Vuelta 2015 stage 12: Young Danny van Poppel outsprints pack

Stage 12 takes the riders in 173 kilometres from Andorra to Lleida. One serious climb on a hilly parcours, that turns out to become flat in the finale. Five escapees are caught in the last kilometre and then 22-yo Danny van Poppel sprints to victory. Aru retains the red jersey. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 12th stage Vuelta

1. Danny van Poppel (nld)
2. Daryl Impey (rsa) s.t.
3. Tosh Van der Sande (bel) s.t.
4. Nikolas Maes (bel) s.t.
5. John Degenkolb (ger) s.t.
6. Jean-Pierre Drucker (lux) s.t.
7. Tom Van Asbroeck (bel) s.t.
8. Kristian Sbaragli (ita) s.t.
9. José Joaquin Rojas (spa) s.t.
10. Leonarde Duque (col) s.t.

GC after stage 12

1. Fabio Aru (ita)
2. Joaquim Rodriguez (spa) + 0.27
3. Tom Dumoulin (nld) + 0.30
4. Rafal Majka (pol) + 1.28
5. Esteban Chaves (col) + 1.29
6. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 1.52
7. Daniel Moreno (spa) + 1.54
8. Mikel Nieve (spa) + 1.58
9. Nairo Quintana (col) + 3.07
10. Louis Meintjes (rsa) + 4.15

Race report
No Froome in stage 12, as he suffers a fractured foot after yesterday’s crash, but the other 174 riders leave Lleida at 14.34 CEST. Soon a group of five riders escape: Maxime Bouet, Miguel Ángel Rubiano, Jaco Venter, Alexis Gougeard and Bert-Jan Lindeman, winner of stage 7. With ease they race to a 3 minutes lead and there it lingers fo a while.

While climbing Coll de Bóixols, 15 km’s at 5%, the gap grows to 5 minutes. Bouet is first to crest, then Lindeman, then Rubiano. Subsequently the lead stretches to 5’37”.

With 90 km’s left its down to 5 minutes again and slowly the peloton is reeling in the escapees. Almost too slowly, since the brave attackers are caught within sight of the finish line.

It boild down to a bunch sprint with young Dutchman Danny van Poppel being fastest. He is the son of Jean-Paul van Poppel, who sprinted to nine victories in the Vuelta back in the ninetees.