Vuelta 2019: Pogacar climbs to third stage win, Roglic almost there

The riders pass over six climbs on their journey to the line in the Sierra de Gredos. Young Tadej Pogacar attacks on the penultimate climb and solos to victory with a 37 kilometres effort. Primoz Roglic seals the overall victory. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 20th stage Vuelta a España 2019

1. Tadej Pogacar (slo)
2. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 1.32
3. Rafal Majka (pol) s.t.
4. Hermann Pernsteiner (aut) s.t.
5. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 1.41
6. Sergio Higuita (col) + 1.49
7. Dylan Teuns (bel) s.t.
8. Nairo Quintana (col) + 1.56
9. Mikel Nieve (spa) + 1.59
10. Wilco Kelderman (nld) s.t.

11. Miguel Ángel López (col)+ 2.12
15. Carl Fredrik Hagen (nor) + 2.45
16. Marc Soler (spa) + 2.59

GC after stage 20
1. Primoz Roglic (slo)
2. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 2.33
3. Tadej Pogacar (slo) + 2.55
4. Nairo Quintana (col) + 3.46
5. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 4.48
6. Rafal Majka (pol) + 7.33
7. Wilco Kelderman (nld) + 10.04
8. Carl Fredrik Hagen (nor) + 12.54
9. Marc Soler (spa) 22.27
10. Mikel Nieve (spa) + 22.34

Race report
The breakaway takes shape at kilometre 10. Mark Padun, Mitch Docker, Steve Morabito, Tosh Van der Sande, Damien Howson, Nic Dlamini, Sergio Henao, Mikel Iturria and Sergio Samitier open up a gap, while Ruben Guerreiro and Nicolas Edet bridge across.

Smit and Van der Sande don’t reach the summit of the first climb in the lead group. Ángel Madrazo does not gain any KOM points at the summit of the Puerto de Pedro Bernardo, which means Geoffrey Bouchard wins the mountains competition of this Vuelta.

The lead group is down to seven riders – Padun, Morabito, Howson, Guerreiro, Henao, Edet, Samitier – on the top of the Puerto de Serranillo. Lawson Craddock is chasing at 30 seconds, while he closes the gap just before the next uphill appears: the Alto de Navatalgordo. On the climb the lead group is halved.

Howson, Guerreiro, Edet and Samitier travel 1 minute ahead of the peloton over the Navatalgordo. While Tao Geoghegan Hart bridges to the front, the gap with the peloton widens to more than 4 minutes.

Following a calm phase Astana ups the pace on the Puerto de Chía and they continue to do so on the Puerto de Peña Negra. Hart and Guereiro leave their companions behind when the gap has fallen below 2 minutes.

López strikes early on the climb. Roglic, Valverde, Quintana and Pogacar go with him. Other riders rejoin the top 5 on GC later.

Pogacar accelerates 5 kilometres before the top. He gobbles up Hart and Guereiro to push on alone. Pogacar reaches the crest 1.30 minutes ahead of the group Roglic.

The youngster tackles the last climb 1.40 minutes ahead of the group Roglic. Which is still the gap when Valverde goes after him in the last 3 uphill kilometres on this Vuelta, as his second place is under fire. Roglic and Majka go with the World Champion.

Pogacar climbs to his third stage victory on La Vuelta. He is the second rider ever to win three stages in a Grand Tour before turning 21 years old. Giuseppe Saronni was the first rider to do so in the 1978 Giro d’Italia.

Valverde finishes in second to secure his second place overall, while Roglic wins La Vuelta and Pogacar finishes in third place overall. Moreover, he wins the young rider classification ahead of López.

Another interesting read: route 20th stage 2019 Vuelta.