Vuelta a Espana stage 11 Live - Groves powers to sprint glory

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

Today's stage is a mostly flat one, offering something different following the recent summit finishes at Colláu Fancuaya and Les Praeres and time trial in Alicante.

Check out the stage 11 map here.

The big news of the morning is that Simon Yates and Pavel Sivakov are out of the race after testing positive for COVID-19. They lay in fifth and ninth overall after stage 10.

Kern Pharma are also down three riders due to the virus, the Spanish team have announced. Roger Adrià, Héctor Carretero, and Pau Miquel have left the race.

Today's stage is set to get underway is just over 10 minutes.

Take a look at yesterday's results and the overall GC picture here...

Yates, Sivakov, Miquel, Carretero, and Adrià the only non-starters today as 151 riders remain in the Vuelta.

The riders are currently rolling through the neutral zone on the way to kilometre zero.

Remco Evenepoel and Mads Pedersen line up in red and green today, no change there.

Jay Vine is in the polka dot KOM jersey, while Evenepoel also leads the white jersey standings, though Carlos Rodríguez will be wearing white.

Stage 11 has begun!

Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH), Vojtech Repa (Kern Pharma) and Joan Bou (Euskaltel-Euskadi) are on the attack early on.

With no climbs to speak of on today's stage, there's little for any breakaway to fight for, so this move might be let go straight away...

With only three riders on the attack, all from ProTeams, it would be an easy move for the sprinter's teams to control, too.

188km to go

It appears that the peloton are happy with the breakaway. The trio have a minute already.

Yesterday's stage 10 time trial saw Remco Evenepoel smash the competition to extend his GC lead. Read our race report here.

181km to go

The breakaway trio have four minutes on the peloton now.

Alpecin-Deceuninck, Trek-Segafredo, and Arkéa-Samsic are controlling the peloton currently.

172km to go

3:45 for the breakaway at the moment.

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Evenepoel leading in battle against Roglic, Mas, Rodríguez, Ayuso, Almeida, López

Trek-Segafredo will be working for their sprinter, green jersey holder Mads Pedersen, today.

Alpecin-Deceuninck will be hoping to deliver a win for Tim Merlier and Arkéa-Samsic will be riding for British sprinter Dan McLay.

Look out, too, for Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates), Danny van Poppel (Bora-Hansgrohe), Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Kaden Groves (BikeExchange-Jayco), Mike Teunissen (Jumbo-Visma), and John Degenkolb (Team DSM).

165km to go

BikeExchange-Jayco are also working at the head of the peloton.

This isn't shaping up to be a thriller as far as Vuelta stages go. The peloton are likely to keep the breakaway in check all day (almost four hours to the finish!) before the expected sprint in Cabo de Gata.

155km to go

The peloton has taken the gap down to three minutes.

Today's break of the day.

Points leader Mads Pedersen in the peloton today.

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Here's what race leader Remco Evenepoel had to say at the start of the stage today...

"It's obviously quite a nice advantage after 10 days, halfway through the Vuelta, but a lot can still happen. But for sure it's gonna be a little bit easier to control the race during the day and in the starts. I think we have fewer guys to watch for the breakaway. And I hope that today we can get some help from the sprinter's teams as well.

"After yesterday's effort of 33-34 minutes, you really feel the legs. It was a day of big focus and a bit of stress as well. So I think today is a perfect day to try to relax a bit and try to recover from yesterday and for tomorrow's stage of course."

140km to go

The riders have done 50km now and the gap between break and peloton is down to 2:50.

An average speed of just over 38kph so far today.

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124km to go

No change in the situation out on the road at the moment. The peloton is still 2:50 down on the three leaders.

The peloton passes through a town during a quiet stage 11.

38.9kph average speed after two hours of racing. There's little change in the situation at the moment.

108km to go

The riders are heading towards the 100km to go mark, racing along flat roads in the middle of the stage. 2:30 between break and peloton.

