Cycling

Primoz Roglic Secures Historic Fourth Victory in La Vuelta
Cycling

Primoz Roglic Secures Historic Fourth Victory in La Vuelta

Image: Roglic won the Vuelta for the fourth time in his career (JAVIER LIZON/EPA) By Score More Slovenian cyclist Primoz Roglic has cemented his name in the history of the Vuelta a España by claiming his fourth victory in the prestigious race. Roglic successfully defended the red jersey during the final stage, a 24.6-kilometer time trial in central Madrid, solidifying his status as one of the most dominant riders of his generation. Roglic, riding for Red Bull-Bora, joins Spain's Roberto Heras as the only cyclists to have won the Vuelta four times. The 34-year-old Slovenian, who also won the Giro d'Italia in 2023, completed the final time trial with an aggressive strategy, despite holding a two-minute lead over second-placed Ben O'Connor of Australia. Although Roglic did not claim the...
Vuelta a España: Dunbar Wins Stage, Roglic the Virtual Champion
Cycling

Vuelta a España: Dunbar Wins Stage, Roglic the Virtual Champion

By Score More Slovenian cyclist Primoz Roglic is poised to win the Vuelta a España, having solidified his lead over second-placed Ben O'Connor in the 20th and penultimate stage of the race. Roglic now holds a 2-minute and 2-second advantage, which he will defend in the final stage's individual time trial, a 24-kilometer route through Madrid. The fight for second place has intensified, with Enric Mas narrowing the gap to Ben O'Connor, promising a thrilling showdown in the closing stage. The stage, which finished at the iconic Picón Blanco, was claimed by Irishman Eddie Dunbar, marking his second stage win in this year’s edition. Mas finished second, while Roglic crossed the line in third, further strengthening his overall lead. The grueling climb up Picón Blanco, covering 7.9 kilometers...
Vuelta a España: Roglič Takes the Lead After Dominant Win at Alto de Moncalvillo
Cycling

Vuelta a España: Roglič Takes the Lead After Dominant Win at Alto de Moncalvillo

By Score More The Vuelta a España entered its final stretch today with the first of two grueling high-mountain stages before the final time trial. The race connected Logroño to the Alto de Moncalvillo, with cyclists facing 168.5 km, including a third-category climb ahead of the decisive final ascent. This last climb took the riders to the first category Alto de Moncalvillo (8.6 km at an 8.9% gradient), where the antepenultimate stage concluded with a mountaintop finish that could shake up the overall standings. Early Breakaway Attempts Five cyclists sought to test their luck early on by forming the breakaway of the day. Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates), Edward Planckaert (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Fran Miholjević (Bahrain-Victorious), and Vito Braet and Simone Petilli (Intermarché-Wanty...
Urko Berrade Claims Solo Victory in Stage 18 of Vuelta a España, Mikel Landa Suffers Setback
Cycling

Urko Berrade Claims Solo Victory in Stage 18 of Vuelta a España, Mikel Landa Suffers Setback

By Score More In an exciting turn of events, Spanish cyclist Urko Berrade of ProTeam Kern Pharma secured a solo victory in the 18th stage of the Vuelta a España, delivering a third win for his team in this year's edition. The 179.5-kilometer stage took place between Vitoria-Gasteiz and Maestu in the Izki Natural Park, and Berrade crossed the finish line just four seconds ahead of Swiss rider Mauro Schmid (Jayco) and his Spanish teammate Pau Miquel. Berrade's triumph adds to the earlier victories of his compatriot Pablo Castrillo, further showcasing Kern Pharma's strength in this year's race. The Basque rider was the strongest of a breakaway group of 10, finishing with a significant gap of 6 minutes and 40 seconds over the main chasing group, which included most of the general classificat...
Kaden Groves Clinches Third Vuelta Stage Win in Rainy Santander Sprint
Cycling

Kaden Groves Clinches Third Vuelta Stage Win in Rainy Santander Sprint

By Score More Australian Sprinter Seals Seventh Career Vuelta Victory Amid Wet Conditions Kaden Groves, dressed head-to-toe in green to signify his lead in the points classification, showcased his sprinting prowess by claiming his third stage victory in this year’s Vuelta a España. The 25-year-old Australian, racing for Alpecin-Deceuninck, crossed the finish line first in a tightly contested sprint on the wet streets of Santander after 141.5 kilometers of racing from Arnuero. The rainy conditions in Cantabria added an extra layer of challenge to the 17th stage, but Groves managed to outpace his competitors in a compact peloton. He narrowly edged out Czech rider Pavel Bittner (dsm-Firmenich) in a close finish, while Belgian Vito Braet (Intermarché-Wanty) secured the third spot on the pod...
Ben O’Connor Clings to Red Jersey by 5 Seconds After Vuelta’s Stage 16
Cycling

