Pedersen takes his stage

La Vuelta 2022 | Stage 13 | Ronda > Montilla

After three places of 2nd in the early stages of La Vuelta 22, Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) powered to the win on day 13. The Danish 2019 world champion made the most of the uphill finish in Montilla to dominate Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) and Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates) after the peloton controlled a three-man breakaway on the roads of Andalusia. This is Pedersen’s first victory in the Spanish Grand Tour, a month and a half after he opened up his three-week-event tally in the Tour de France. On the day after his crash towards Peñas Blancas, Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) safely went through the stage. On Saturday, he will have to defend La Roja on the slopes of Sierra de la Pandera.

In between two Andalusian summit finishes, stage 13 of La Vuelta 22 is a flatter one for the sprinters or the baroudeurs to battle for victory in Montilla. The finish is uphill with a final straight of 300m at 5%. The 147 finishers of stage 12 start from Ronda.

Usual suspects at the front

Three attackers set off in the first kilometre of the stage: Julius van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost), Ander Okamika (Burgos-BH) and Joan Bou (Euskatel-Euskadi).

Mads Pedersen’s Trek-Segafredo, Kaden Groves’ BikeExchange-Jayco and Bryan Coquard’s Cofidis are quick to take the reins of the bunch. The gap never gets higher than 3’20’’.

Ackermann tries, Pedersen powers to victory

Into the last 50km, Tim Merlier’s Alpecin-Deceuninck and Danny van Poppel’s Bora-Hansgrohe also join the chase. The peloton enter the last 30km with a gap of 1’09’’.

Van den Berg is the first attacker to be caught, just after the intermediate sprint (14.4km to go). Okamika and Bou are eventually reeled in with 9.5km to go.

In Montilla, Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates) opens up the sprint with 500m to go. Pedersen is quick to react and eventually overtake the German sprinter. It’s too late for Coquard to get back despite a strong effort.

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