to a mechanical issue.
The trio’s advantage would begin to decrease as Jumbo-Visma took control in aid of Roglič’s ambitions just once they hit the foot of the first categorised climb of the day, the Alto de Galiana (2.5km at 5.6%).
Little would happen until the final climb on Lagunas de Neila (7km at 8.5%) as all eyes waited in anticipation of the climb that always characterises this race with it’s gradients that get harder as the line approaches.
The three remaining escapees were reeled in with 9.4km remaining in the stage with the peloton being led by UAE Team Emirates in aid of Yates before they hit the foot of the final climb. Jumbo-Visma would fight the Emirati team for pole position into the easiest, lowest section of the climb, both flexing their muscles before their respective GC riders faced off in the finale.
Bora-Hansgrohe joined UAE to take up the mantle as Jumbo riders started to fall away, leaving Roglič isolated and without a train to position him at the front of proceedings.
Domen Novak (UAE Team Emirates) and teammate Jay Vine would hit the front as the peloton turned off into the steeper sections and they would do serious damage to the majority of domestiques trying to hold on and help their leaders.
The top three on GC were sat in Vine’s wheel, with Roglič ready in waiting for any of his rivals to attack and try to snatch away the GC lead. Vine’s work reduced the group to just four riders with Roglič also forced to unzip his jersey in the blazing heat.
Yates was the first to go with 2.6km remaining as Vine pulled off, but Vlasov and Roglič were both able to follow the first attack and settle back into a rhythm on the Brit’s wheel despite the drafting benefit being minimal on such steep gradients.
The British rider tried to keep the pace high and wear down his two closest rivals for the stage win, but he was only just able to shake off Vlasov, and once they reached the final curve to the line, Yates launched up the inside in pursuit of glory.
Roglič had moved alongside Yates at this point and was able to quickly react and sprint easily away to the win in the final few hundred metres with enough time to look behind and nonchalantly and end his effort on his bike computer just past the line.
He’ll now set his sights on the Vuelta a España, his second Grand Tour of the year after winning the Giro d’Italia. He’ll be joined on the startling by Tour de France Champion and teammate Vingegaard and the defending champion, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep).
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