Vuelta a España - Everything you need to know
Vuelta a España favourites
Vuelta a España: Adam Yates stamps authority on stage 9 with solo victory
How to watch the 2024 Vuelta a España
Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of stage 10 of the 2024 Vuelta a España!
Racing is back at the Vuelta after the first rest day and a chaotic, thrilling and blazing hot first week. After a near 1000km transfer up from Granada on the south coast to the northwest of the country in Galicia, the temperatures have mercifully dropped but the racing should be no less exciting.
It's a tough stage to get things going again from Ponteareas to Baiona over 160km on uphill roads with a great chance for the breakaway to get away on the Alto de Fonfría, a 15.4km climb that averages 4.2% gradient, which arrives in the opening 30km of racing.
Here's the profile of stage 10, with four categorised climbs lining the route and offering up the potential for a strong break or hopeful GC rider to make it in and make a difference.
Riders are completing sign-ons in Ponteareas ahead of the neutralised roll out which is scheduled for 13:30 local time in Spain, ahead of the flag drop and official start at 13:42.
There are two non-starters known so far in Kobe Goossens (Intermarché-Wanty) and Harold Martín López (Astana Qazaqstan), with the former struggling from a crash on stage 6 and illness and the latter testing positive for COVID-19.
So sad to leave my main goal of the season like this. But sometimes life sucks and it is what it is. Time for a reset and focus on the last races of the season. https://t.co/NyC7okIonxAugust 27, 2024
Reminder that Ben O'Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) leads the Vuelta heading into the second week by 3:53 over three-time winner Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). Read what he had to say on yesterday's rest day below:
'I just love racing from the front' - Ben O'Connor relishes his unexpected lead in Vuelta a España
The DNS list grows as covid continues to work its way through the Vuelta peloton with Laurens De Plus pulling out for the Ineos Grenadiers.
Laurens De Plus won’t start stage 10 of #LaVuelta24. Laurens reported feeling unwell this morning and he’s subsequently tested positive for a Covid 19 infection. Wishing you a speedy recovery Laurens. pic.twitter.com/jcE15Qh8KVAugust 27, 2024
Make sure to read expert Philippa York's analysis of the first week of racing at the Vuelta:
Under Pressure - Roglič's gamble and the unpredictable battle ahead at the Vuelta a España
Here's how the GC standings currently sit after a thrilling ninth stage into Granada won solo by Adam Yates from the break, who moved up 20 places to seventh, with Richard Carapaz also making a big move up to third overall thanks to his long-range attack out of the GC group.
Catch up with how Yates took his stunning first win at the Vuelta below:
Vuelta a España: Adam Yates stamps authority on stage 9 with solo victory
15 minutes away from what should be an explosive start and big fight to get into the breakaway with the climbing arriving almost straight from the flag.
Mikel Landa (Soudal-QuickStep) looking sharp at the start in Ponteareas. He's sat fifth on GC heading into stage 10, 5:17 off the lead of O'Connor.
Race leader Ben O'Connor arrives for the second week and stage 10 of the Vuelta looking resplendent in the red jersey. Can he hold onto it and take an historic victory? Today will be the first challenge with a tricky day to control and the potential for someone on GC very strong to get into the breakaway.
Stage 10 start
Riders are gone from the unofficial start and will complete the neutralised roll out before the start proper in around 12 minutes time.
Lots of riders are right up alongside the race director's car ready for the flag to drop. Should be fireworks right from the go here in Galicia.
160KM TO GO
Stage 10 of the 2024 Vuelta a España is fully underway!
Flag waved and it's time to go racing! UAE Team Emirates kick things off with an attack through Jay Vine and the rest of those wanting to get going early follow.
After that first move was marked, UAE are showing clear intentions with another move through Brandon McNulty. After their success with Yates on stage 9 and losing key GC rider João Almeida, they are clearly sticking to this aggressive stage-hunting plan.
Big group of riders trying to bridge across to McNulty and form a strong group in front before the first climb of the day - the Alto de Fonfría.
First few attacks are cancelled out by lots of interest behind. Next waves coming each and every time someone is brought back. UAE still looking very focused on being represented.
Green jersey Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) is now close to the front as the next move tries to pull away.
150km to go
Still no splits but it's all out racing in this opening 10km. We are closing in on the first climb of the day, where the difference can easily be made and the break should form.
Van Aert launches another move with two riders joining him - Harold Tejada (Astana Qazaqstan) and Mathis Le Berre (Arkéa-B&B Hotels). They have eked out a small advantage ahead of the foot of the climb.
The riders are now onto the Alto de Fonfría (15.3 km at 4.3%) climb and the Van Aert group has been reabsorbed with things all back together. Quickly the next wave of attacks have been launched.
