Vuelta a España stage 11: live coverage

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of stage 11 of the Vuelta a España!

The riders are currently signing-on in Saint-Palais, France. Today they face a tough 180km through the Basque Country on either side of the France-Spain border.

The neutralised start will begin in 10 minutes, with the start proper coming in 20.

Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) won stage 3 of the race in the bunch sprint. The Irish champion doesn't think there'll be one today, though.

"I don't think it's going to be a sprint today," he told Cyclingnews before the start. "It's hard at the start, and I think a strong break will go clear and stay away. There aren't many chances for sprinters left."

It's Primož Roglič's first day in red today, after his commanding win in the Pau time trial.

No escaping the heat: Roglič scorches into Vuelta a España lead – GC analysis

Roglič also moved into the points jersey yesterday, while Ángel Madrazo (Burgos-BH) and Miguel Ángel López (Astana) retained the polka dot and white jerseys, respectively.

The peloton is making its way through the neutralised zone now, en route to the start proper.

It'll be no surprise to hear that Movistar lead the teams classification (by over 18 minutes from Jumbo-Visma).

Meanwhile, Madrazo leads the breakaway classification.

1. Ángel Madrazo (Burgos-BH), 451 km
2. Jesús Herrada (Cofidis), 310 km
3. Dylan Teuns (Bahrain-Merida), 276 km
4. David de la Cruz (Team Ineos), 271 km
5. Sergio Henao (UAE Team Emirates), 266 km

180km remaining from 180km

And we're off! Stage 11 is underway.

Attacks are flying from the start.

Five riders are out front after two kilometres of racing.

There are no classified climbs until 78km into the stage, but the early stages are quite lumpy.

The five attackers haven't got much of a gap on the peloton.

175km remaining from 180km

The attackers are brought back after five kilometres of racing.

The Vuelta has visited Dantxarinea (a small town in the municipality of Urdax) once before, on stage 13 back in 2016. Valerio Conti (UAE Team Emirates) won that stage, triumphing from a breakaway that finished 33:54 ahead of the peloton.

Today's stage retains the finish and closing circuit from that day. The rest of the stage is different though, given that the peloton start from the north in France, rather than Bilbao.

170km remaining from 180km

Now 11 riders have jumped away and have 20 seconds on the peloton.

KOM leader Ángel Madrazo (Burgos-BH) is up there.

He's been joined by Jorge Arcas (Movistar), Mikel Iturria (Euskadi-Murias), Francois Bidard (AG2R La Mondiale), Matteo Fabbro (Katusha-Alpecin), Lawson Craddock (EF Education First), Damien Howson (Mitchelton-Scott), Gorka Izagirre (Astana), Alexander Aranburu (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Ben O’Connor and Amanual Ghebreigzabhier (Dimension Data).

It looks like that's our break of the day. The group is a minute up on the peloton now.

Zdeněk Štybar, Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck-Quick Step) and Jonathan Lastra (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) are chasing, as is Cyril Barthe (Euskadi-Murias).

Today's stage started just over 10km from Barthe's hometown of Sauveterre-de-Béarn.

It's Benjamin Thomas among those chasing the break, not Štybar.

162km remaining from 180km

Cavagna reaches the 11 men up front. Thomas, Lastra and Barthe are still chasing.

The peloton is two minutes back.

Cyril Barthe hasn't managed to make it across. He waits up to be brought back by the peloton. Still, at least he managed to show himself on home roads.

150km remaining from 180km

The gap is now over six minutes after 30km of racing.

Barthe is actually still out there. He's almost five minutes down on the break though.

Meanwhile, Thomas and Lastra have made it up to the front of the race. 14 men in the break now.

140km remaining from 180km

The break's advantage is now up to almost seven minutes. Barthe is still out there, somewhere in between them and the peloton.

Before the stage Benjamin Thomas, who recently bridged up to the break, spoke to the Vuelta website about yesterday's time trial and the fight for today's break.

"I held on the top 10 for some time and in the end I was 16th, which is still good. It was a hard time trial, with two climbs and no rest. I want to finish the Vuelta on a high note in order to be selected for the Worlds.Last year it went well in Innsbruck.

"I rode quite a lot in the Basque country as an amateur. I know well the first part of the stage. Those are small winding roads. It will favour attackers. We’ll have to try, as 80 per cent of the peloton will."

Barthe is back in the peloton.

The break is 30km away from the first classified climb of the day.

Some notable names in today's breakaway...

Ángel Madrazo has been the mountain classification leader since stage 2.

Ben O'Connor is best-placed overall in the break, 37:08 down in 36th.

Alexander Aranburu took second place on stage 8.

