The peloton will tackle a 179.5km medium mountains stage 18 from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Maestu-Parque Natural de Izki at the Vuelta a España that could offer an opportunity for the general classification contenders to either gain or pull back time in the GC standings.
Only five seconds separate the current leader Ben O'Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), from runner-up Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). Therefore, the mid-race 'sprint' for time bonuses located at the top of the category 1 Puerto Herrera combined with a short but steep hill positioned at 5km to the finish, could bring Roglič even closer to the red jersey.
O'Connor's lead was reduced from 1:03 to five seconds on Lagos de Covadonga on stage 16 but it didn't appear to be under threat on the rain-soaked stage 17 into Santander.
However, his rival team's directeur sportif Patxi Vila noted that Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe had taken a more conservative approach ahead of the final four days of racing, picking a choosing the best places to slowly close the gap to O'Connor.
While Roglič and his team have opted to follow any threatening moves rather than outright attack as they inch closer to the red jersey, stage 18 could be the day when he strikes out for those valuable five seconds before the uphill finish in Alto de Moncalvillo on stage 19, the last mountain stage 20 into Picón Blanco, and the stage 21 individual time trial that closes out the Vuelta a España.
Stage 18 information
There are two classified climbs on the agenda, with the category 2 Alto de Rivas de Tereso followed by the category 1 Puerto Herrera. That second ascent comes with almost 50km left to race, but there is still plenty of rough ground to cover on the run-in.
The last kick with 5km or so remaining offers a possible springboard for late attackers, even if the odds are on a reduced bunch sprint.
Stage 18 starts and finishes in the Basque Country, but while much of the action takes place just south of the region, this is the kind of terrain that wouldn’t look out of place at Itzulia in April.
There is scarcely a metre of flat between Vitoria and Maeztu, and it seems likely that a severely reduced peloton, at best, will make it to the finish at Izki Natural Park.
Climbs
- Alto de Rivas de Tereso (11.1km at3.4%), 81km
- Puerto Herrera (5.6km at 8.3%), 134.5km
