Vuelta a España stage 14 - Live coverage

Hello and welcome to our live race coverage from stage 14 of the Vuelta a Espana. 

Today is going to be a massive day in the Vuelta as we dip into the mountains for another key stage that includes three categorized climbs, including the new summit finish at Pico Villuercas.

The first half of the stage is relatively flat but it's all change with the Puerto Berzocama and Puerto Collado de Ballesteros coming in quick succession. 

Right now the riders are on the start line and we'll begin the neutralized zone in about five minutes from now. Here's how things stand on GC coming into the stage.

Into the unknown as Vuelta a España tackles new summit finish at Pico Villuercas - Preview

On stage 13 we saw little fight for the break but that should be totally different today. The stage is up for grabs but so is the KOM jersey, and the GC. It's likely that there will be a huge battle just to get into the break. 

And we're rolling on stage 14 of the Vuelta a Espana.

Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) leads the KOM competition with 31 points. He has a four point lead on Romain Bardet and that could be one of the most interesting sub plots during the stage. Neither rider are threats on GC and while Caruso already has a stage to his name in this year's race both him and Bardet will no doubt try and get in the break.

The first climb of the stage - the Puerto Berzocama - comes almost 100km into the action but we do have a few unclassified bumps before then. Most of the first half of the race is flat though. 

Obviously it's all eyes on Roglic, who is the favourite for both the stage and the race lead but there's pressure on Movitar and Ineos too. The Spanish team have Mas and Lopez in contention, while Ineos are further back with Egan Bernal struggling to find his best form in this year's race. It's a significant day for the Giro d'Italia winner.

We're still in the neutralized zone and weaving through a few corners but the mood seems relatively relaxed given what's to come later on in the stage. Odd Christian Eiking is right near the front and in his leader's jersey. It's going to be a struggle to hold that position at the end of the stage but he  won't just throw in the towel.

28° at the start according to reports but the weather has been a real issue in the race so far. Check out Alasdair Fotheringham's story on the conditions riders and teams have had to face in the race. 

Fighting against the sun at the Vuelta a España

And we are racing on stage 14 of the Vuelta, as we exit the neutralized zone. And we have attacks from the gun just as we see Guillaume Martin come back through the cars. Not sure what happened there but he hasn't fallen. He's second on GC and could be a dark horse for the top-five overall. Class rider. 

We've got a clutch of riders off the front already but the gap is relatively small, maybe just 5 seconds. There are nine riders in the move. 

There's a lot of looking around at the front of the bunch as riders attack and then mark moves. Another couple of riders try and kick clear but that  early move is just about hanging on.

The accelerations keep coming and this  has been relentless so far. We've covered almost 10km and now there's a group of just under 20 riders clear of the peloton.

It's 18 riders and they have a 19 second gap at this point. Bardet is there, so too is Pidcock and Vine. No Caruso as far as I can see. 

155km to go

Holmes, Vanmarcke and... Demare is in the break too. They have 29 seconds now with 155km to go.

No GC threats in the break  though. Champoussin is the top placed rider but he's over 45 minutes down in the overall standings.

151km to go and the gap has stretched out to 1:10. 

147km to go

The bunch ease up and that allows the break to drift out to just over two minutes with 147km to go. 

ASO have confirmed the full extent of the riders in the break. There's some real quality in the move too:

Clément Champoussin, Nicolas Prodhomme (AG2R-Citroën), Jay Vine (Alpecin-Fnix), Jan Tratnik (Bahrain Victorious), Dani Navarro (Burgos-BH), Aritz Bagües (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Jesus Herrada (Cofidis), Jens Keukeleire (EF Educaiton Nippo), Xabier Mikel Azparren (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Arnaud Démare, Kevin Geniets (Groupama-FDJ), Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), Sep Vanmarcke (Israel Start-Up Nation), Matthew Holmes (Lotto Soudal), Andrey Zeits (Team BikeExchange), Romain Bardet (Team DSM), Dylan Sunderland (Team Qhubeka NextHash) and Ryan Gibbons (UAE Team Emirates).

Big day for Tratnik who will need to mark Bardet on the climbs and try and sustain Caruso's lead in the KOM. The first climb is a third cat but the next one is a first category ascent.

Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux have moved up and started to  set the pace with the gap to the break at just over three minutes. 

There's a bit of a cross-headwind out there at the moment it's nothing to trouble the riders out there as the gap moves out to over four minutes. We could get to double figures if this continues. 

Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux are doing the work to at least limit the losses at the moment as the gap holds at 4'08 with 136km to go.

The gap continues to rise but it's still at a manageable five minutes. 

129km to go

The break extend their advantage to 5'58. 

The 18 leaders push their gap out to 6:14 and we could see Jumbo Visma move up if this creeps towards eight or nine minutes, just to keep a lid on things. 

A reminder of the riders in the break. There are 18 of them. 

Clément Champoussin, Nicolas Prodhomme (AG2R-Citroën), Jay Vine (Alpecin-Fnix), Jan Tratnik (Bahrain Victorious), Dani Navarro (Burgos-BH), Aritz Bagües (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Jesus Herrada (Cofidis), Jens Keukeleire (EF Educaiton Nippo), Xabier Mikel Azparren (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Arnaud Démare, Kevin Geniets (Groupama-FDJ), Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), Sep Vanmarcke (Israel Start-Up Nation), Matthew Holmes (Lotto Soudal), Andrey Zeits (Team BikeExchange), Romain Bardet (Team DSM), Dylan Sunderland (Team Qhubeka NextHash) and Ryan Gibbons (UAE Team Emirates)

118km to go

7:38 now for the leaders with 118km to go. There's still just one team on the front doing the work but that will surely change once we get closer to the first climb of the day. 

The road does gently start to climb from this point onwards as we head closer towards the final 100km of the stage. The gap just creeps over eight minutes for the first time.

No one from Movistar in the break today so the Spanish team are holding back their riders for the climbs today. Perhaps they'll take up the pace duties on the first two climbs but there is a long way between the Puerto Collado de Ballesteros and the finishing climb of Pico Villuercas. 

103km to go and the gap is at 8'43. 

In other news today Wout Van Aert has confirmed that he'll target the TT and road race at Worlds and that he will also aim for the green jersey in next year's Tour de France. 

Van Aert to target road race and time trial at Worlds along with Tour de France green jersey in 2022

In other news:

Bahrain Victorious race Bretagne Classic – Ouest-France with just five riders due to Covid-19

We're into the final 100km of the stage and the gap is just about holding at under nine minutes as the road continues to climb. There's rather long and twisting descent to come before the road points upwards again and we reach the first of three climbs in the stage.

Bardet the best climber on paper in the break but there are a few very strong riders in the break, including Tratnik and Pidcock. 

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We're off that short descent as the road begins to climb again as the gap extends to just over nine minutes. 

The Puerto Berzocama is 7.7km in length and averages just over 5 per cent in terms of gradient. It's only a third cat climb but after such a hard start to the stage we could see some early splits. The 18-rider break will surely break apart too. 

88km to go

88km to go and the gap to the break is now at 10'10. The stage is still in the balance but the peloton need to up the pace if they're to deny the break.

We're onto the lower slopes of the Puerto Berzocama now as the break continue to work well together. Surely Movistar or Jumbo Visma will lift the pace in the main field on this climb. 

Bahrain have that rider in the break of course who will come into play as the team try and defend Caruso's slender lead in the KOM. The team also have Haig in sixth overall too.

Onto the climb and a few riders are back with their team cars to pick up fresh bottles in the break as Demare takes a turn on the front. 85km to go at this point. 

It's still just Intermarche on the front of the peloton at this point and they are putting in a decent pace but the gap to the break is holding at just over 10 minutes.

5.3km to go on the climb and the 18 leaders are still together with 84km to go on the stage.

Behind Intermarche, Jumbo Visma have moved up with Roglic at the back of their train with the gap now at 10'11. 

A few passengers in the break right now but that's no concern for Bardet who takes his pull and then comes through. He's probably the favourite for the stage at this point.

Carapaz right at the back of the bunch with 1.6km to go climb for the break. Intermarche are having a great race and they're doing an excellent job again today but with 80km to go and the gap still at 10'10 it looks as though the stage is edging closer towards the break. Only just though.

72km to go

The break are over the climb and onto this short descent. The gap is down to under ten minutes at 9'57 with 77km to go.

The descent is almost over and the break head towards the foot of the Puerto Collado de Ballesteros. It's just 2,8km in length but gradient averages 14 per cent with some sections at 20 per cent. 

Bardet was first to the top of the last climb by the way so that means he's just one point down on Caruso in the KOM competition. The Frenchman looks favourite to pull on the jersey at the end of the day.