Rémi Cavagna attacked late on stage 4, assisting Fabio Jakobsen's stage win.

Gorka Izagirre was part of Astana's winning effort during the opening TTT.

125km remaining from 180km

After over 50km of racing, the gap is down to 6:10.

Today's stage marks the halfway point of the Vuelta a España, with ten stages behind us and ten to go. 

However, in kilometre terms, the midway point comes 38km into tomorrow's stage.

The break are on the first climb of the day, the third-category Col d'Osquich (4.9km, 6.1 per cent).

They're near the top of the climb now. More points for Madrazo?

101km remaining from 180km

The break are almost at the 100km to go mark and descending the Col d'Osquich.

Three points for Madrazo over the top. That brings his total count to 32, 11 points more than Geoffrey Bouchard, who lies in second-place in the competition.

1. Ángel Madrazo (Burgos-BH), 3 pts
2. Ben O’Connor (Dimension Data), 2 pts
3. Gorka Izagirre (Astana), 1 pt

8:10 between break and peloton.

Mountain classification leader Ángel Madrazo spoke before the stage.

"We’ve had almost two days to chill. We’ll try again today with Burgos-BH. There are points to take for the mountain standings but there are only two rivals who can take the jersey from us and I won’t get crazy chasing the break.

"There’s still a lot of ground from here to Madrid, with stages where it will be more important to be in the break to defend the jersey."

The riders pass through the feed zone.

80km remaining from 180km

The break is 17km from the base of the second climb of the day.

There's not a whole lot going on right now, so if you're into maps then here's a map of the stage to have a look at.

Jumbo-Visma and Movistar lead the peloton.

The time gap is up to nine minutes now. It's not quite 2016 stage levels yet...

The break will soon start the second climb of the day, the Col d'Ispéguy (7.2km at 7.1 per cent)

9:30 for the break now. It looks like they'll stay away to the finish.

Euskadi-Murias have a man in the break today – Mikel Iturria. The team's directeur sportif talked to the Vuelta website about his team's chances at success.

"Mikel is familiar with the stage and he’s very motivated. We believe in him. There are strong riders un the break, like Rémi Cavagna and Gorka Izagirre, we’ll have to surprise them. So far we’re happy with the way the Vuelta is going for us, we’re active and we’re going for more. Let’s see if we can take some prizes today."

61km remaining from 180km

With 4.5km of the climb left for the break to traverse, the peloton falls to 10 minutes back.

Gorka Izagirre ups the pace on the front of the break. Now O'Connor has jumped away.

Izagirre and Aranburu jump away from the break now. Madrazo struggles at the back of the group.

57km remaining from 180km

Aranburu leads Izagirre over the top. O'Connor drops off the back of the chasing group.

Both Izagirre and Aranburu are local riders, hailing from the Basque Country and the province of Gipuzkoa.

Lawson Craddock picked up the solitary point for third place over the top.

The peloton lies 11:30 down now.

Craddock is closing in on the lead duo now. The rest of the group is 30 seconds down.

The peloton has knocked off the pace and they're 12:30 behind the leaders.

Now the third-category Col de Otxondo for the leaders. It's 7.6km long at an average of 4.7 per cent.

42km remaining from 180km

The rest of the break has been slimmed down over that climb. 

Ghebreigzhabier, Iturria, Howson, Cavagna, Thomas, Arcas, Lastra, Bidard and Fabbro are chasing. O'Connor and Madrazo were dropped.

25 seconds between the lead trio and the chasing group.

Cavagna is struggling to stay in touch on this climb. Ghebreigzabhier and Howson have jumped away from the chase group.

Jumbo still control the peloton as the gap keeps edging out.

Ghebreigzabhier and Howson have made it across to the lead trio, making it five up front with seven chasing.

Fabbro and Bidard strike out now, in an attempt to bridge to the front.

37km remaining from 180km

Bidard and Fabbro make it seven up front.

It's that pair, plus Izagirre, Aranburu, Craddock, Howson and Ghebreigzabhier.

And now that group has split as they crested the climb.

Aranburu, Howson and Craddock have gone up the road.

Ten seconds between the two groups on the descent.

And now the lead group is back together on the flat.

15 minutes back to the peloton.

Fabbro drops back from the lead group thanks to an inopportune puncture.

Moments later, Cavagna, Iturria, Lastra, Thomas and Arcas join the leaders. It's 11 men up front with 25km to race.

Iturria goes straight off the front of the group.

Iturria hails from Urnieta, Gipuzkoa. His hometown is around 50km west of today's finish.

He has 20 seconds on the rest of the leaders.

Fabbro has made it back to the chase group.

25 seconds for Iturria.

18km remaining from 180km

It's up to 40 seconds now.

