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Race Situation
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Another contender for the stage has just begun, and it's another Brit - Callum Thornley. The 23-year-old was fourth in the opening stage, and as well as taking notes for teammate Primož Roglič, he'll also be going all in for himself to set the fastest possible time.
One of the favourites it also one of the first riders to set off - Ethan Hayter. The Brit was one of the protagonists of the first week of the race, starting with an agonising second-place finish behind Tadej Pogačar in the opening stage time trial.
He's struggled since then, as evidenced by how far down he is on the GC, but if he's well-rested and feeling fresh for this time trial, he's one of the favourites for the stage.
OFFICIAL START
And they're off! Mathias Sunekær Norsgaard rolls off the start ramp to get this crucial, potentially race-defining time trial underway.
Mathias Sunekær Norsgaard will be the rider to get us underway in just a few minutes after which the riders will set off at one minute intervals, until we reach the top twenty on GC, from which point they’ll set off every two minutes; Enric Mas in the red jersey will be the last to start, at 16:55 local time.
It’s a flat course, and therefore one that should help the better time trialists among the GC contenders (ie, Roglič) maximise their time gain, while also giving the specialists further down the ranking a great shot at winning the stage. Have a read of our full preview here.
The man looking to depose Enric Mas from the top of the classification is Primož Roglič. While Mas has never won a race of this calibre before, Roglič has made a career of doing so; rather than hunting his first ever Vuelta title, he instead is looking to break the record for the most ever.
As an elite time trialist, this is the day he has been waiting for to make a move on the red jersey, and will hope he can make Mas crack under the considerable pressure he is under.
Today might just be the biggest day in the career of Enric Mas. A pro for ten years, the Spaniard has been one of the best climbers in the peloton for most of that time, but has never quite managed to deliver the big result that matches his talents.
Now, with just four more stages left to complete, he’s on the verge of taking one of the biggest prizes there is in cycling (especially for a Spaniard) - the Vuelta a España. But to do so, he can’t just rely on his climbing, but will today need to call up on his more limited time trialling skills.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Hello and welcome to stage 18 of the Vuelta a España.
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