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Wednesday, August 28, 2024
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
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Current racing:
- August 17 - Sept 8: Vuelta a España
- August 28 - September 1: Renewi Tour
Upcoming racing:
- September 3 - 8: Tour of Britain
- September 8: Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec
Latest completed racing:
- August 25: Bretagne Classic Ouest-France
- August 20 - 23: Tour du Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine
- August 12 - 18: Tour of Poland
- August 14 - 18: PostNord Denmark Rundt
- August 13 - 16: Tour du Limousin
- August 11: La Polynormande
- August 10: Clasica San Sebastian
- August 5 - 9: Vuelta a Burgos
- August 4 - 7: Arctic Race of Norway
- July 27 - August 4: Olympic cycling
We posted the report from the race organizer with the results.
Here's the report from stage winner Wout van Aert's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Wout van Aert has claimed victory in the tenth stage of the Vuelta a España after spending the entire day in the breakaway. The Belgian rider from Team Visma | Lease a Bike raised his arms in triumph for the third time in this Vuelta a España. Van Aert also strengthened his lead in the points classification.
Wout van Aert wins another stage. Sirotti photo
Right from the start, Van Aert opted for the attack. His first attempt was neutralized just before the first climb of the day. However, that didn’t deter Van Aert, as moments later, the wearer of the green points jersey tried again.
The second attack proved to be the right one. Van Aert was joined by four other riders. The quintet worked well together, ultimately managing to stay out of the peloton’s grasp. Along the way, Van Aert picked up twenty points in the intermediate sprint, after which he pushed on. Only Quentin Pacher could follow his wheel, and together they approached the final climb. On that climb, the duo extended their lead over the chasers to more than a minute. After a descent of about twenty kilometers, the duo sprinted for the stage victory. Van Aert claimed it with full conviction. With his fifth win of the season, the Belgian delivered his team, Team Visma | Lease a Bike, their thirtieth victory of 2024.
"It was the plan to get into the breakaway today," Van Aert explained after his triumph. "That certainly didn’t happen easily. I struggled quite a bit on the first climb of the day. I almost thought about letting go, but I wanted to make one last-ditch effort. It then took several dozen kilometers to finally create a decisive gap with the peloton. I think that tough opening phase worked in my favour today. I believe the other breakaway riders didn’t have much strength left in their legs at the end. I’m glad I was able to finish it off. I feel great right now. I have the feeling that I can handle these tough stages again. It’s a pleasure to be riding with these legs."
Immediately after the finish, Van Aert was able to embrace his partner Sarah and his sons Georges and Jerome. "It doesn’t happen often that I win when my family is present. That makes today’s victory extra special. They were also here yesterday on the rest day. They bring me the energy I need and allow me to step away from the world of cycling for a moment. Their presence definitely gives me wings," said the proud partner and father.
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Here's the Vuelta report from second-place Quentin Pacher's Team Groupama-FDJ:
At the end of the tenth stage of the Vuelta a Espana, in Baiona, Quentin Pacher for sure dreamed of getting his first major victory. Unfortunately, the French puncher couldn’t do anything to drop Wout van Aert, the last of his breakaway companions, who logically beat him in a two-man sprint. After a superb ride on hilly terrain, the Groupama-FDJ rider has anyway secured his second stage podium on a Grand Tour this season, after the one he took in Bologna (3rd) during the Tour de France. Other opportunities will be up for grabs in the coming days.
Quentin Pacher finishes second. Sirotti photo
In Ponteareas, where the Vuelta riders were set to meet again on Tuesday, the start required everyone to be up and ready for this second week of racing. Although three climbs were spread over the last sixty kilometres of stage 10, a second-category climb was also to be tackled after just ten kilometres of racing, and it was expected that the breakaway would not go easily. “There was a hard pace for a long time,” explained Thierry Bricaud. “We knew that there was going to be a big fight. The roads were ideal for it, and the breakaways have a real chance of making it all week long.”
In the mix right away, Stefan Küng, Rémy Rochas and Quentin Pacher joined in the fight, before but also during the first climb. “It shows that they have recovered well and that they are still as motivated,” added Thierry. Shortly before the summit, a trio including Wout van Aert, William Junior Lecerf and Marc Soler opened a gap, and a few minutes later, Quentin Pacher tried to bridge across with Juri Hollmann. This was done shortly after the descent of the climb, but it took another twenty kilometres to really force the peloton to give in.