Cian Uijtdebroeks (Visma-Lease a Bike) is off the back of the peloton and struggling already. He was left confused at his lack of form after dropping out of GC on stage 7 to Cordoba.
Marc Soler getting involved now for UAE Team Emirates as the action heats up on the lower slopes of this first climb. Ineos Grenadiers also getting into the latest small move through Oscar Rodriguez.
Wout van Aert makes another small burst and swings off after not getting much separation. Reminder that he's one of the four jersey wearers in green alongside Adam Yates in polka-dots as the King of the Mountains, Ben O'Connor in red as the race leader and Florian Lipowitz in white as the best young rider.
Lots of the bigger riders are being spat out the back already with the pace at the front staying extremely high on this climb.
Eddie Dunbar (Jayco AlUla) launches the next move on a steeper portion of the climb, after the Australian team have looked to attack this climb. 9.3km to the crest.
140km to go
Dunbar back in and still nothing doing despite the unrelenting pace. Arkéa are still trying to split things up but perhaps the gradient just isn't hard enough at an average of only 4.2%.
A new group gets a small advantage with the likes of Mauri Vansevenant (Soudal-QuickStep) and Dunbar making it in. It looks like six riders who've made it in so far but the attacks behind are still coming.
It was actually a group of nine, Vansevenant, Dunbar, Quinten Hermans (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto Dstny), Stefan Küng (Groupam_FDJ), Einer RUbio (Movistar), Cristián Rodríguez (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Urko Berrade (Equipo Kern Pharma) and Mikel Bizkarra (Euskaltel-Euskadi), that had got away but it was only short-lived. Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe got on the front and pulled them back.
With that big group back in, Soler attacks again for UAE with Van Aert following him. Just 2km to the summit of this first climb now.
It's a group of three in front as the riders approach the KOM point, Soler, Van Aert and young talent William Junior Lecerf (Soudal-QuickStep), however, their gap is still very minimal.
130km to go
Van Aert took the 5 KOM points on top of the Alto de Fonfría, and he's now kicking on in the descent with Soler and Lecerf.
A look inside the furious fight for the breakaway which still isn't over either on stage 10.
Van Aert, Soler and Lecerf have descended well and edged their advantage out to 21 seconds on the peloton behind. Lots of riders behind still attacking and upping the pace to ensure the breakaway formation continues.
The race is onto a tough part of the course now, however, with 50km of flatter and undulating roads separating them from the next categorised climb where the climbers and puncheurs can make the difference.
120km to go
Attacks are continuing on this long downhill section, bringing the lead trio's lead down to just 15 seconds.
Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ) and Juri Hollman (Alpecin-Deceuninck) have launched a duo move off the front of the charging peloton to try and bridge to the Van Aert trio. They are working well and now sit just eight seconds back, but the peloton is still not slowing down.
Contact made by Pacher and Hollmann to make it five riders in front alongside Soler, Van Aert and Lecerf. Peloton splitting up behind as more attacks fly.
110km to go
Peloton chasing hard and still just 13 seconds down the road.
Here's the young Soudal-QuickStep talent Lecerf up in one of the earlier moves of the day before joining the group in front with Van Aert, Soler, Hollmann and Pacher. He's just 21 and on Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta during what is just his neo-pro season.
After a flurry of small attacks, the five riders in front have worked well and managed to not be reeled back in. Gap still sits at 25 seconds now on the rolling terrain heading west towards Baiona.
100km to go
We're onto a small kicked on the road and Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) has kicked away to try and ensure he is up there. Deficit has extended out to 35 seconds with things finally calming down, prompting Woods to go.
The Canadian champion's move has provoked more moves from behind with lots of people panicking and launching to try and get across to the break of the day. Kruijswijk for Visma and Verona for Trek among those trying to get away.
That move from Woods has completely restarted the action in the peloton behind. Splits all over the place with the pace extremely high.
Gap to the Van Aert group of five in front is out to 36 seconds as the undulating roads continue on. Still more attacks fly but no concerted effort to chase is being mounted yet.
90km to go
Alessandro De Marchi (Jayco AlUla) is chasing on his own in no man's land between the peloton and the break after he and Eddie Dunbar tried to get their team into a move unsuccessfully earlier in the day.
Here's Van Aert at the start of stage 10, preparing for another day of attacking in the break with barely any chances remaining for the sprinters at this year's Vuelta. The five-man group in front now sits at 1:12 from the peloton and appears to be formed.
80km to go
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale have done a perfect job for Ben O'Connor today avoiding any stress in this middle phase by letting a non-threatening breakaway get away. With things now calm, they've come to the front and started to set an easier tempo, allowing the break to build a two-minute lead.
Huge 4:00 gap for the breakaway now as they head towards the second climb of the day, the Alto de Vilachán (6km at 5.3%).
