The many ups and downs of stage 11 led to another eventful stage in Galicia, with Ed Dunbar (Jayco AlUla) taking victory in Padron while the likes of Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Enric Mas (Movistar) gained time on Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale). The Irish climber eventually got the better of his 38 breakaway rivals after an intense battle over the four categorised climbs of the day. On the final ascent, the steepest, Roglic put the hammer down and O’Connor faltered, losing almost 40 seconds to his main rivals on the line. The Australian maintains La Roja for a 6th day, with a lead of 3’16’’ on the Slovenian 3-time winner of La Vuelta, on the eve of a summit finish at Manzaneda.
The peloton tackle the second of four stages held on Galician roads in La Vuelta 24 and it packs loads of climbing, again, with 4 categorised ascents and more than 3,000m of elevation as the race loops around the Campus Tecnologico Cortizo in Padron (166.4km).
Such terrain naturally inspires aggressive riders, again. The battle is on from kilometre 0 but attackers struggle to get away. Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Dstny) leads the way over the first climb of the day, Puerto San Xusto (km 42.4).
A huge breakaway
The Belgian strongman is joined by 38 more attackers on the valley towards the 2nd climb of the day, Puerto Aguasantas (km 81.2): Steven Kruijswijk, Attila Valter (Visma-Lease a Bike), Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates), Jhonatan Naraez, Brandon Rivera (Ineos Grenadiers), James Know (T-Rex Quick-Step), Carlos Verona (Lidl-Trek), Nico Denz, Patrick Gamper, Daniel Felipe Martínez (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Quinten Hermans, Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Deceuninck), George Bennett, Marco Frigo, Matthew Riccitello, Corbin Strong (Israel-Premier Tech), Arjen Livyns, Eduardo Sepulveda (Lotto-Dstny), Sven Erik Bystrom, Lorenzo Germani, Reuben Thompson (Groupama-FDJ), Carlos Canal, Pelayo Sanchez (Movistar), Fran Miholjevic (Bahrain Victorious), Ed Dunbar, Filippo Zana (Jayco AlUla), Mathis Le Berre (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Max Poole, Chris Hamilton, Gijs Leemreize (Team DSM-firmenich PostNL), Guillaume Martin, Ion Izagirre, Jesus Herrada (Cofidis), Gianmarco Garofoli (Astana-Qazaqstan), Urko Berrade, Ibon Ruiz (Kern Pharma) and Xabier Isasa (Euskaltel-Euskadi).
Meurisse leads the way
Xandro Meurisse immediately sets off from this group and opens a gap of 1’. Israel Premier Tech drive the chase group, their kiwi climber George Bennett being the main GC threat (16th in the overall standings at the start of the stage, +9’50’’). Meanwhile, the gap to the bunch goes up to 6’15’’ (km 115) with Ben O’Connor’s Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale setting the pace.
After some 60 kilometres alone at the front, Meurisse is caught with 32km to go. Isasa tries to counter-attack but he’s quickly reeled in. The battle will unfold on the final climb of the day, the Puerto Cruxeiras (2.9km, 8.9%), to be submitted with 7.9km to go. Meanwhile, Movistar up the ante in the bunch.
Dunbar’s brain, Roglic’s legs
Verona, Zana and Berrade lead the way to the summit. Poole bridges the gap as they get onto the downhill… But their chasers get back with 1.5km to go. Berrade and Verona try to counter-attack, unsuccessfully. Dunbar flies past everyone inside the last kilometre to take his first Grand Tour stage win.
Behind them, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe up the ante on the ascent and Primoz Roglic attacks. Enric Mas (Movistar) is the only one to follow. Matthias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek), Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers), David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) and Mikel Landa (T-Rex Quick-Step) manage to join them. Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) drops 15’’ on the line. And O’Connor finishes with a gap of 37’’.
