Tour of Spain – 10th stage – Filippo Ganna wins the individual time trial, no big blow for Remco Evenepoel

Filippo Ganna had revenge to take. Beaten by Remco Evenepoel during the last World Time Trials, the Italian from INEOS Grenadiers did not give details this time on the 10th stage of the Tour of Spain 2023. Started much stronger than all his opponents , overpowering on a flat course, Ganna beat Eveneppoel (+ 16”) and an excellent Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma, + 36”). Behind the two men, the main favorites stand in about thirty seconds, only Enric Mas (Movistar, + 1’46”) losing a lot. Surprising 13th in the stage, Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) keeps the red jersey.

The years go by and are not alike for Remco Evenepoel. Last year, the Belgian from the Soudal-Quick Step had inflicted a lesson in the individual time trial on his opponents, thus regaining 48” from Roglic. But things did not turn in the same direction in Valladolid. On a very flat time trial, very fast on the second part, the world champion in the discipline did not even take half of it from his Slovenian opponent. Started perhaps a little timidly (+ 11” in the first score), in any case less airy than a few weeks ago in Glasgow, Evenepoel was able to recover on the second portion, extremely fast. But the Belgian could neither win nor create big gaps. The fault of the legs that he quickly knew “not usual” and a supersonic Filippo Ganna.

Revengeful with his “defeat” at the Worlds but also on the last Giro, the Italian from INEOS Grenadiers reminded everyone that he could be untouchable on a big day. Started like a cannonball, already well ahead at the first score despite a first part of the race favorable to the climbers with an 8% bump, Ganna never disconnected, taking up the riders who started in front of him one by one. Only Evenepoel was able to catch up with him in the last section, despite an enormous pace (more than 60 km/h over the last six kilometres, 56 km/h on average on the clock!). But the Belgian was too far and leaves the victory to the Italian, his first on the Tour of Spain.

Evenepoel will comfort himself with the time recovered from his opponents, even if the Belgian probably expected better. Returning to his best level in the exercise after a difficult 2022 season, Primoz Roglic only conceded 20” (36” on Ganna) to the defending champion and appears more than ever as the runner’s main rival of the Soudal-Quick Step. Authors of very good times, Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates, 4th at 50” from Ganna) and Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe, 5th at 52”) both achieved a good operation. The results are more mixed for Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates, 7th, + 1’11”), Enric Mas (Movistar, 17th at 1’46”) and especially for Jonas Vingegaard. Winner of the Tour time trial, the Dane of the Jumbo-Visma is this time pushed back to 10th place, 1’18” from Ganna and loses more than a minute to Evenepoel.

But the red jersey remains on the shoulders of a Yellow and Black. Author of an impressive and surprising time, Sepp Kuss limited the damage enough (13th, + 1’29”) to keep his lead, with a 26” lead over Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) and 1 ’09” on Remco Evenepoel. Although the author of a disappointing time, the Belgian is now 27” ahead of Roglic, 53” over Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ), who lost a lot of time on Tuesday, 1’07” on Joao Almeida, 1’13” on Jonas Vingegaard, 1’16” on Juan Ayuso and 1’41” on Enric Mas. The Roglic-Evenepoel duel seems already launched.