“I was a bit cooked at the end of last week, and I really needed this rest day”, said Quentin. “I wanted to be in the breakaway, but when I saw that there were only five of us, I thought that it was going to be difficult. I thought that other riders would come back from the peloton, but it didn’t happen, so we tried to ride as hard as possible to have a big gap before the last three climbs”. The five men worked together quite well and were able to tackle the first of the three final climbs, the Alto de Vilachan, with a lead of more than five minutes. They also get over this climb, and the next one, the Alto de Mabia, together. It was only as they approached the intermediate sprint, thirty kilometres from the finish, that the battle opened up. Wout van Aert accelerated, and Quentin Pacher did not hesitate.
“At first, you think he’s just going to do the sprint, then you realize that no one was going to contest it,” commented Quentin. “If he did it, it was because he wanted to try to make a gap before the climb. The hardest thing today was not to lose his wheel at that point. I really made a tough effort to stay with him. It was the key moment of the race. I knew that if I didn’t go back, I would never come back. I then had to recover from this effort.”
After a brief but intense chase, the Groupama-FDJ rider was able to tackle the Alto de Mougás (10 km at 6%) with the Belgian rider, twenty seconds ahead of the rest of the breakaway. This gap increased slightly as the climb progressed. “I held on to his wheel, he was really strong on the climbs,” added Quentin. “I wanted to work, but without burning myself too much.”
The Frenchman therefore continued to take turns at the head of the race, and the duo reached the summit with a lead of almost forty seconds. On the downhill, their advantage quickly passed the one-minute mark on their closest pursuers, then a fairly straight final, despite a short one-kilometre climb, was to be covered. “Once we had passed the climb, I didn’t have many options left to try to drop him”, said Quentin. “He is a hard rider to beat because he can do everything. He climbs well, he sprints well, and he descends well.” The Frenchman tried to surprise him 1500 metres from the finish, but the green jersey of the Vuelta immediately jumped on his wheel. He did not leave it from then on, patiently waiting for the sprint. In this scenario, Quentin Pacher was no longer able to compete with the Belgian, winner for the third time in ten stages.
“I have nothing to be ashamed of”, said Quentin. “I just faced one of the best riders in the peloton. I knew that by coming with him to the finish, it would be a no-brainer, like for 98% of the peloton. But I didn’t have much energy left at the end. We had a full gas day. I didn’t expect to be so active today, and I was beaten by a stronger rider, so I can only congratulate him. I’d rather be here and be beaten by Van Aert than be in the peloton. I have two weeks left to try, and hopefully the victory will come.”
While David Gaudu kept his tenth place overall, after having followed the favourites on the last climb, Thierry Bricaud delivered a pragmatic assessment of the day. “We decided to be offensive, we wanted to be in front, and we were,” he said. “From that point of view, it was great, but we weren’t facing the right rider… We could hardly have hoped for worse competition on a day like that. To finish it off, all the stars have to be aligned. But today we came up against one of the best riders in the world. It’s not luck for Quentin. That being said, they all have the same will, to go and win one. We tried today, and we’ll try again every day of the week.”
Here's the Vuelta report from third-place Marc Soler's UAE Team Emirates:
Marc Soler was one of the main animators of the day at the Vuelta España, with the Catalan rider taking third place from a breakaway on stage 10 from Ponteareas to Baiona (160km).
UAE Team Emirates rider Adam Yates before the stage start. Sirotti photo
The fight to get in the break of the day took almost 50kms and didn’t form until over the top of the day’s first climb, the second-category Alto de Fonfría. It was Van Aert (Visma LAB) who crested first with Soler close behind and the pair led a group of five which would last deep into the stage.
Van Aert jumped away with 30km to go with Quentin Pacher (Groupama FDJ) with Soler missing out as Van Aert attempted to get a gap before the final cat.1 climb. The gap would hold and Van Aert took a comfortable stage win with Soler coming home in third, 2’01” behind.
Marc Soler: “The positive I take out of today is that the legs I have here at the Vuelta are good. I was caught out a little bit when the move went and I’m disappointed I couldn’t be with the two leaders at the front in the finish.
"It was a really really hard day and it was a hard fight to get in the break. A lot of riders tried to get in the break but I managed to jump in the right move. I was focused on the last climb but in the end that’s not where the fight was, Van Aert did the damage before that and was the strongest.”
