Vuelta 2018 Stage 19: Thibaut Pinot wins in Andorra, Simon Yates extends lead

The penultimate mountain stage of the Vuelta a España opens with 137 kilometres on rolling roads before the final climb kicks in. On the Coll de la Rabassa - 17.5 kilometres at 6.3% - Steven Kruijswijk, Thibaut Pinot and leader Simon Yates launch an attack. Pinot takes the win, while Yates cements his overall lead and Kruijswijk moves up to third overall. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 19th stage 2018 Vuelta a España

1. Thibaut Pinot (fra)
2. Simon Yates (gbr) + 0.05
3. Steven Kruijswijk (nld) + 0.13
4. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 0.52
5. Miguel Ángel López (col) s.t.
6. Enric Mas (spa) s.t.
7. Wilco Kelderman (nld) + 1.03
8. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 1.12
9. Tony Gallopin (fra) + 1.15
10. Nairo Quintana (col) + 1.49

14. Ion Izagirre (spa) + 2.20
15. Emanuel Buchmann (ger) s.t.

GC after the 19th stage
1. Simon Yates (gbr)
2. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 1.38
3. Steven Kruijswijk (nld) + 1.58
4. Enric Mas (spa) + 2.15
5. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 2.29
6. Nairo Quintana (col) + 4.01
7. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 5.22
8. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 5.29
9. Ion Izagirre (spa) + 6.30
10. Tony Gallopin (fra) + 7.21

11. Emanuel Buchmann (ger) + 8.54
12. Wilco Kelderman (nld) + 10.19

Race report
Despite a lot of movement, the pack is still bunched at km 38. Then Simon Clarke, Amanuel Gebreigzabhier and Michal Kwiatkowski open up a gap, which they widen to more than 1 minute before Movistar takes them on a leash. Clarke stops his efforts and other riders bridge across. Still, the front group is brought back.

Attacks keep flying and at km 75 Benjamin Thomas, Tom Van Asbroeck and Jonathan Castroviejo break clear. They put 1 minute into the peloton before Van Asbroeck waits for the bunch. The other two push on together to open up a gap of more than 2 minutes.

With 35 kms to go Movistar accelerates and the peloton splits. The attack is neutralised after a few kms, while the front group is reeled in on the first uphill slopes of the Coll de la Rabassa.

Nairo Quintana launches an attack with 13 kms to go. Steven Kruijswijk and George Bennett go with him. The Kiwi drops while Thibaut Pinot bridges across.

Simon Yates tracks the leaders down when the gap is 15 seconds, some 10 kms before the top. Quintana waits for the group Valverde, but the Colombian punctures with 7 kms remaining. He rejoins the chasers.

With 2 kms to climb the group Valverde is trailing Yates, Pinot and Kruijswijk at more than 1 minute. The Spaniard is dropped when Mas and López speed up. Meanwhile, Kruijswijk loses contact with the front group.

When Pinot opens up his sprint Yates can’t follow and the Frenchman pockets his second stage win on this Vuelta. The Briton finishes in second to extend his lead over Alejandro Valverde to 1 minute and 38 seconds. Kruijswijk moves up to third, another 20 seconds further behind.