Full Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale train at the head of the peloton to calm things down again now before the finale, where things could well kick off again from the GC group even with the break well away.
70km to go
Under 15km to go until the second climb of the day, and they come thick and fast after that, with the Alto de Vilachán (6.3km at 5.5%), Alto de Mabia (6km at 5.7%) and Alto de Mougás (9.9km at 6%) all arriving in a 40km block.
With De Marchi giving up his futile effort to chase across solo, it's just the five man move up the road:
- Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike)
- Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates)
- William Junior Lecerf (Soudal-QuickStep)
- Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ)
- Juri Hollmann (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
They have a five-minute lead now heading into the final 66km of racing on stage 10.
If you're wondering why the break have been allowed such a big lead, it's because the closest on GC to Ben O'Connor's lead is Pacher, who started the day 34 minutes behind the Australian.
A look back at the moment Van Aert and Soler attacked to form the breakaway of the day, with Lecerf following closely behind.
60km to go
The breakaway has made its way onto the category 3 Alto de Vilachán, the second climb of the day.
Gap at a new high of 6:20 from the peloton to the break, with a huge chance for the winner to come from the five in front.
Here's what much of the day has looked like for Ben O'Connor after the break successfully got away. Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale working well to keep the race leader safe in red.
Just under 2km to the summit of the climb and still all together in the breakaway. They are on the easiest of the three final climbs, with the difficulty upping from category 3 to 2 and finally 1 up the Alto de Mougás in the run for home.
Lecerf took the 3 KOM points on offer at the crest but there wasn't much of a fight for them by anyone in the breakaway. The five in front now start the descent with a 6:30 lead.
50km to go
Just a small descent navigated and it's straight onto the next climb for the break which is slightly harder than the last, the Alto de Mabia (6 km at 5.7%).
Onto the lower slopes of the Alto de Mabia now with Pacher leading the breakaway. They look set to fight for the stage win, but their gap to the peloton has gone down slightly to 5:27 over the past few kilometres.
New team at the front of the peloton as Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe begin to show themselves in aid of Primož Roglič. We are onto 12% gradients here and O'Connor is swiftly losing teammates.
This pace is infernal from the German side who are still looking to make up a 3:53 gap to O'Connor in these final two weeks. Isolating him is the first step but he's being kept in great position for now by Valentin Paret-Peintre.
Breakaway still together with 2.5km to go until they reach the summit of the Alto de Mabia. The peloton has calmed down slightly with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe no longer kicking on as they were.
After losing a lot of time on stage 9, Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto-Dstny) is struggling again and already sat at the back of the peloton. Not looking good for the young Belgian GC talent with 42km to ride.
Giulio Ciccone has been forced to leave the Vuelta after his bizarre crash involving some deer on stage 8, which is a big loss for Lidl-Trek.
Sadly @giuliocicco1 has been forced to abandon #LaVuelta24 after suffering with knee pain since his crash at the weekend. Speedy recovery Cicco! pic.twitter.com/qgQvNjWHbkAugust 27, 2024
40km to go
Small crash at the back of the peloton involving Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto Dstny), Simone Petilli (Intermarché - Wanty) and Jesus Herrada (Cofidis).
Van Aert won the KOM sprint up Alto de Mabia and will now look to take the maximum points at the A Barroca intermediate sprint, where he shouldn't be contested and should extend his lead in the green jersey competition over Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck).
After their short burst on the last climb to remove some of O'Connor's teammates, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe will probably look to try something on the next climb, the hardest one of the day.
30km to go
Soler went back to the car to get a drink and talk to his sports directors, prompting Van Aert to take off for the intermediate sprint points, of which he claimed the maximum, and continue his effort before the climb.
Pacher has made it across to Van Aert, with Soler, Lecerf and Hollmann all chasing further down the road and the foot of the climb approaching.
Pacher and Van Aert are working nicely and have extended their lead to 20 seconds. But the Alto de Mougás (9.9 km at 6%) is the toughest climb of the day and has than enough terrain to make the difference before the downhill run for home.
Hollmann drops from the breakaway, leaving just the duo of Soler and Lecerf to chase Van Aert and Pacher who are 30 seconds up the climb now.
Pacher is clearly happy to work with Van Aert in the front group but knows he will need to be rid of him by the finish if he is to take the stage win. Lecerf isn't working with Soler behind him after being told not to.
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale have assumed control in the peloton behind for O'Connor, with no one yet making any moves to challenge the race leader.
25km to go
The gap from Soler and Lecerf to Van Aert and Pacher is stable still at 25 seconds.
Lecerf has now come through to take a turn with Soler, as EF Education EasyPost move to the front of the peloton behind for Richard Carapaz.
Carapaz has Cepeda doing the pacing on the front and this is putting a lot of riders off the back in the group of favourites.
