Vuelta a España: Philippe Gilbert wins in Bilbao

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Philippe Gilbert (Deceuninck-QuickStep) claimed his first victory since Paris-Roubaix with a solo triumph in the Basque Country on a punchy stage 12 of the Vuelta a España.

The Belgian, who came to the Vuelta after missing out on selection for the Tour de France, dropped his breakaway companions on the last of three steep third-category climbs in the final 40km before holding off the chasers in a dramatic drop-down into Bilbao.

Alexander Aranburu (Caja Rural) claimed second place, pipping Fernando Barceló (Euskadi-Murias) to the line just three seconds behind Gilbert. The duo had been the only ones who could get near Gilbert on the Alto de Arraiz (2.2km at 12.2 per cent) and steadily closed the 19-second gap on the 8km run to the line, but had to sprint for second place.

The peloton was vastly reduced by the final climb but, despite the overall title contenders showing themselves at the front of the group, there were no open hostilities and no change to the standings as they rolled home three minutes down on the winner.

“It’s a nice number,” Gilbert said of his 10th career Grand Tour victory, which he marked by raising both hands and all 10 digits as he crossed the line.

“It was crazy, the atmosphere on the last climb was like the Classics with the flags and everything - it was really nice and they gave me a lot of motivation. I’ve raced a lot in the Basque Country, but I’ve never had success, so for me it’s the first time. The Basque Country is almost like Flanders - they love cycling here, so it’s nice.”

Despite movement in the 19-rider break – which took more than 100km to form – on the Alto de Urruztamendi and Alto el Vivero, a reduced group reformed at the foot of the Alto de Arraiz. 

Felix Grosschartner (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Tsgabu Grmay had led the race over the top of the penultimate climb but Gilbert’s teammate Tim Declercq helped drag it back for the final climb. On the wickedly steep double-digit gradients, Gilbert, a four-time winner of Amstel Gold Race, pounced.

Aranburu and Barcelo were the only ones able to match the acceleration but Gilbert kept the pressure on, gave it another nudge, and eased clear. By the top, he had 19 seconds in hand and an 8km run down into Bilbao to negotiate. Aranburu and Barcelo combined and pegged him back to 15 seconds with 5km to go and to 11 seconds with just under 3km to go. 

Gilbert entered the flat final kilometre with just eight seconds in hand but it was enough to take him to the line, and he turned round to see the advancing pair and judge he had enough time to sit up and celebrate.

“It was a long fight to get in the breakaway. When we went away, I saw good climbers with me, so I was not very confident in my chances to win,” said Gilbert. “I tried to race smart, and of course I had a big help from my teammate Tim Declercq, he’s there a lot in this win. I think he deserves it as much as I do.”

How it unfolded

After Mikel Iturria's triumph on stage 11, it was another day for the breakaway, with one early third-category climb preceding the three late ones on the 171.4km route from the Navarra motor racing circuit to Bilbao in the heart of the Basque Country.

Perhaps the riders knew the potential for a successful break, because it took an age for an escape group to go clear. It wasn't for lack of trying, as attempts came and went in an opening 100km run off in little more than two hours.

Katusha-Alpecin's Willie Smit launched what proved to be the decisive attack on the descent from a long plateau. Soon there were 18 riders with him and race leader Primoz Roglic's Jumbo-Visma team were blocking the road, eager for the pace in the peloton to settle down.

The riders in the break were: Philippe Gilbert and Tim Declercq (Deceuninck-QuickStep), Valerio Conti and Marco Marcato (UAE Team Emirates), Francisco Ventoso (CCC Team), José Joaquín Rojas (Movistar), Nikias Arndt (Team Sunweb), John Degenkolb and Jacopo Mosca (Trek-Segafredo), Heinrich Haussler (Bahrain-Merida), Manuele Boaro (Astana), Willie Smit (Katusha-Alpecin), Jonathan Lastra and Alexander Aranburu (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Tsgabu Grmay (Mitchelton-Scott), Tosh van der Sande (Lotto Soudal), Felix Großschartner (Bora-Hansgrohe), Cyril Barthe and Fernando Barceló (Euskadi-Murias).

After so long in the making, it wasn't long before the break arrived at the finale, with the three climbs in the final 40km. The Alto de Urruztamendi (2.5km at 9.2 per cent) didn't see any movement off the front of the group but Degenkolb, Ventoso, and Haussler fell off the back.

Grosschartner attacked on the steep descent and led solo onto the Alto de Vivero (4.3km at 7.7 per cent), where he was joined by Grmay. The duo linked up in the final kilometre of the climb and took a lead of 40 seconds onto the longer, more gentle descent to the foot of the final climb.

The flatter roads aided the chasers, where some riders, including Gilbert had teammates. Declercq was among the riders doing a big shift to ensure the two leaders were pegged back with just under 10km to go.

Almost immediately the Alto de Arraiz began, and almost immediately it started to bite. The group thinned rapidly, with Gilbert up towards the front of the group with Conti. The Belgian waited half a kilometre before springing clear, initially drawing out a response from Aranburu and Barcelo before sustaining his effort to take himself clear over the top.

It was a tricky descent, with corners, fast sections and slow sections. Gilbert had 19 seconds in hand and it was no surprise to see it steadily fall as Aranburu and Barcelo combined on the flatter sections. But Gilbert remained calm and when he rounded the final bend in Bilbao with 500m to go he looked around and knew it was won.

Three minutes later, a vastly reduced peloton crossed the line in relaxed fashion. The group had been whittled down by the steep final climb, on which Roglic could be seen at the front of the group directly alongside Miguel Angel Lopez, Nairo Quintana, Alejandro Valverde, and Tadej Pogacar. However, the race favourites were all looking to avoid pitfalls rather than ignite the race, and they rode calmly down into Bilbao together.

The race for the overall title is set to ignite on Friday's stage 13, which features a summit finish at Los Machucos.