Demare picked up a single point on the third cat climb too, if that's of interest. The break are holding at 9'56 with 72km to go. 

70km

70km to go and we see Jumbo  Visma lead for the first time today. The gap is still at 9'49 and the entire  break are still together as they start to climb again.

The break have about 2km to go on the Puerto Collado de Ballesteros and the road really thins out so positioning back in the peloton will be key. This section could decide if the break claim the stage as the pace from the peloton is lifted.

Holmes is on the front of the break as every rider gets out of the saddle on the 20 per cent sections. 

Bardet will not want to go alone here, it's too far, and he'll want to just thin the group out and drop those weaker riders and passengers. No one has been dropped yet from the break.

Pidcock is hanging at the back of the break right now but he's just about keeping himself in contention. Vanmarcke is also in a lot of pain. The break have 9'27 with 68km to go.

Jumbo have really upped the pace and it's Gesink on the front right now as the peloton close in on the climb. They turn right and their positioning is perfect.

Riders at the back almost come to a standstill as Jumbo swarm the front of the bunch.

The break have lost a minute in about 10km with the gap down to 9'08 with 68km to go.

Bardet and Holmes trade turns on the front of the break, which stretches out as Vanmarcke really starts to suffer. 

Holmes and Bardet are riding side by side and we could have less than 12 riders in the break at the top of the climb.

The break has split to pieces in the last 500m and Bardet has kicked clear.

Bardet will go over the top first and that will net him the lead in the KOM competition. He then sits up and waits for the rest of the break.

It's a really long descent and it should mean that the rest of the break make it back to the front of the race.

The bunch are starting to break up too and Jakobsen is among those riders dropped as Jumbo set the pace. Simmons is also on the front for Trek Segafredo.

We have about a dozen riders at the front but more and more riders are coming back. 64km to go.

The  bunch are closing in on the summit of the climb and Van Baarle is there, along with Caruso and the Jumbo Visma squad. Mas, Lopez and Roglic are all in contention. Bernal is a bit further back but looks okay for now. 58km to go.

Almoost all of the break have made it back to the front, they're up to about 15 riders now as Caruso leads the bunch at 9'22.

At the front of the race the  break hit the bottom of the descent and take a brief moment to regroup and take on supplies from their team cars. We have 52km to go and the break still have 9'28. Jumbo Visma remain on the front of the peloton but it looks like the break will decide the stage win.

It's up and down now all the way to the foot of the final climb of the Pico Villuercas. The break have only lost 30 seconds of the maximum lead so far and they're pushing on in the valley. 

49km to go

Holmes has taken off with 49km to go and two more riders have  gone with him. 

Holmes and company don't want to carry Bardet to the foot of the final climb, so this tactic makes sense as Holmes goes clear with Prodhomme and Navarro.

All of Jumbo are on the front now and the gap is back out to 9'57. 

Prodhomme. Holmes and Navarro have about 15 seconds as we approach the intermediate sprint with 45km to go.

Disaster for Holmes, with a puncture. That's terrible timing and leaves just Prodhomme and Navarro up front.

The two leaders have just 22 seconds but that's not a gap that will worry the rest of the break at this point. 

43km to go

Prodhomme and Navarro
Break at 22 seconds
Peloton at 9'57.

The two leaders now have 33 seconds but that sort of advantage can be quickly wiped out on the final climb, which is over 14km in length. The bunch have drifted to 10'51. 

We're inside the final 40km of the stage and Jumbo are letting the gap to the break drift out to 11'02 and it looks like Holmes is back in the second group after his flat.

Behind Jumbo and Movistar have lined out with Lopez and Mas well protected.

Prodhomme and Navarro have meanwhile extended their lead to 57 seconds with 37km to go. They're working well together, the leading pair.

Dani Navarro was first through the intermediate sprint with Prodhomme in second.

Terrible crash.

Vine was in the break, and taking on a bottle from another team car. He appeared to ride against the team car but it went horribly wrong and Vine lost his balance. I've only seen it once so don't know exactly what happened but the young rider came down really hard. He is conscious but that's a huge blow for the young rider.

It looked like Vine might have been caught on the car, again I'm not sure but he is able to sit up. 

33km to go

Back to the racing and with 33km to go Prodhomme and Navarro have 47 seconds with the bunch at 11'50.