Iturria is still making time here. 45 seconds now, against a chase that isn't the most organised I've ever seen.

Here's a look at last time a Vuelta stage finished here, back in 2016.

14km remaining from 180km

The gap is 40 seconds now.

Cavagna has punctured out of the chase group.

Cavagna made it back, and he immediately jumps away along with Aranburu.

It looks like Lastra, not Aranburu, with Cavagna.

The peloton are 17 minutes behind all of this.

Ghebreigzabhier has attacked as well.

Aranburu is a fast finisher, so it makes sense that he's hanging back while Lastra attacks.

10km remaining from 180km

Iturria passes the 10km banner.

Ghebreigzabhier has passed Cavagna and Lastra, as more riders get across the gap.

Cavagna is blowing on this uncategorised climb. Looks like his chances of winning are over.

Bidard and Howson and a few others have gone past him to join Lastra and Ghebreigzabhier.

17 seconds between Iturria and the four chasers.

8km remaining from 180km

Just ten seconds for Iturria now.

Craddock makes it across to the four chasers – Lastra, Ghebrei..., Howson and Bidard.

7km remaining from 180km

Iturria hits the downhill section now. Still ten seconds up.

He takes the intermediate sprint, not that it matters much.

6km remaining from 180km

The chasing five are starting to attack each other a little.

5km remaining from 180km

Iturria is still holding the gap at 12-13 seconds.

There's another, smaller, rise in the road coming up before the finish.

4km remaining from 180km

Lastra is largely sitting on the rear of the chase group. He has Aranburu behind – somewhere – remember?

3km remaining from 180km

Iturria still has 10 seconds on the five men chasing him.

Whether he makes it or not, this has been a great effort by Iturria.

2km remaining from 180km

2km to hang on for the 27 year old to get his first ever professional victory!

1.5km remaining from 180km

Howson and Ghebreigzabhier attack the chase group.

1km reamining from 180km

Final kilometre! Iturria has a small gap over the two attackers.

He's still going! 800 to go

He might just do this! It looked like he would be caught a moment ago!

Iturria hangs on! What a win!

Mikel Iturria wins stage 11 of the Vuelta a España!

It looked like Craddock and Howson took second and third.

Stage result

1    Mikel Iturria Segurola (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias    4:36:44
2    Jonathan Lastra Martinez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA    0:00:06
3    Lawson Craddock (USA) EF Education First    0:00:06
4    Damien Howson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott    0:00:06
5    François Bidard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale    0:00:06
6    Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Eri) Dimension Data    0:00:09
7    Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ    0:00:12
8    Matteo Fabbro (Ita) Katusha-Alpecin    0:00:12
9    Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Astana Pro Team    0:00:12
10    Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep    0:00:12

Burgos-BH, Cofidis and Euskadi-Murias have a stage victory apiece at this Vuelta now.

Caja Rural are the only wildcard team yet to take one.

The peloton is still 9.5km away from the finish.

Yesterday, Spanish paper AS reported that Euskadi-Murias are working to save the team, and that their riders are free to sign elsewhere. Hopefully this win can help the team continue on through next year.

Here's Iturria celebrating his stage win.

5.5km for the peloton. They're already over 12 minutes down.

Jumbo are leading the peloton into the final 2km now.

...And the peloton crosses the line 18:35 after Iturria.

General classification after stage 11        
        
1    Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma    41:00:48
2    Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team    0:01:52
3    Miguel Angel Lopez (Col) Astana Pro Team    0:02:11
4    Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team    0:03:00
5    Tadej Pogacar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates    0:03:05
6    Carl Fredrik Hagen (Nor) Lotto Soudal    0:04:59
7    Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe    0:05:42
8    Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits    0:05:49
9    Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain-Merida    0:06:07
10    Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Sunweb    0:06:25

Iturria talked after the stage about his fairytale win.

"When I was asked in the pre-race presentation which stage I wanted to win, I said this one – with my family here. I’ve always dreamed of something like this, because I’m a worker not a winner.

"Before the Vuelta I had come to recon the stage. I dedicate it to those who were with me."

Rather obviously, Iturria is our Monster Hydro rider of the day.

Read our story as well as riders of the day from stage 1-10, here.

Our stage 11 report is up, featuring a full gallery, report and results.

Click here to read it.

This evening we'll have stories on Miguel Ángel López, Primož Roglič, Lawson Craddock and Euskadi-Murias.

Keep checking back on Cyclingnews.com for all the reaction and news from the Vuelta a España.

That's all for our live coverage of stage 11 of the Vuelta a España. See you back here tomorrow for more of the same as the peloton tackle 171km from the Circuito de Navarra to Bilbao.