Ben O’Connor Clings to Red Jersey by 5 Seconds After Vuelta’s Stage 16

By Score More Australian Loses 58 Seconds of His Lead to Primož Roglič in Grueling Mountain Stage Ben O'Connor remains in possession of the red jersey, but his grip on the overall lead in the Vuelta a España is slipping. On Tuesday, during the 16th stage, which concluded at the iconic Lagos de Covadonga in Asturias, the Australian rider from Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale lost 58 seconds of his 1-minute and 3 seconds advantage to Primož Roglič. As a result, O'Connor now leads the race by a mere 5 seconds with five stages remaining, including two challenging mountain stages and the final time trial. The stage saw O'Connor struggle, particularly after a mid-climb attack by Spain's Enric Mas from Movistar. The Australian found himself isolated as he battled to retain the red jersey. "I didn’t ...
Wout van Aert Withdraws from Vuelta After Harrowing Crash
Cycling

Wout van Aert Withdraws from Vuelta After Harrowing Crash

By Score More Belgian Cyclist Forced to Abandon Race Following Second Fall of the Day Wout van Aert’s campaign in the Vuelta a España came to a sudden and unfortunate end on Tuesday after suffering two crashes during the 16th stage of the race. The second fall, occurring during the descent of the second first-category climb (Collada Llomena), proved to be severe enough to force the Belgian rider to withdraw from the race. Van Aert, 29, who had been wearing both the green jersey and the polka-dot jersey as the leader in the points and mountains classifications, was confirmed to have abandoned the race by his team, Visma Lease a Bike, through a social media post. "It is with a heavy heart that we confirm Wout van Aert has withdrawn from the Vuelta following his crash on stage 16," the tea...
Vuelta a España: Kaden Groves Outsprints Van Aert to Secure Second Stage Victory
Cycling

Vuelta a España: Kaden Groves Outsprints Van Aert to Secure Second Stage Victory

By Score More Australian Sprinter Surprises by Conquering Challenging 14th Stage Kaden Groves, the Australian sprinter riding for Alpecin-Deceuninck, pulled off an unexpected victory in the 14th stage of the Vuelta a España on Saturday. The stage, which covered 200.5 kilometers from Villafranca del Bierzo to Villablino, featured a daunting first-category climb just 15 kilometers from the finish, making Groves' win all the more remarkable. Groves managed to outpace Belgium's Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) in a sprint finish, denying the Belgian his fourth stage win in this year's Vuelta. Despite the challenging terrain, which included a 23-kilometer climb, Groves remained in contention thanks to a well-executed race strategy by his team. Tactical Mastery Leads to Victory The key to...
Vuelta a España: Woods Wins Stage 13 as Roglic Closes the Gap on O’Connor
Cycling

Vuelta a España: Woods Wins Stage 13 as Roglic Closes the Gap on O’Connor

  By Score More Challenging Climb at Puerto de Ancares Shakes Up General Classification Canadian rider Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) emerged victorious in Stage 13 of the Vuelta a España after breaking away from a large group of over 20 riders. The stage, which concluded with a grueling climb up Puerto de Ancares, saw Woods attack in the final 5 kilometers, leaving his competitors behind and securing his third career stage win in the Vuelta, following victories in 2018 and 2020. Swiss rider Mauro Schmid finished second, trailing Woods by more than 40 seconds. Woods Conquers the Ancares Climb The day's stage was characterized by a demanding 7.5-kilometer ascent with an average gradient of 9.3%, peaking at a daunting 15% in certain sections. Woods launched his decisive ...
Castrillo Wins Stage 12 of Vuelta a España as O’Connor Retains Red Jersey
Cycling

Castrillo Wins Stage 12 of Vuelta a España as O’Connor Retains Red Jersey

By Score More Spanish Rider Secures First Professional Victory, O'Connor Maintains Lead in General Classification Pablo Castrillo, a 23-year-old Spanish cyclist, celebrated the biggest achievement of his young career by winning Stage 12 of the Vuelta a España on Thursday. The victory was not only a personal milestone for Castrillo but also marked the first win for his team, Kern Pharma, in 535 days. Castrillo made his decisive move on the final climb, breaking away from the lead group and holding off challenges from Max Poole (dsm-firmenich) and Marc Soler (UAE Emirates), who finished second and third, 8 and 16 seconds behind, respectively. Despite the thrilling finish in the stage, the general classification remained unchanged. Ben O’Connor, riding for Decathlon, retained the red jerse...