Adam Yates continues in 7th place on GC at 5’30” behind race leader Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R).
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Here's the Vuelta report from fourth place William Junior Lecerf's Team Soudal Quick-Step:
After a sweltering opening week, during which he found his place in the peloton and got accustomed to the rigours and speed of a Grand Tour, William Junior Lecerf had a first opportunity to show what he is capable off on the roads of Galicia, and T-Rex Quick-Step’s diminutive climber didn’t disappoint.
William Junior Lecerf racing in the 2024 Tour of Switzerland. Sirotti photo
The demanding stage ten concluded in Baiona, which on 1 March 1493 became the first European port to receive the news of the discovery of America, when the Pinta – one of Columbus’ three ships for his first voyage to the New World – arrived there, captained by Martin Alonzo Pinzon. Baiona is also the place where our team took one of its many La Vuelta wins, back in 2016, when Gianni Meersman was the fastest in a bunch sprint.
On Tuesday, it took some time for a breakaway to form, as numerous riders tried to snap the elastic and make it to the front of the race. Among them, also Mauri Vansevenant, who was reeled in during the first hour of the race, despite a brave attempt. Then, with around 100 kilometers to go, William Junior Lecerf attacked together with two men, opening a gap that looked promising. This move was joined by another pair of riders, and the quintet worked well together, sharing the workload.
The 21-year-old Belgian neo-pro – a stage winner at the Tour du Rwanda in February – was one of the group’s engines, not being afraid of taking some long pulls at the front and contributing to the breakaway’s six-minute maximum advantage, which made them favourites for the win in front of the peloton. The concord between the escapees was maintained until 30 kilometers to go, when two of them attacked going through the intermediate sprint. William did his best to join them, pulling hard on both the flat and the subsequent Alto de Mougas, the stage’s last ascent, but it soon became clear that the duo would fight for the win.
Lecerf arrived around one minute after winner Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) and came extremely close to a podium finish, concluding this tough day in fourth place – the first time this season that he cracked the top ten in a World Tour race and a result that underlined his blossoming talent.
“I am a bit disappointed because I missed out on the podium, as I felt that I could have been there. The breakaway was a strong one, and when the group split, I did my best to follow, but it was very difficult to take the wheel of a guy like Van Aert on those roads. On the other hand, I am satisfied with how I felt and with being in the mix for a good result on such a tough stage”, William explained at the finish.
Seventh-place Jhonatan Narvaez's Team INEOS Grenadiers posted this:
Jhonatan Narvaez led home the peloton in seventh place as the breakaway contested stage 10 at the Vuelta a Espana.
The Ecuadorian finished with a strong turn of speed following a final ascent which saw the peloton stretched and reduced in number.
Carlos Rodriguez finishing Vuelta stage 8. Sirotti photo
Carlos Rodriguez finished safely in the same group, flanked by team-mate Oscar Rodriguez. The result ensured the Spaniard remained ninth overall as the action resumed following the first rest day.
Early on there was a huge battle to get up the road in the break, with Oscar among the riders pushing hard to go clear. Eventually a group of five forged ahead, building up an unassailable advantage in the process.
At the finish in Baiona it was the green jersey of Wout Van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) who took the win, out-sprinting Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ). Ben O'Connor (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) retained the red jersey, with an overall advantage of 3:53.
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And here's the Vuelta report from Team dsm-firmenich PostNL:
Following on from yesterday’s rest day, the Vuelta a España peloton were back in action on Tuesday as they faced a 160 kilometre route from Ponteareas to Baiona on the menu, featuring four categorised climbs. With a descent and flat run to the finish, there was a feeling amongst the peloton that today would be a good day to try and make the breakaway and as a result a fierce fight to make the move ensued.
The battle continued onto and over the top of the first categorised climb, where Chris Hamilton, Gijs Leemreize and Martijn Tusveld all featured in attacks that were reeled back in by the chasing peloton. Unfortunately, when the five rider move did go clear the team missed out. With the gap increasing and it clear they would fight for the stage, the team tried to get through the stage in the best way possible and look to future stages.
Gijs Leemreize finishes stage 6. Sirotti photo
Speaking after the stage road captain Hamilton said: “We had the aim to try and make it in the break of the day with either Gijs, Martijn or myself. Unfortunately, it didn’t end up being as big a move as we thought and, in the end, we missed the five guys that went away who fought it out to the line. Back in the peloton, the rest of us took it easy for the more chances to come.”
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