Vuelta 2019: Sepp Kuss climbs to glory, Primoz Roglic retains lead

La Vuelta serves three intermediate climbs on stage 15 before the race comes down to the final haul up. Sepp Kuss solos to victory on an irregular beast of 7.9 kilometres at 9.7% with ramps up to 15%. His teammate Primoz Roglic stays in the overall lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 15th stage Vuelta a España 2019

1. Sepp Kuss (usa)
2. Ruben Guerreiro (por) + 0.39
3. Tao Geoghegan Hart (gbr) + 0.40
4. Óscar Rodríguez (spa) + 0.53
5. Mark Padun (ukr) + 1.49
6. Ben O’Connor (nzl) + 2.05
7. Lawson Craddock (usa) + 2.11
8. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 2.14
9. Alejandro Valverde (spa) s.t.
10. Sander Armée (bel) + 2.48

11. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 2.55
12. Tadej Pogacar (slo) s.t.
14. Rafal Majka (pol) + 3.13
16. Wilco Kelderman (nld) + 3.50
17. Nairo Quintana (col) s.t.
18. Hermann Pernsteiner (aut) s.t.
20. Nicolas Edet (fra) + 4.04
24. Carl Fredrik Hagen (nor) + 4.25

GC after stage 15
1. Primoz Roglic (slo)
2. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 2.25
3. Tadej Pogacar (slo) + + 3.42
4. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 3.59
5. Nairo Quintana (col) + 5.09
6. Rafal Majka (pol) + 7.14
7. Nicolas Edet (fra) + 9.08
8. Wilco Kelderman (nld) + 9.15
9. Carl Fredrik Hagen (nor) + 9.44
10. Hermann Pernsteiner (aut) + 11.39

Race report
A lot of movement in the first 11 kilometres before Mark Padun, Sander Armée, Vasil Kiryienka, Casper Pedersen and Jesus Ezquerra open up. The five tackle the first climb with a 1.30 minutes lead.

Movistar sets the pace and Mountain King Madrazo is among the riders getting dropped.

Marc Soler goes after the leaders with George Bennett, Ruben Guerreiro and Tao Geoghegan Hart on his wheel. Bennett does not push on though, while the Soler group catch the leaders.

Padun, Armée, Kiryienka, Soler, Hart and Guerreiro crest 18 seconds ahead of the main group. Samitier, Ródriguez, Izagirre and Kuss go after the leaders to rejoin them at the bottom of the downhill. The peloton is 21 seconds in arrears.

While the GC group takes it easy seven men bridge to the leaders: Quentin Jauregui, Lawson Craddock, Tsgabu Grmay, Daniel Navarro, José Herrada, Pawel Poljanski and Ben O’Connor.

Samitier is the first rider over the Puerto de Connio before he heads out together with O’Connor and Navarro on the Puerto del Pozo de las Mujeres Muertas. Samitier once again takes the maximum amounts of points.

The trio is almost brought back in the valley when Samitier goes solo. Kiryienka rejoins him and they hit the last climb 45 seconds ahead of the chasers. The peloton is 5 minutes in arrears.

Samitier leaves Kiryienka behind, while Kuss tracks the Spaniard down, only to leave him behind. Meanwhile, Valverde attacks on the lower slopes. Roglic goes with him.

Kuss extends his lead on the last climb to take the best win of his career. Guerreiro finishes in second, Hart in third.

Roglic crosses the line together with Valverde. They put 41 seconds into Pogacar and López.

Another interesting read: route 15th stage 2019 Vuelta.