Vuelta a España stage 16 – Live coverage

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of stage 16 of the Vuelta a España.

We're around 30 minutes from the riders starting their day with a roll-out in the neutralised zone in Salamanca – just three days of racing left in the 2020 season.

We have one non-starter confirmed today. Astana rider and Spanish champion Luis León Sánchez will not make it to the end of his 11th Vuelta. He's heading home for personal reasons.

It's hard to say exactly what could happen on today's stage. There's a chance that crosswinds affect the race, and it looks like a good day for a breakaway.

The GC men might try some moves over those climbs in the second half of the stage, though with the final (unclassified) hill 18km from the line, it might be better to save themselves for the La Covatilla summit finish tomorrow.

With 2,600 metres of climbing on the road to Ciudad Rodrigo, the stage is tougher than the originally planned flat run from Portual.

"I wouldn't be at all surprised if somebody tried to make a move on Friday's stage 16. The last first category ascent is a fair way from the finish, but it's got some very steep sections, and there are some draggy unclassified climbs straight afterwards. Maybe not a full attack, but one to test the water a bit and see how the other GC rivals are going."

That's what two-time Vuelta winner Pedro Delgado had to say about the day. Read our stage preview here

Race leader Primož Roglič and his Jumbo-Visma team look ready for the stage, in any case.

The Vuelta's NTT predictor puts Roglič, Pascal Ackermann and yesterday's winner Jasper Philipsenas the favourites today. It is possible that the sprinters might prevail if the climbs aren't raced hard...

The riders will take the neutralised start in just over five minutes.

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There's around 20km to go at the opening stage of the Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta. We'll get you the results as soon as we know them.

Back to the men's race and the riders have set off in the neutralised zone now.

Heading into today's stage, Roglič holds the red and green jersey, 35 seconds and 65 point up on Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers).

Meanwhile, Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) has a 55-point lead in the mountain classification with just 54 up for grabs in the remaining stages, so he just had to make it to Madrid. Enric Mas (Movistar) leads the youth classification.

162km to go

The riders have passed through the neutralised zone and racing is underway.

Deceuninck-QuickStep report that the wind isn't that strong out on the road of the early kilometres of the stage.

Riders are attacking from the off, as usual. No moves have stuck at this early stage.

Here's what Roglič had to say before the start...

"It’s a tricky start, open in the first 35km. We need to stay focused. It definitely won’t be a free ride. I expect some action. There aren’t many days left and we need to do our best."

Stage 1 of the Madrid Challenge has just finished. Click here to find out who won.

148km to go

Still no breakaway. The peloton have started the stage fast.

Angel Madrazo (Burgos-BH) is among the men to attack the peloton early on.

143km to go

Juan Felipe Osorio has joined his teammate Madrazo out front.

The two Burgos-BH men have a gap of a minute at the moment.

Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck-QuickStep) has attacked from the peloton now. They're 1:55 down on the leaders as the Frenchman goes 20 seconds clear.

Now more riders try to get away behind Cavagna.

Robert Stannard (Mitchelton-Scott), Kobe Goossens (Lotto Soudal), Willie Smit, Jesus Ezquerra (Burgos-BH), Julen Amezqueta (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA)  are all on the move.

137km to go

Burgos-BH are on a mission today. They won a stage last year and this looks like their last chance to do so again.

2:40 from the two leaders back to the peloton with the chase group 1:40 down.

131km to go

Cavagna, Stannard, Goossens and Ezquerra join the lead duo. That's three Burgos-BH men in the lead group of six.

Amezqueta and Smit chase a minute down on the leaders, who are now five minutes up on the peloton.

Bora-Hansgrohe and UAE Team Emirates lead the peloton.

The riders have covered 40kph in the first hour of racing.

Amezqueta and Smit are caught by the peloton. The gap to the break is currently 5:30.

Here's what Pascal Ackermann had to say about today's stage...

"I think yesterday was a real team effort. We don’t have so many opportunities to sprint. Yesterday we saw one and we said: ‘We have to take the chance’. The team gave me an amazing support with an amazing effort. The way the team raced was really impressive. I think today will be completely different because of the crosswinds. We have to decide in the race what we do"

Bora-Hansgrohe and UAE Team Emirates control the break's advantage as they approach the first climb of the day – El Portillo (13.8km at 4.4 per cent). The gap is 4:30 at the moment.

88km to go

The break are about to start the climb, four minutes up on the peloton.

UAE Team Emirates continue to control the front of the peloton. They're confident that Philipsen will survive over the climbs today.

A number of riders are tailing off the rear of the peloton on the climb.

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80km to go

Osorio is dropped from the break on the climb. Burgos-BH have Smit and Madrazo left in the move now.

