Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) offered a new stellar demonstration of his raw talent with a 39km solo attack in the mountains to take victory at Plataforma de Gredos. The young Slovenian wins his third mountain stage at La Vuelta 19 and emulates his team manager Giuseppe Saronni - the Italian legend was until now the only rider to have won three stages in a Grand Tour before celebrating his 21st birthday. Pogacar also moves to 3rd on GC and takes the white jersey as the best young rider of the race ahead of Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana Pro Team) despite many attacks from the Colombian climber. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) controlled his other rivals to retain La Roja. He is set to be the first Slovenian Grand Tour winner tomorrow in Madrid.
The final mountain stage of La Vuelta 19 is ridden aggressively from the start. The pack quickly hits the first slopes up the Puerto de Pedro Bernardo (18.4km, 4.4%). Nine riders get away in the ascent: Mark Padun (Bahrain-Merida), Mitch Docker (EF Education First), Steve Morabito (Groupama-FDJ), Damien Howson (Mitchelton-Scott), Ruben Guerreiro (Katusha Alpecin), Sergio Henao (UAE Team Emirates), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis), Mikel Iturria, Sergio Samitier (Euskadi-Murias). Astana put the bunch under pressure with many attacks but Jumbo-Visma manage to control those moves. Sergio Samitier summits ahead of his breakaway companions. There are only 20 riders left in the Roglic group, trailing by 1’25”.
The battle keeps going in the cat-2 Puerto de Serranillos. Samitier is first at the summit again (km 45.5) but the pack is less than 1 minute behind. The four strongest attackers drop their breakaway companions in the cat-2 Alto Navatalgordo: Damien Howson (Mitchelton-Scott), Ruben Guerreiro (Katusha Alpecin), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis) and Sergio Samitier (Euskadi-Murias). Tao Geoghegan Hart (Team Ineos) attacks from the bunch with 115km to go and he bridges a 1’30” gap to join the leaders 7km further. The gap is up to 4’30” as the front group hits the fourth climb of the day, the cat-3 Puerto del Chia, to be summited with 71.4km to go.
Pogacar, too smart, too strong
Astana put the peloton under pressure again. The bunch splits in the wind with 55km to go. Only 20 riders remain in the GC group and the gap to the leaders is down under 3 minutes. Tao Geoghegan Hart attacks 11km away from the summit of the Puerto de Peña Negra (14.2km, 5.9%). Ruben Guerreiro follows him. The gap to the bunch is down to 1’40”. Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) attacks twice in the climb but his GC rivals control his moves. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) goes 4.5km away from the summit and nobody follows. The Slovenian quickly joins and drops the early attackers. He’s already opened a 1’30” gap when he goes over the top with 34.2km to go.
Movistar Team and Astana don’t collaborate and the gap is up to 1’40” when Tadej Pogacar hits the bottom of the final climb to Plataforma de Gredos: 9.4km, 3.9%. The GC group splits in the climb and Miguel Angel Lopez fades. Tadej Pogacar doesn’t - he holds on to 1’32” lead on the line. Alejandro Valverde comes 2nd and Primoz Roglic drops 9” but holds on to La Roja on the eve of the final stage to Madrid.
