Vuelta 2024: Roglic outsprints Mas in steep finale, OConnor retains La Roja

Vuelta 2024: Roglic outsprints Mas in steep finale, O’Connor retains La Roja

foto: Cor VosBreakaway rider Harold Tejada survives until the final kilometre of the steep finish climb to Ermita Virgen de la Cabeza above Cazorla. Primoz Roglic and Enric Mas overhaul the Colombian before the Slovenian sprints to the win. Ben O'Connor holds onto the red jersey. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 8th stage 2024 Vuelta

1. Primoz Roglic (slo)
2. Enric Mas (spa) s.t.
3. Mikel Landa (spa) + 0.14
4. Antonio Tiberi (ita) + 0.17
5. Mattias Skjelmose (den) + 0.21
6. Carlos Rodriguez (spa) s.t.
7. Harold Tejada (col) + 0.24
8. Eddie Dunbar (irl) + 0.26
9. Lennert Van Eetvelt (bel) + 0.29
10. Jack Haig (aus) s.t.

17. Ben O’Connor (aus) + 0.46
21. Sepp Kuss (usa) + 1.07
60. João Almeida (Po) + 4.53

GC after stage 8
1. Ben O’Connor (aus)
2. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 3.49
3. Enric Mas (spa) + 5.23
4. Antonio Tiberi (ita) + 5.00
5. Mikel Landa (spa) + 5.13
6. Lennert Van Eetvelt (bel) + 5.15
7. Cristián Rodríguez (fra) + 5.19
8. Mattias Skjelmose (den) + 5.24
9. Florian Lipowitz (ger) + 5.25
10. Felix Gall (aut) + 5.26

Race report
The pace is high from the start and attacks keep flying. After roughly 45 kilometres of action, Mauro Schmid, Gijs Leemreize and Harold Tejada give it a go. Luca Vergallito, Oier Tazkano, Ion Izagirre, Sam Oomen and Mathis Le Berre rejoin them after a 10 kilometres chase. The eight open up a lead of more than 5 minutes.

Leemreize is dropped at the base of the Puerto Mirador de las Palomas, while Schmid wins the KOM sprint at the summit. He attacks straight away before Tejada rejoins him in the descent. Later, with 41 kilometres to go, the other attackers make it back.

Le Berre is dropped from the lead group with 13.5 kilometres to go, as the peloton is chasing at 1.30 minutes. Then Lazkano speeds up. Tejada follows his move immediately, while Vergallito responds a little later.

As they hit the final climb, the gap is down to 1 minute. João Almeida, third in the GC, is dropped from the main group in the early slopes, while title defender Sepp Kuss is one of the riders who gets caught up in a crash.

Primoz Roglic sets the pace on most of the finish climb, with only Enric Mas able to hold his wheel. Just after the flamme rouge, the two catch the last breakaway rider, Tejada, and Roglic sprints to victory.

Red jersey Ben O’Connor crosses the line 46 seconds later, keeping the overall lead with a gap of just under 4 minutes over the stage winner.

Another interesting read: route 8th stage 2024 Vuelta a España.