The gap has actually gone back up, though. UAE and Bora don't want to go too hard on the climbs but also don't want the break to take too much time. A balancing act.

The break have five minutes again with Osorio chasing 45 seconds down.

72km to go

Stannard leads the break over the top of the climb. No contest for the points. A 10km descent lies ahead.

Chris Froome takes to the front of the peloton for Ineos Grenadiers towards the top of the climb. Along with EF Pro Cycling and Jumbo-Visma, the peloton brings the gap from 4:40 to 3:45 at the top.

Amador now takes it up for Carapaz as the riders reach the valley. The gap is 2:30 now.

55km to go

Ineos Grenadiers lead the way ahead of Jumbo-Visma and EF Pro Cycling.

Ezquerra is dropped from the break. Cavagna, Stannard, Goossens and Madrazo remain, now under two minutes up on the peloton.

46km to go

The break have begun the climb of El Robledo. It's 11.7km long at an average of 3.8 per cent. There's a descent after 3km though, so that skews the gradient figure. The final 5.7km of the climb is mostly above 6 per cent with a steep kilometre at over 10 per cent.

Spots of rain as the riders tackle the climb.

The riders have already tackled the easier first section and are now on the short descent. A minute back to the peloton now.

The peloton has really thinned down here as Ineos push the pace.

Up front, Cavagna leaves his breakmates behind.

39km to go

4km from the top of the climb and the peloton is just 40 seconds behind the break.

Stannard is up with Cavagna now. UAE move back to the front with Rui Costa.

The remains of the break are caught, leaving just Cavagna and Stannard up front.

Attack from Cofidis rider Luis Angel Maté towards the top of the climb. 20 seconds to the break.

35km to go

Stannard and Cavagna head over the top. Maté is caught as the peloton go over the top 20 seconds later.

Movistar move to the front of the peloton as the riders head down the descent. Two small climbs left to come, with the first coming in under 10km.

30km to go

The two breakaway men have just 10 seconds of an advantage now.

25km to go

Around 50 riders remain in the peloton. Stannard and Cavagna still just ahead.

Up and over the first of the two unclassified hills. Movistar continue to lead.

Stannard and Cavagna are still hanging on to a slim advantage up front.

They're almost caught but then Cavagna pushes on once again.

17km to go

Stannard is brought back on the final unclassified hill.

Cavagna won a stage from the break at last year's Vuelta after going solo late on, remember.

13km to go

14 seconds for Cavagna now.

He's motoring along this downhill section at speeds nearing 80kph.

9km to go

The gap is up to 18 seconds now. Still a long way to go though.

7km to go

21 seconds with 7km to go for the French time trial champion.

6km to go

16 seconds now. It's going to be extremely tough to hang on.

4.5km to go

Under the 5km to go mark on this flat run-in. Cavagna has just 13 seconds now.

Mitchelton-Scott lead the peloton.

2.5km to go

It's over for Cavagna. Movistar hit the front.

1.5km to go

Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ) launches an attack.

750m to go

Armirail is caught as Movistar cede control of the peloton. Various teams represented at the front as they hit the finale.

Valverde launches the sprint with Rui Costa and Roglič on his wheel while Cort also goes.

Magnus Cort (EF Pro Cycling) wins stage 16! It looked like Roglič took second to extend his GC lead.

Rui Costa was third ahead of Dion Smith and Carapaz.

Roglič extends his overall lead by six seconds ahead of tomorrow's penultimate stage to La Covatilla.

Cort celebrates his win.

Here's what Cort had to say after the stage:

"I think I timed it pretty well. I  came through the last corner with about 500-600m to go in a decent position, not too far to the front. I was looking and found an opening with about 200m to go, maybe a little bit less, from there I just went with everything I had.

"I think it has been difficult for everyone this year. It means a lot that I can come back and win. I was coming into good form when we started back up again after the long break but then I caught corona myself and was out. I've only now been training for three weeks before coming to this race, so it's very nice to get a victory here."

And here's what Roglič had to say.

"I always want to be as complete a rider as possible. I already said from the start of this Vuelta that I would try every day to do my best. I was a little bit short at the end but it was a nice day for the whole team. I thought, some fast guys were dropped and then as the man wearing the green jersey I can also do a sprint, it's normal.

"I think definitely today six seconds – and for example there was the Angliru - there is still a big day coming tomorrow, the decisive one. We just need to maintain focus and do our best and see what it means."

Here's our short report on the stage, which will soon be updated with full report and results.

Meanwhile, Rui Costa has reportedly been relegated from third place for dangerous sprinting.

Roglič in red for another day.

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