Dunbar wins Vuelta stage as Mas holds red lead

Edward Dunbar wins the 19th stage of the Vuelta a España on Friday, 11 September, taking the 210.8-kilometre ride from Vélez-Málaga to Puerto de Peñas Blancas in Estepona. The Irish rider finishes in 5h00:54. Enric Mas keeps the red overall lead after controlling attacks from Primoz Roglic and Felix Gall.

After 8.3 kilometres of neutralised riding, Steven Kruijswijk, Andreas Leknessund and Jasha Sütterlin went clear. Six more riders joined them with 150 km left, before Kevin Vermaerke made it a group of ten. After 68 km, they held 40 seconds over the main pack.

Moves on Puerto de las Abejas split the escape, and the main pack caught almost all of its riders on the approach to Puerto del Viento. Dunbar remained alone for a time before Richard Carapaz attacked.

A new front group of 16 riders formed, with Santiago Buitrago pushing the pace. Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe then led the main pack for Roglic. Rudy Molard attacked 16 km before the summit of Peñas Blancas but could not make it stick.

Buitrago made the decisive move with Thomas Gloag on his wheel, joined by Dunbar and Urko Berrade. Dunbar shut down another Buitrago attack with 2.1 km remaining and rode on to the stage win.

The leading Vuelta contenders crossed the line 5:11 later. Mas dealt with every move from Roglic and Gall to retain the red jersey.

Topics: Sport

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com