A mix of Arkéa-Samsic, Alpecin-Deceuninck, QuickStep-AlphaVinyl, and BikeExchange-Jayco on the front at the moment.

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97km to go

Into the final 100km of the stage and the peloton is 1:40 down on the break.

The riders make their way along a coastal road during today's stage.

This stage could've been half the length, really. Incredibly dull.

81km to go

1:25 for the break now. The same teams continue to lead the peloton.

74km to go

The gap has gone back up to two minutes now.

The mix of teams controlling it at the front of the peloton.

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Check out what happened here.

66km to go

Two minutes for the breakaway. Repa, Bol, Bou still up the road.

And Repa has crashed!

The Czech rider was leading the break around a corner and overcooked it, sliding out on the way around.

Bou and Bol avoided Repa's fall and continue on.

The leading duo are slowing a bit. Repa got back up pretty quickly and should catch back on.

64km to go

Now Julian Alaphilippe has gone down!

The world champion sits on the ground and points to his right shoulder/collarbone.

He's sitting on the floor and is bent forward. Race over?

Meanwhile, Repa makes it back to the Bou and Bol.

A group of medics and QuickStep staff members are tending to Alaphilippe.

Bou, Bol, and Repa are 1:40 up on the peloton now.

Alaphilippe gets an arm sling. He's still sat on the ground. Race over for the Frenchman.

It was a different corner to the one which saw Repa go down. Alaphilippe slid out and hit the ground with his right shoulder.

Race leader Remco Evenepoel has already lost Pieter Serry and now he's lost Julian Alaphilippe, who is loaded onto a stretcher and wheeled away from the crash site.

Alaphilippe is loaded into an ambulance wincing, his Vuelta over.

61km to go

Back to the race and Bora, BikeExchange, Alpecin, Trek all have riders at the front of the peloton at 1:40 down on the breakaway.

Here's a shot of Alaphilippe being tended to after his crash.

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54km to go

The peloton is cutting time from the break's advantage now. It's down to 1:10, the smallest gap of the day.

A minute now as the sprinter's teams continue to control the race.

Jetse Bol decides to liven things up. He jumps away from his breakmates 52km from the line.

Bol has 37 seconds on Bou and Repa.

49km to go

The peloton are 50 seconds between the two chasers but Bol has gone a minute further up the road with his move.

A long shot of the Vuelta a España peloton.

Bou and Repa are caught by the peloton.

47km to go

Just Bol left out front now. He's 1:50 up the road.

Bol going solo.

The peloton races on in pursuit of Bol.

40km to go

1:05 between the peloton and the breakway survivor.

The peloton has this all in hand today. There's basically no chance for Bol to stick it out up front to win the stage.

33km to go

Bol has just 40 seconds now.

Not much longer to go now...

30km to go

47 seconds between breakaway and peloton.

The stage is currently running 15 minutes slower than the slowest scheduled timing.

28km to go

15 seconds for Bol now.

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A rundown of the main contenders for today's stage in the final sprint...

Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Dan McLay (Arkéa-Samsic), Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates), Danny van Poppel (Bora-Hansgrohe), Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Kaden Groves (BikeExchange-Jayco), Mike Teunissen (Jumbo-Visma), John Degenkolb (Team DSM).

Bol is caught. Peloton all together to the finish now.

24km to go

Just 24km left until this is all over.

22km to go

The peloton rolls on to the finish.

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20km to go

The peloton is racing on towards the finish. Exciting!

17km to go

There is 17km to go.

The peloton heading towards the finish. Surprise, surprise, it's the same mix of teams that have been controlling the race for the last 12 hours.

15km to go

The situation is the same as it was 2km ago.

14km to go

4km to the intermediate sprint.

12km to go

Trek, Ineos, BikeExchange, QuickStep all on the front.

10km to go

Great action at the intermediate sprint point as Pedersen rolls through to take the points with no contest whatsoever.

9km to go

The speed is going up as the peloton approach the finish. If only they had done this several hours ago.

