Vuelta 2019: Gilbert outsmarts Bennett, Roglic still leader

Philippe Gilbert won the eventful 17th stage on La Vuelta. He outgunned Sam Bennett in Guadalajra to take his second win in this Vuelta. Primoz Roglic holds on to El Rojo, while Nairo Quintana wins minutes. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 17th stage Vuelta a España 2019

1. Philippe Gilbert (bel)
2. Sam Bennett (irl) + 0.02
3. Rémi Cavagna (fra) s.t.
4. Dylan Teuns (bel) s.t.
5. Wilco Kelderman (nld) s.t.
6. Jonas Koch (ger) s.t.
7. Lawson Craddock (usa) s.t.
8. Tim Declercq (bel) s.t.
9. Silvan Dillier (swi) s.t.
10. James Knox (gbr)+ 0.06

14. Nairo Quintana (col) + 0.10

Other GC riders at + 5.29

GC after stage 17
1. Primoz Roglic (slo)
2. Nairo Quintana (col) + 2.24
3. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 2.48
4. Tadej Pogacar (slo) + 3.42
5. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 4.09
6. Wilco Kelderman (nld) + 5.05
7. Rafal Maja (pol) + 7.40
8. James Knox (gbr) + 8.03
9. Carl Fredrik Hagen (nor) + 10.43
10. Dylan Teuns (bel) + 12.21

Race report
A huge group, featuring GC riders Nairo Quintana and Wilco Kelderman, opens up a maximum gap of 6 minutes. The pace is extremely high. The riders cover more than 95 kilometres in the first two hours of racing.

Sprinter Jakobsen can’t the pace on an uphill inside the last 50 kilometres, which is good news for Sam Bennet. The Irish Champion is the fastest sprinter in the lead group, yet he is outnumbered by five Deceuninck – Quick-Step riders. Meanwhile, Movistar ups the pace in the GC group to drop the domestiques of Roglic and Pogacar.

The lead group enters the last 10 kilometres with an advantage of 5 minutes.

Stybar strikes with 2 kilometres remaining and when he is about to get caught Bennet jumps to his wheel. With a powerful acceleration he sets off in pursue of his third victory. But the finishing straight is an uphill and he runs out of energy. Gilbert targets him and comes around in the last few hundred metres to win the race 2 seconds ahead of the Irish champion.

Quintana finishes at 10 seconds to move up to second place overall, 2.24 minutes behind leader Roglic. Kelderman, Knox and Teuns are the other winners of the day.

Another interesting read: route 17th stage 2019 Vuelta.