Lecerf has attacked and left Soler behind with just over 3km to the summit of the climb.
Here's Van Aert and Pacher at the head of stage 10. They lead by 30 seconds from Lecerf who is now chasing on his own. Peloton still 4:34 down.
O'Connor shows his strength and rolls through to the front in the red jersey, letting every one behind him know that he is by no means struggling on this long climb.
Soler has rejoined Lecerf but they are only going backwards in their pursuit of the leading duo - now 32 seconds down.
20km to go
Pacher is riding well but he's surely never going to beat Van Aert in a sprint if they arrive to the final kilometre together. Can the Frenchman find a way to beat the Belgian superstar?
Van Aert takes the KOM sprint up the final climb and moves level with Adam Yates on 22 points, all of which he has gained today. He and Pacher are now on the final descent to the line in Baiona.
Meanwhile, in the peloton it's no stress for O'Connor and his teammates as the climb is nearly complete and the terrain is no longer hard enough to trouble him. The peloton should ride safely together to the line in Baiona now.
Quentin Pacher has never won a pro bike race. The closest he came to a big one was at the Vuelta in 2022 when he lost out only to Rigoberto Urán up to Monasterio de Tentudía. But it will be quite the tall order to win today in a sprint-a-deux up against Wout van Aert. He'll need a miracle.
10km to go
Gap out to Lecerf and Soler is now out past the minute mark so it will be between the two in front. If Van Aert does the business, it will be his third stage win on debut at the Vuelta a España.
Here's the two men set to battle for the victory in a sprint: Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ) and Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike).
5km to go
Final kicker on the profile navigated and it is just this quick descent by the coast left to get through before the final sprint in Baiona which is right by the waterfront.
Equal work between the two men in the break as they approach the finale. Soler and Lecerf are well behind at 1:45 with the now calm peloton at 5:18.
Euskaltel-Euskadi have randomly attacked back in the peloton on one of the kickers. Slight waste of energy there but nonetheless always nice to see the orange jerseys on show.
Pachers goes! He had to try something and it was a short burst with 1.6km to go. Van Aert immediately shut him down and this stage is only going one way, but chapeau for trying.
1km to go
Final kilometre now and Van Aert is sat on the back wheel of Pacher, ready to outsprint him for victory.
Pacher is leading this one out with his fate almost certainly sealed.
Van Aert goes and there is nothing Pacher can do, simply dropping his head and accepting defeat behind the superior rider.
Stage finish
Wout van Aert wins stage 10 of the 2024 Vuelta a España!
It's his third stage win of this race, on debut at the Spanish Grand Tour, and he continues this wonderful return to winning form after a tough early portion of his season was ruined by injuries. Truly back at his best at the Vuelta. He shaked hands with Pacher after a respectful battle and celebrates with his family who are at the line to greet him.
Soler takes third after Hollmann made his way back into the chasing group on the descent. The German takes fifth in the end with Lecerf also beating him to the line in Baiona.
Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) crosses the line in Baiona for his third stage win at this year's Vuelta and his 12th at Grand Tour level adding to nine from the Tour de France.
Here's what second Pacher had to say after only losing out to Van Aert on stage 10:
"The start was really strong on the second category climb and the breakaway was only five riders. I was thinking maybe others would come back from the peloton but it was not the case. We tried to pull to have a big gap until the three last climb and on the intermediate sprint he [Van Aert] goes and it was key for me to be in his wheel and try to stay with him a long time," Pacher told Eurosport as he described how the winning move went from Van Aert.
"It's not really easy to find a place to attack Wout because he is strong everywhere, so I tried to stay in his wheel and I just gave my best and didn't think too much. I can only be satisfied because I am beaten by a guy who was stronger."
And here's Van Aert's post-stage win words after netting a strong win from the breakaway at the Vuelta:
"It was really my aim to be in the breakaway, but I had a hard time on the first climb. And actually I almost gave up, I gave one more try just before the top, but still, then I think for 50 kilometers, we really needed to fight to get a bit of a gap," he said.
"But to be honest, I think it was in my favor because in the final, the climbers I had in the group, they had maybe less fresh legs, and that's how I won."
Here's how the GC standings look after stage 10, with no changes in the top 10. Ben O'Connor maintains his lead just under halfway through the 2024 Vuelta, with 11 stages to ride.
Make sure to read our full stage report from stage 10 of the Vuelta a España:
Vuelta a España: Wout van Aert solidifies green jersey with stage 10 victory
Big smile for Ben O'Connor as he keeps his lead heading into stage 11. There was no change in the top 10 overall:
The current GC standings at the Vuelta a España after stage 10
Here's a look at the profile of tomorrow's stage from Campus Tecnológico Cortizo Padron to Campus Tecnológico Cortizo Padron, with 166.4km of hilly terrain offering up another chance for the breakaway.
