Vuelta a Espana: De Gendt wins stage 19

Thomas de Gendt (Lotto Soudal) came out on top in a pulsating stage 19 of the Vuelta a Espana. The Belgian, who has been on the attack throughout this year’s race, won ahead of Jarlinson Pantano (Trek Segafredo) and Ivan Garcia Cortina (Bahrain Merida) in a tightly-fought sprint.

De Gendt was part of an early move that broke free from the peloton in the opening kilometres.

Despite several late attacks from Nicolas Roche, Romain Bardet and Garcia, it was De Gendt who came out on top, powering through the middle of the reduced break to win Lotto-Soudal’s fourth stage win of this year’s Vuelta.

In the race for the overall Chris Froome (Team Sky) retained his lead over Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain Merida) in second place. Alberto Contador (Trek Segafredo) provided his usual dose of attacking flare, going clear on the final climb before the finish but he was reeled back by Team Sky’s efficient train with less than five kilometres remaining.

However it was De Gendt’s day to savour after a well-timed acceleration to the line. Roche ignited the sprint, leading out with almost a kilometre to go and when Garcia came around the Irishman it looked as though Spain’s long wait for a home win in this year’s Vuelta was over. But De Gendt had other ideas, and as the Bahrain Merida rider began to fade the Belgian came through the centre of the road with a fast finishing Pantano taking second place.

Until the sprint finish, the stage had ebbed and followed with several riders looking on course for victory. 19 riders had been joined by nine others during the opening kilometres, with Bardet, Garcia, Roche and Rui Costa all making bids for glory. The final climb was a launchpad for a telling move from Garcia but he was caught on the descent before a larger group reformed inside the closing kilometres.

With two stages to go, and Saturday’s critical stage finish on the Angrilu to come, Froome leads Nibali by 1:37 and Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb) at 2:17. Contador’s hopes of a podium in his final race before retirement rest in fifth place, 3:44 off the race lead. The Spaniard’s confidence will have been boosted by the fact that he quickly dispatched with Ilnur Zakarin on the final climb. The Russian tried to match Contador, but was dropped before the summit and forced to wait for Team Sky and the remaining GC riders.

How it unfolded

With just three days remaining and one of those destined to end in a bunch sprint, and another in a battle royale between the climbers and GC contenders, much was on the line as the breakaway formed on stage 19.

It was little wonder that nearly every team desired representation, while several squads were given a second bite of the cherry as a second group made its way across to the opening move of 19.

First to escape were: Bob Jungels, Matteo Trentin (Quick-Step Floors), Nicolas Roche (BMC), Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), Julien Duval (AG2R La Mondiale), Davide Villella (Cannondale-Drapac), Floris De Tier, Juanjo Lobato (LottoNL-Jumbo), Rui Costa, Matej Mohoric (UAE Team Emirates), Laurens De Vreese (Astana), Edward Theuns, Jarlinson Pantano (Trek-Segafredo), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Ivan Garcia (Bahrain-Merida), Dani Navarro, Kenneth Vanbilsen (Cofidis), David Arroyo (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) and Juan Felipe Osorio (Manzana-Postobon).

Villella extended his lead in the King of the Mountains competition atop the Alto de la Colladona, while behind a chasing group containing Romain Bardet worked to join the leaders.

With less than 90km to go Bardet's group finally made it as the Team Sky-led bunch behind tapped out a subdued pace, one eye clearly on Saturday's decisive stage.

Villella attacked before the Alto de Santo Emiliano, the second climb of the day, and claimed the maximum points with a minute's lead on his former companions, but he was caught on the flat run in to the next climb, the Alto de la Falla de Los Lobos.

Bardet and De Gendt traded accelerations to line out - and then split – the breakaway before the top, with a reduced group of 10 cresting the climb behind De Gendt, whose intent was clear and legs strong. However, there was a general regrouping in the valley as the break came back together with their lead over the bunch approaching 18 minutes.

After Matteo Trentin snatched the points on offer at the intermediate sprint, Garcia took flight with a little over 30 kilometres remaining. The move caught the rest of the break off-guard, and the Spaniard quickly established a lead of over one minute as those behind took stock of the situation.

As Garcia tackled the lower slopes of the final climb of the Alto de San Martín de Huerces, jersey open, and partisan crowds roaring him on, it looked as though Spain would finally end their winless drought but those behind, especially Bardet, had other ideas.

The Frenchman may have been a shadow of his Tour best in this year's Vuelta but the AG2R La Mondiale rider still possesses more poise, more panache and guile on a bike than most of us mere mortals can even dream of.

His acceleration from a chase group that included Roche and Rui Costa saw the gap to Garcia reduced to a just a few seconds and as he drove down the descent Bardet made contact with the lone leader.

Those left behind weren't finished. First came Roche and Rui Costa before a flurry of other riders, including Jungels and De Gendt bridged over.

Behind them, Alberto Contador roused the crowd with another spirited attack, but as the leaders approached the line a sprint looked inevitable.

There was one last swing from Bardet, and Roche too had a pop but in the end, the group came into the final 1,000m as one.

One break. One De Gendt. Only winner.

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