8km to go

BikeExchange-Jayco take it up at the front for Kaden Groves.

7km to go

Movistar, Jumbo-Visma, Ineos Grenadiers, QuickStep-AlphaVinyl also taking up spaces at the front of the peloton.

6km to go

GC teams are keeping their men safe as they head towards the finish.

5km to go

Movistar, Ineos, BikeExchange, QuickStep, Jumbo continue to lead it, spread across the road.

No major (or minor) incidents yet.

4km to go

Speeds of 60kph up front at the moment.

All through a tight twisty bit of road OK. BikeExchange's train moves up again.

3km to go

Some wind coming off the sea from the right but the peloton is all together.

BikeExchange-Jayco continue to lead the peloton for Groves.

2km to go

Bahrain Victorious have a few men up front, too.

Various sprinters getting into position up front but it's messy behind BikeExchange.

Now Alpecin-Deceuninck send a man to the front.

1km to go

Arkéa-Samsic move up. BikeExchange still with two ahead of Groves, the most organised team here.

Pedersen a fair way back.

Trek move up inside the final kilometre to challenge BikeExchange.

Degenkolb launches the sprint first at over 200 metres to go. Molano and McLay with him.

Groves bursts past the lot of them.

Kaden Groves (BikeExchange-Jayco) wins stage 11.

It's over!

Groves beat Van Poppel and Merlier to the line in the end there.

Molano and Pedersen in fourth and fifth. Degenkolb faded after going early.

Groves came up on the right-hand side from behind McLay, pacing past him and Molano inside the final 50 metres. Van Poppel and Merlier then came off Groves' wheel to nab second and third.

A shot of Groves sprinting to victory in Cabo de Gata today.

We are never getting that five hours back, folks.

Here's what Kaden Groves had to say after his win...

"It feels fantastic. This morning with the news of Simon going positive for COVID-19 all the boys were disappointed. It's the best way to bounce back after such bad news. I'm really happy to celebrate but I also wish he was here because he's part of this team.

"I've got to thank all the guys. Luke riding all day. We set up early for this wind. We thought there'd be crosswind earlier but there was nothing until the final 4km where we were first team. The guys did a perfect job keeping me in front and fresh.

"Maybe with about 50-100 metres to go I was fresher than the other guys who had to do efforts from behind to move up. Thankfully I was in the right position and got the gap to step out and do my sprint.

"Being my first Grand Tour win for sure it takes the cake. I'm super happy to get a win here already and there's still more stages to come."

Check below for a look back at the final kilometre of that stage, culminating in the sprint finish.

Cyclingnews was on the ground in Oman when Groves was taking second- and third-places in the sprints to start his season there.

He broke through with a stage win at the Volta a Catalunya in March and has since taken a win at the Tour of Turkey and the points classification in the Tour of Estonia.

This win represents another breakthrough for the 23-year-old, who is set to move to Alpecin-Deceuninck next season.

Remco Evenepoel remains in red after a largely uneventful stage today. He did lose key teammate Julian Alaphilippe, though.

"It definitely makes it a less beautiful day than we expected," he said later. "I don't know exactly what happened or what the results are but it's definitely a big loss for our team, especially on such a quiet stage. It's a pity. I hope he does well and is not suffering too much. All the best Loulou.

"For sure Julian was doing very well in the last few days but we're not the only team losing guys. It's just a stupid loss and a pity we lost the world champion because he was in good shape but I've got confidence in my other teammates that they'll do well in the coming weeks."

Mads Pedersen remains in green, though he'll be disappointed to only take fifth today. With 184 points he's 99 clear of second-placed Evenepoel.

Jay Vine is in the KOM jersey. He has 40 points while his Alpecin-Deceuninck teammates Robert Stannard and Jimmy Janssens are second and third in the classification on 21 and 17 points.

Evenepoel also leads the young rider's classification, 3:55 up on Carlos Rodríguez.

Check out our stage 11 report here

Check here for an update on the GC standings at the Vuelta after stage 11