Vuelta 2023: Costa wins in Lekunberri, Kuss still leader

foto: Cor VosSantiago Buitrago and Rui Costa attack from the breakaway on the last climb of the day, while Lennard Kämna tracks them down. The German misses a corner on descent, but he regains contact under the flamme rouge. He opens the sprint before Costa pips him for the win in the dying metres. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 15th stage 2023 Vuelta

1. Rui Costa (por)
2. Lennard Kämna (ger) s.t.
3. Santiago Buitrago (col) s.t.
4. Remco Evenepoel (bel) + 0.02
5. Andreas Kron (den) s.t.
6. Einer Rubio (col) s.t.
7. Cristián Rodriguez (spa) s.t.
8. Chris Hamilton (aus) s.t.
9. Nico Denz (ger) + 0.36
10. Jimmy Janssens (bel) + 1.07

– peloton + 2.52

GC after stage 15
1. Sepp Kuss (usa)
2. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 1.37
3. Jonas Vingegaard (den) + 1.44
4. Juan Ayuso (spa) + 2.37
5. Enric Mas (spa) + 3.06
6. Marc Soler (spa) + 3.10
7. Mikel Landa (spa) + 4.12
8. Aleksandr Vlasov (rus) + 5.02
9. Cian Uijtdebroeks (bel) + 5.30
10. João Almeida (por) + 8.39

Race report
Remco Evenepoel is very active from the gun, but it’s on the Puerto de Lizarraga that he intiates the first breakaway. Lennard Kämna, Santiago Buitrago, Juan Pedro López, Andreas Kron and Romain Bardet join him with some ten more riders. Marc Soler also bridges across with Jonas Vingegaard and Aleksandr Vlasov in his wheel.

Jumbo-Visma does not agree and closes the gap with 85 kilometres remaining, 6 kilometres before the Lizarraga summit. Then Rui Costa strikes with Remco Evenepoel and Cristían Rodriguez in his wheel. Santiago Buitrago and Lennard Kämna are the first riders to bridge across before Andrea Vendrame, Jonathan Caicedo, Juan Pedro López, Rudy Molard, Nico Denz, Geoffrey Bouchard, Chris Hamilton, Jimmy Janssens, Andreas Kron and Einer Rubio rejoin the leaders on descent.

The lead group opens up a maximum lead of more than 3 minutes.

Buitrago and Costa attack in the second ascent of the Puerto de Zuarrarrate. Kämna tracks them down in the final kilometre of the climb.

The German leaves the others behind on descent, but they overhaul him when he misses a corner. Since Costa and Buitrago are looking at each other, he makes it back just before the flamme rouge. He opens the sprint before Costa comes across in the dying metres.

The peloton finishes almost 3 minutes later; Kuss stays in red.

Another interesting read: route 15th stage 2023 Vuelta.