La Vuelta Ciclista a España

The final stage of the opening week of the race started on a high but ended on a low, bringing to a conclusion what otherwise has been an eventful first part. Crosswinds ripped the peloton apart mere kilometers after La Vuelta left Cartagena behind, only a dozen or so riders making it in the front group. Among them, Soudal Quick-Step’s Mattia Cattaneo and Remco Evenepoel, who helped the move gain a significant gap of almost one minute over a bunch that struggled to make up time.

It took more than 50 kilometers and the presence of a classified climb for the chasers to finally bring back the attackers, and once the tempo relented, eight men zipped away and opened a huge gap over the favourites’ group. While the breakaway had its own battle up the road, from which Lennard Kamna (Bora-hansgrohe) emerged victorious, everyone was expecting a showdown between the GC favourites, but this didn’t come anymore after the organisers decided to take the time of the stage with 2.6 kilometers to go, due to the conditions at the finish.

After a mammoth pull of Mattia Cattaneo, who was again incredible in the service of Remco Evenepoel, the Belgian Champion controlled his opponents and will enter the second week of the Vuelta a España – which kicks off with an individual time trial in Valladolid – as the highest-ranked of the overall contenders.

Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images