The break now have 12 minutes on the red jersey group, which is just rolling along towards the final climb. The riders in the break will be there in 15km or so.

Just 12 seconds now for the two leaders with 27km to go.

Jumbo Visma take on a feed from the side of the road but the pace has gone out of the bunch for now.

26km to and the two leaders are caught as Holmes now leads a counter attack with Champoussin and Bardet.

They're brought back and Prodhomme attacks again and Navarro goes after him.

Another crash and Navarro and Vanmarcke are involved. They were chasing Prodhomme but they appeared to get their line all wrong on a corner. That looked like a heavy fall for Navarro. This is a really tricky descent. 

Both riders are on the deck still but Navarro is back to feet. It looked like Navarro just rode into Vanmarcke.

Prodhomme has 46 seconds right now and it's looking good for the Frenchman with 18km to go. We're about 4km from the foot of the last climb.

Ag2R are trying to work Bardet over here but the Frenchman won't be too concerned just yet because that 59 second gap to Prodhomme can be wiped away on the last climb. 

Prodhomme has 1'12 now and it's starting to look good for him right now. He is riding well and there's a few counter attacks. It looks like Vine is back in the break  too.

And Prodhomme is now on the foot f the final climb as three riders form a counter attack that includes Gibbons and Zeits and Navarro.

Prodhomme still have 1'04 with 14km to go  as the road starts to rise.

Prodhomme has a very busy style but he's holding that margin at over a minute. This will be tough to close.

Nothing from Bardet or Tratnik at the moment but Prodhomme looks to be really struggling. He doesn't have the same cadence as before.

Gibbons has cracked and Navarro so Zeits is alone and chasing with the leader only 38 seconds clear. We have 12.6km to go.

Prodhomme looks like a spent force. He takes a bottle but he appears to be cooked. The  gap is at 37 seconds with Zeits closing.

Bardet and what's left of the break are about 10 seconds down on Zeits.

Back down the climb and Jumbo Visma are upping the pace. Movistar look like they want to make a move though.

11.8km to go and Bardet has attacked.

Vine and Pidcock are leading something of a chase but the break is all over the climb.

Bardet, Vine, Pidcock, Champoussin and Herrada have formed a group but they are 42 seconds down at the moment.

Prodhomme has found a second wind at the moment and is holding off Zeits, who is second on the road.

A few more riders make contact with the Bardet group but no one is doing the work. Prodhomme, meanwhile, is powering away. He has 50 seconds again but Zeits is closing.

There are seven chasers in the Bardet group but they are 50 seconds back with 9.8km to go.

The bunch have just hit the bottom of the final climb.

Holmes, Herrada, Pidcock, Vine, Geniets, Champoussin and Bardet are in that third group on the road but they are still still 49 seconds down on Prodhomme. 8.7km to go.

It looks like Zeits is going backwards.

Down the climb and Movistar hit the front. 

Prodhomme now have a full minute on the Bardet group with 7.9km to go.

Geniets has attacked. 

Zeits still at 11 seconds behind the leader.

7.4km to go and Pidcock has attacked.

Now Holmes attacks and Bardet is forced to respond.

Impressive from Vine who is holding on with everything he has in the chase group.

Zeits is still second on the road with 6.8km to go and now Bardet puts in a big attack.

He's dropped Pidcock, Holmes and the rest of the third group.

Prodhomme has 41 seconds on Bardet with 6.6km to go.

Holmes is leading the chase. 

Bardet needs to just put his head down and make this move stick. He can't afford to bring anyone with him at this point.

6.2km to go

6.2km to go and Zeits is made it to the front but so has Bardet. 

Back down the climb and the rest of the climb are all over the road.

And Bardet goes right passed Zeits and Prodhomme with 6.1km to go. 

Huge 5.7km to go  for Bardet. 

He looks rapid on this climb but there's a slight headwind and the chase is starting to  organise. The gap is only about 13 seconds so there's a long way to go.

22 seconds now for Bardet with 4.5km to go as he allows himself the chance to look back.

Trek are now leading the red jersey group but up the road and Bardet has 35 seconds on Vine.

Vine is second on the road and putting in an incredible effort. Herrada then counters and comes across.

Bardet still has 38 seconds with 3.5km to go.

Bardet is out of the saddle but he's dominating this climb and he's on course to win the stage and take the KOM jersey. 3km to go and the gap is at 40 seconds.

