Pinot wins, Yates rules

La Vuelta 2018 | Stage 19 | Lleida > Andorra. Naturlandia

Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) claimed on Friday his second summit victory of La Vuelta 18 after an intense ascent up the Coll de la Rabassa. The French climber doubles down one week after his win at Lagos de Covadonga. Second of the stage, Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) is the other winner of the day after a dominant performance that saw him win more than a minute on Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team). The British climber’s lead on GC is bigger than ever on the eve of a brutal stage 20 in Andorra.

Many riders were willing to go at the front of the race but Alejandro Valverde’s Movistar Team wouldn’t let any attempt go for more than 70 kilometres. Benjamin Thomas (Groupama-FDJ) and Jonathan Castroviejo (Team Sky) eventually got away with 80km to go. Tom Van Asbroeck (Education First-Drapac) had gone with them but he waited for the bunch when he realised Movistar were not giving this breakaway much of a margin as they were setting the battle in the Coll de la Rabassa.

With Movistar controlling the race all day long, the gap reached a maximum of 2’30’’ with 40km to go. Five kilometres further, Valverde’s teammates accelerated again and briefly split the peloton. Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) was trapped behind but his teammates quickly brought the red jersey back at the front. After three hours of racing at 45.6km/h, the bunch caught the attackers at the bottom of the final ascent and GC contenders were ready to battle it out up Coll de la Rabassa (17km at an average gradient of 6.6%).

Pinot and Yates both get what they want

Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team) attacked with 13km to go. Steven Kruijswijk and George Bennett (LottoNL-Jumbo) followed him and Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) joined them with 12km to go. They didn’t open much of a gap and Simon Yates bridged the gap on his own with 10km to go. The British climber set a hard pace and Quintana was dropped 8km away form the summit.

Thibaut Pinot helped Simon Yates at the front and they quickly opened a 1 minute gap over the Valverde-Lopez group. The French climber eventually claimed the victory in the final kilometre while Valverde was dropped by his GC rivals. Yates tightens his grip on the red jersey with a 1’38’’ lead on Valverde. Kruijswijk is back on the podium, 20’’ behind Valverde.

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