It was another climbing day in the Vuelta a España with a hard stage and a finish up the Farrapona climb.
With a short stage full of climbing it turned into a big breakaway day with Marc Soler, Bruno Armirail, Finlay Pickering, Leo Bisiaux, Carlos Verona and other strong climbers and rouleurs in the leading group. La Farrapona was the final climb, featuring a long shallower irregular section followed by a steep final 20 minutes.
Felix Großschartner and Jay Vine worked for João Almeida on La Farrapona after the Portuguese rider had been the strongest on the Angliru on Friday. In the last two kilometres Giulio Pellizzari pulled hard for Jai Hindley, delivering another strong Grand Tour performance for his Red Bull team’s GC leader. With Hindley aiming for the podium it was important for him to gain time on Felix Gall and Tom Pidcock.
Hindley attacked with Vingegaard and Almeida on his wheel and then settled into his own tempo. Almeida accelerated in the last 300 metres but Vingegaard came past him on the line. Marc Soler was the only survivor from the breakaway, giving UAE their seventh stage win in the last ten days and their fifth from a breakaway, taking major steps toward the overall team win record in a season.
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La Farrapona was not a climb suited for peak ᵉW/kg performances, with Jai Hindley, Jonas Vingegaard and João Almeida averaging 6.36 ᵉW/kg. Vingegaard’s time was 18:24. The overall record still belongs to Alberto Contador, who in the 2014 Vuelta produced 6.55 ᵉW/kg for 17:43, beating Chris Froome, Joaquim Rodríguez and Alejandro Valverde. It remains one of the rare records from the 2010s era of cycling still standing today.
This article provides a detailed and engaging account of Stage 14 of the Vuelta a España. The author effectively captures the intensity of the climbing stages and the strategic battles, especially on La Farrapona. The focus on key moments like Almeidas support and Hindleys efforts makes it a thrilling read for cycling enthusiasts. Well done!growagarden