47 seconds now and this is going to be Bardet's day unless Herrada and Vine can magic something up. 2km to go.

Down the climb and Cofidis put the hammer down for Martin and it looks like the red jersey group is splitting. Martin wants the race lead.

The race leader is really digging deep though.

He's gone and Cofidis have a small group strong out as Bardet heads into the final 1km with a 50 second lead.

Roglic and the rest of the GC rivals aren't in the small Martin group.

Martin could be heading for the overall this evening but it's Bardet who will win the stage. He has 56 seconds with 400m to go.

Romain Bardet (Team DSM) wins stage 14 of the Vuelta a Espana.

That's a huge ride from the Frenchman today and it's another stage win for his DSM Team.

Herrada and Vine sprint for second and it's the Cofidis rider who takes it on the line.

Down the climb and Ciccone has attacked from the group of GC riders.

Bernal is very far back in the red jersey group as Oomen sets the pace.

Martin has been caught so it looks like the race lead will stay with Intermarche at this rate.

1 Romain Bardet (Fra) Team DSM 04:20:36
2 Jesus Herrada (Spa) Cofidis 00:00:44
3 Jay Vine (Aus) Alpecin-Fenix 00:00:44
4 Thomas Pidcock (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 00:01:12
5 Clément Champoussin (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 00:01:14
6 Matthew Holmes (GBr) Lotto Soudal 00:01:16
7 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Team BikeExchange 00:01:19

Oomen really lifts the pace with 3.5km to go for the GC riders.

The headwind has killed the GC battle today as we see Ciccone being brought back.

2.7km to go though and Lopez has attacked.

Jumbo Visma look intent on chasing this one down and Roglic still has plenty of support.

Jumbo have the GC group lined out all the top-ten riders are there.

Lopez has about 20 seconds as Kuss takes over with the chase.

Roglic is second wheel. Will he attack?

Kuss is setting a really fast pace as we hit the final 1km of the climb. 

Lopez is putting in a strong ride though and he might take 20 seconds on the line.

Bernal has moved up, Yates too. 

The road does kick up no though.

Odd Christian Eiking is in trouble but he should be okay.

Roglic has kicked, Bernal and Mas are with him.

Haig was there too.

Yates lost some time but there were no major gaps. Odd Christian Eiking holds onto his red jersey.

Here's our top-ten on the stage.

1 Romain Bardet (Fra) Team DSM 04:20:36
2 Jesus Herrada (Spa) Cofidis 00:00:44
3 Jay Vine (Aus) Alpecin-Fenix 00:00:44
4 Thomas Pidcock (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 00:01:12
5 Clément Champoussin (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 00:01:14
6 Matthew Holmes (GBr) Lotto Soudal 00:01:16
7 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Team BikeExchange 00:01:19
8 Kévin Geniets (Lux) Groupama-FDJ 00:01:46
9 Nicolas Prodhomme (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 00:02:04
10 Jan Tratnik (Slo) Bahrain Victorious 00:02:15

General classification after stage 14

1 Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 55:03:17
2 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Cofidis 00:00:54
3 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Jumbo-Visma 00:01:36
4 Enric Mas Nicolau (Spa) Movistar Team 00:02:11
5 Miguel Angel Lopez Moreno (Col) Movistar Team 00:03:04
6 Jack Haig (Aus) Bahrain Victorious 00:03:35
7 Egan Bernal Gomez (Col) Ineos Grenadiers 00:04:21
8 Adam Yates (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 00:04:49
9 Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma 00:04:59
10 Felix Grossschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:05:31

Romain Bardet wins Vuelta a España stage to Pico Villuercas

Let's hear from Bardet:

"It’s been a long wait. It means a lot. I’ve been second too many times. 
Today I went full gas to be in the good break. I know that taking the polka-dot jersey it’d be a double victory. It’s fantastic. I had a hard time to catch the other guys in front of me because I had the feeling that no one really wanted to commit in the break. 

“I think we played it smart with my sports director and he told me exactly when to attack on the steepest part of the climb and go for it as if the finish was there in front of me. I opened a good gap and made it to the finish.Everyone is tired but the spirit is so high in the team, we’ve had there stage wins and podium, so the moral is high. We’re all focused and I’m so happy to be part of a good group of guys. We’re enjoying ourselves and trying to do our best for the team. It’s an amazing Vuelta."