Vuelta 2019: Slovenian party at Los Machucos: Pogacar wins, Roglic cements lead

The 13th stage of La Vuelta is a war of attrition with six intermediate climbs. Eventually, two Slovenians join forces on the final haul up the steep Los Machucos. Tadej Pogacar wins the stage and Primoz Roglic finishes in the same time to extend his GC lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 13th stage Vuelta a España 2019

1. Tadej Pogacar (slo)
2. Primoz Roglic (slo) s.t.
3. Pierre Latour (fra) + 0.27
4. Alejandro Valverde (spa) s.t.
5. Nairo Quintana (col) s.t.
6. Rafal Majka (pol) s.t.
7. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 1.01
8. Gianluca Brambilla (ita) + 1.08
9. Marc Soler (spa) s.t.
10. Wilco Kelderman (nld) s.t.

14. Nicolas Edet (fra) + 1.23
19. Carl Fredrik Hagen (nor) + 2.28
27. Dylan Teuns (bel) + 3.45

GC after stage 13
1. Primoz Roglic (slo)
2. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 2.25
3. Tadej Pogacar (slo) + 3.01
4. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 3.18
5. Nairo Quintana (col) + 3.33
6. Rafal Majka (pol) + 6.15
7. Nicolas Edet (fra) + 7.18
8. Carl Fredrik Hagen (nor) + 7.33
9. Wilco Kelderman (nld) + 7.39
10. Dylan Teuns (bel) + 9.58

Race report
Attacks are flying from the start, but it takes a while for it to stick. Wout Poels strikes in the last kilometre of the Escrita before Geoffrey Bouchard, Jesús Herrada and Hector Saez are the first riders to join him in the descent. Another 25 men make it across. KOM leader Ángel Madrazo is also on board, although he does not reap any rewards on the Alto de Ubal. Herrada is the first rider over the summit ahead of Bouchard and Docker.

De Gendt attacks on the Collado del Áson. Poels and Brambilla bridge across before Bouchard, Armirail, Higuita and Sáez rejoin them in the descent.

On the Puerto de Alisas De Gendt drops back, while Großschartner takes his place to continue solo style. But just before the summit he is overhauled by Herrada and the Spaniard takes 5 KOM points. Some 15 riders regain contact, too.

Sáez strikes in the descent to race to a lead of 2 minutes at the foot of the Puerto de Fuente Las Varas. The peloton trails him by 8 minutes, but then Astana takes the reins to bring the gap down to 7 minutes at the top.

On the penultimate climb, Puerto de la Cruz de Usaño, Armirail tries to bridges across to Sáez. He trails the lone leader by 1 minute at the top. The other chasers are almost 2 minutes behind.

Those gaps are stable at the foot of Los Machucos, but the GC group is coming closer. A little more than 3 minutes in arrears.

Armirail gobbles up Sáez. Latour, Brambilla, Higuita and Guerreiro are chasing. Quintana accelerates in the main group and he opens up a gap.

Latour overhauls Armirail 5 kilometres before the top. Meanwhile, Quintana’s attack is neutralised.

When Roglic sets the pace Pogacar is the only one who is able to follow. The Slovenians catch Latour inside the last 1.5 kilometres and push on together. The GC leader doesn’t push for the stage win and his compatriot seals his second victory on this Vuelta.

Roglic extends his lead to 2.25 minutes ahead of Valverde, while Pogacar moves up to place three. Also, the 20-year old is the new leader of the young rider classification.

Another interesting read: route 13th stage 2019 Vuelta.