Vuelta 2023: Herrada wins at Laguna Negra, Kuss stays in red

foto: Cor VosJesús Herrada wins the 11th stage of La Vuelta from the breakaway. He strikes on the steepest slopes near the summit to take the win ahead of Romain Grégoire and Andreas Kron. The GC riders cross the line together, so Sepp Kuss stays in the lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 11th stage 2023 Vuelta

1. Jesús Herrada (spa)
2. Romain Grégoire (fra) + 0.03
3. Andreas Kron (den) + 0.08
4. Jonathan Caicedo (col) + 0.12
5. Geraint Thomas (gbr) + 0.19
6. Pelayo Sanchez (spa) + 0.24
7. Rudy Molard (fra) s.t.
8. Nicolas Prodhomme (fra) + 0.27
9. Dorian Godon (fra) + 0.58
10. Filippo Ganna (ita) + 1.16

– GC riders + 5.50

GC after stage 11
1. Sepp Kuss (usa)
2. Marc Soler (spa) + 0.26
3. Remco Evenepoel (bel) + 1.09
4. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 1.36
5. Lenny Martinez (fra) + 2.02
6. João Almeida (por) + 2.16
7. Jonas Vingegaard (den) + 2.22
8. Juan Ayuso (spa) + 2.25
9. Enric Mas (spa) + 2.50
10. Aleksandr Vlasov (rus) + 3.14

Race report
It’s a fast opening and it lasts more than one hour before the break goes. A group of 26 riders open up a lead of 6 minutes. Geraint Thomas, Andreas Kron, Romain Grégoire, Jesús Herrada, Jonathan Caicedo and Filippo Ganna are on board.

Entire lead group: Thomas, Ganna, Mosca, Vergaerde, Molard, Askey, Grégoire, Kron, Caicedo, Piccolo, Godon, Touzé, Prodhomme, Maas, Johansen, Arcas, Herrada (Jesús), Flynn, Owsian, Jousseaume, Ourselin, LL Sanchez, Diaz Gallego, Fagundez, Sanchez (Pelayo), and Nicolau.

Ourselin attacks in the false flat-run up to the finish climb, but he is brought back with 5 kilometres to go.

Ganna sets the pace until Caicedo strikes inside the last 2 kilometres. Seven men go with him before Caicedo strikes again under the flamme rouge. Herrada makes the catch inside the last 300 metres and he powers on to take the win ahead of Grégoire and Kron.

A status quo in the GC group results in an unaltered top 10, so Kuss stays in red.

Another interesting read: route 11th stage 2023 Vuelta.