Prestigious victory for Thymen Arensman. Member of the morning breakaway, the Team DSM rider withstood the favorites playing the general classification to win, on Sunday, the 15th stage of the Vuelta at the end of the 153 kilometers covered between Martos and the top of the Sierra Nevada, more than 2,500 meters above sea level. The Dutchman won in the mountain range, climbed by the slope of Monachil (22.3 km at 7.9%).
Second of the day, Enric Mas (Movistar) took time from Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) (+21”), and especially from Remco Evenepoel (+36”), still in the red jersey despite his difficulties the day before. The Belgian from the Quick-Step AlphaVinyl was tested by his main rivals from the foot of the long final ascent, classified out of category. But the overall leader held on, finishing 10th, 1’59” from the winner of the day. He retains a 1’34” lead over Roglic, and 2’01” over Mas overall.
“It’s the first time I’ve finished a race at this altitude.recalled Evenepoel at the microphone of Eurosport. It was again difficult on the bike, but I think I managed my effort well. I still feel a little pain related to my fall, but I hope to fully recover my abilities on Monday, during the rest day, before attacking the last week. »
Ayuso and Rodriguez losers, Lopez and O’Connor winners
The Spanish nuggets Juan Ayuso and Carlos Rodriguez for their part exploded at the time of the acceleration initiated by the Jumbo-Visma and gave up time to the leading trio. Only the Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez, fourth in the stage and moved up to sixth place overall (5’24”), as well as the Australian from AG2R-Citroën, Ben O’Connor, back in the top 10 (at 8’57”) were able to accompany Evenepoel, Roglic and Mas, launched in pursuit of the remains of the morning breakaway.
A group of 29 riders, populated by a few big names (Arensman, Carapaz, Hindley and even Nibali), has indeed been in the lead for a long time. The American Lawson Craddock was lonely almost 80 kilometers from the finish, when the peloton was around 6′ away, and will be joined by the best climber of this Vuelta, Jay Vine. The duo will then be taken over, then Marc Soler will try his luck in turn, without success.
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Thymen Arensman signed his second professional victory this Sunday on the Vuelta. His first success was obtained in early August during a time trial of the Tour of Poland.
Soler will be unable to follow Arensman once the Dutchman returns to his height, 7 kilometers from the top of the Sierra Nevada. “It’s always very difficult to realize that I won the queen stage of the Vuelta. I can’t do it believe, he confided with a smile. I didn’t feel very well, but the others were also in trouble. I was pushed throughout the stage by my sports director, and it paid off. »
Arensman, 22, 18th in the Giro in May, scored the biggest victory of his young career as he has yet to clear up his future. At the end of his contract with DSM, the climber, who is also comfortable in the time trial, is insistently announced at Ineos Grenadiers.