João Almeida Trumps Jonas Vingegaard On Angliru For Vuelta Stage Victory

Portugal’s João Almeida held disconnected title leader Jonas Vingegaardat nan apical of nan sadistic acme decorativeness of Angliru to triumph shape 13 of nan Vuelta a España connected Friday.

The apical 2 successful nan wide classification battled it retired for nan shape win, leaving nan remainder down successful nan last 5km. Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) did each nan activity connected nan climb and stayed up of Visma-Lease a Bike’s Vingegaard successful nan sprint to nan line.

“This is simply a typical one, I still don’t judge it,” Almeida said. “I conscionable put my gait from nan bottommost and did my spot nan champion I could. Jonas was ever connected my wheel, we were some connected nan limit and I was waiting for his onslaught anytime.”

Thanks to nan prize seconds for nan shape win, Almeida closed nan spread to nan reddish jersey to 46 seconds, pinch Britain’s Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) losing clip but holding connected to 3rd overall, 2 minutes and 18 seconds disconnected nan leader.

Australian Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe) vanished 3rd connected nan 202.7 km thrust from Cabezón de la Sal to Alto de L’Angliru, 28 seconds down nan starring pair, conscionable up of Vingegaard’s teammate Sepp Kuss.

Kuss, Vuelta victor successful 2023, almost mislaid his reddish jersey connected Angliru that twelvemonth erstwhile teammates Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic near him behind, pinch Roglic edging retired nan Dane astatine nan finish.

Vingegaard suffered a akin destiny this clip around, contempt looking arsenic if he was conscionable biding his time, tucked successful down Almeida arsenic they suffered connected nan last twists and turns of nan infamous climb, but his onslaught ne'er came.

“I thought he was going to walk maine connected nan decorativeness line,” Almeida said. “I took nan past area and past it’s difficult to pass. I deliberation this is nan hardest climb successful nan world, its crazy, I’m really sore.”

Almeida’s symptom gained him his first individual Vuelta shape triumph on pinch 4 seconds successful nan GC, and topping Angliru up of nan title favourite whitethorn springiness him nan assurance he needs to spell for nan title. “I still person a batch of clip to make up,” Almeida said. “He’s looking phenomenal truthful it’s going to beryllium a difficult task but we ne'er springiness up.”

Pidcock besides ne'er gave up, contempt getting dropped by nan leaders, and came successful seventh, but nan title looks group to beryllium a conflict betwixt Vingegaard and Almeida.

Bob Jungels of Luxembourg (Ineos Grenadiers) put successful a brave battle, portion of a ample breakaway group early successful nan stage, and nan past man to beryllium caught. At nan ft of Angliru, pinch Nicolya Vinokurov still alongside him, pro-Palestinian protesters delayed nan pair’s advancement earlier constabulary cleared nan mini group from nan road.

Saturday’s shape 14 is simply a shorter 135.9km thrust from Avilés pinch different acme decorativeness astatine Alto de La Farrapona.