La Vuelta ciclista a España

Remco Evenepoel continues to maintain a strong grip on the leader’s jersey after the Peñas Blancas, following a solid ride on the 19km Andalusian climb, where he looked in control at all times. Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl’s Belgian led home the small favourites group that emerged from an already reduced peloton on the slopes of the climb which returned at La Vuelta after nine years, despite a small incident that gave him a scare on this stage 12.

With around 45 kilometers to go, Evenepoel slid out in a corner and suffered some road rash on his right side, but after a quick change of bikes he was already chasing the bunch, where he returned with the help of Ilan Van Wilder. Prominent in the big break that formed 60 kilometers into the stage, Louis Vervaeke dropped out from that group and waited to be caught by the peloton, where he helped with the pace-setting.

Ilan and Louis formed a strong duo that kept things together and protected their leader until with five kilometers to go, when a series of attacks changed the pace and left only ten men there. Remco remained calm, taking over the front and defending himself excellently against all his opponents, retaining the red jersey and the same gap he had opened up atop the standings after Tuesday’s individual time trial.

“Everything looks to be fine after that tumble. It was a very slippery corner and I think the motorbikes were also slipping and slowing down a bit, that’s why I wanted to cut the corner, but it was a bit too much”, the Belgian said before the podium ceremony, where he collected both the red and the white jerseys. “I felt good on the climb and went with my plan, which was to follow the others. I did that and it’s the most important thing at the end of the day. The team was once again great and I want to thank them for the amount of work they put it. Now I’ll try to recover and continue with our plan, which is to take it stage by stage.”

Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Sport