Vuelta a Espana stage 15 Live - Sierra Nevada mountain finish to test Evenepoel's form and determination

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High altitude finish considered hardest stage of 2022 Vuelta

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Hola and welcome to our live coverage of stage 15 of the Vuelta a España.

Today is another test in the mountains. We have 149.6km of racing today, much like yesterday, and the last 20km is all uphill to the finish. 

We're getting close to the official start of stage 15. 

We have an official start and already there are seven leaders. The attacks have begun!

Luis Angel Maté (Euksalte-Euskadi) is the first to attack and Hugh Carthy (EF Education-EasyPost) goes with him.

There's a small crash involving one of the Bora riders. It's Wilco Kelderman (BOH) and his teammates are around him. 

And there's another crash! This time a DSM rider goes down. 

Domenico Pozzovivo (IWG) has abandoned.

Hugh Carthy (EFE), Carl Fredrik Hagen (IPT), Vincenzo Nibali (AST), Rohan Dennis (TJV), Luis Ángel Maté (EUS) and Vojtěch Řepa (EKP) are off the front. 

The group off the front have 12 seconds on the peloton. 

Only three riders are left in the break, Hugh Carthy (EFE), Vincenzo Nibali (AST) and Rohan Dennis (TJV). It's not easy to stay off the front with these speeds. 

The peloton is 25 seconds back. 

Gino Mäder (Bahrain Victorious) is attempting to bridge across. 

Gino Mäder (TBV) and Xabier Mikel Azparren (EUS) are together in the chase group trying to bridge across to the leaders. 

127km to go

Thymen Arensman (DSM), Jai Hindley (BOH), Louis Meintjes (IWG), David De La Cruz (AST), Richard Carapaz (IGD), Rigoberto Urán (EFE), Jay Vine (ADC), Gino Mäder (TBV), Marc Soler (UAD), Sébastien Reichenbach (GFC), Nelson Oliveira (MOV), Rudy Molard (GFC), Sam Oomen (TJV), Élie Gesbert (ARK), Rubén Fernández (COF), G Lawson Craddock (BEX), Xandro Meurisse (ADC), Omer Goldstein (IPT), Fausto Masnada (QST), Brandon McNulty (UAD), Louis Vervaeke (QST), Nicolas Prodhomme (ACT) and Xabier Mikel Azparren (EUS) are in the chase group. They're about to bridge across to the three leaders. 

A huge group is off the front. 28 riders make up the breakaway. It's finally been established and the gap is more than 2 minutes now. 

We're 33km into the stage. The break of 28 is four minutes off the front. 

Here are the names again: Thymen Arensman (DSM), Jai Hindley (BOH), Louis Meintjes (IWG), David De La Cruz (AST), Richard Carapaz (IGD), Rigoberto Urán (EFE), Hugh Carthy (EFE), Jay Vine (ADC), Gino Mäder (TBV), Marc Soler (UAD), Sébastien Reichenbach (GFC), Nelson Oliveira (MOV), Rudy Molard (GFC), Sam Oomen (TJV), Élie Gesbert (ARK), Rubén Fernández (COF), Vincenzo Nibali (AST), G Lawson Craddock (BEX), Xandro Meurisse (ADC), Omer Goldstein (IPT), Rohan Dennis (TJV), Fausto Masnada (QST), Brandon McNulty (UAD), Louis Vervaeke (QST), Fred Wright (TBV), Nicolas Prodhomme (ACT), Xabier Mikel Azparren (EUS), Mads Pedersen (TFS) and Antonio Tiberi (TFS).

The leaders have reached the first KOM of the day, Puerto del Castillo (Cat. 3). 

Results at Puerto del Castillo (Cat 3):
1. Vine - 3 pts
2. Meurisse - 2 pts
3. De la Cruz - 1 pt

Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl are at the front of the peloton setting the pace. The gap is 4'30". 

The breakaway's advantage is up to almost 5 minutes with 110km to go. 

Thymen Arensman (Team DSM) is the highest placed in this breakaway. he's currently 11th sitting + 9'14''behind the race leader.

The break has an advantage that's reaching almost 5 minutes.

Thymen Arensman (Team DSM) talked to la Vuelta reporters before the start of today's stage: “I think yesterday was a nice climb. I felt good, I had some goods legs. I feel better and better. I felt good on the steep parts when Roglic attacked, maybe I got a bit too excited to follow the best. It was a bit too steep for me and then I felt the legs on the last part but still I did a good climb and a nice performance. I think [Sierra Nevada is better for me] because it’s a really long climb. I like the long efforts. Only the first part of the climb is really steep so I just gotta survive that and then that is a nice climb, not too steep, really long, and we’ll see how it goes.”

100km to go

In the first hour of racing, the average speed was 38.9kph. 

The French TT specialist, Rémi Cavagna (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl), is leading the peloton, just like he did yesterday. 

It's another hot day out there. Temps are almost reaching 30 degrees Celsius. 

The break has 13km before they get to the intermediate sprint in Grenada. 

85km to go

Lawson Craddock (BEX) has attacked out of the breakaway and is off solo before the climb starts. 

Craddock has about 15 seconds on his chasers. 

Craddock is still off on his lonesome. He has 22 seconds on his chasers. The peloton is a further 5'45 back. 

The gap continues to grow to 6'30 while Craddock is almost a minute ahead of the huge chase group.

Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team and AG2R Citroën Team are leading the bunch. 

AG2R looks committed to this now. Possibly to protect Ben O'Connor's 10th place GC standing from Thymen Arensman (DSM)?

The average speed after two hours is 43.4kph.

And we've reached the intermediate sprint. Of course, Craddock gets across first for the max points. 

Results of the intermediate sprint in Granada:

AG2R is still sitting at the front for Ben O'Connor. They've brought the advantage down to 5'30.

53km to go

Craddock is holding strong as he starts the Alto del Purche (Cat. 1), the prelude to the HC climb to come. 

He has 1'20 on the chase group. The peloton is 4'30 behind. 

Jumbo Visma has come to the front. They're really putting the pressure on now. 

The Alto del Purche is 9.1km long and averages 7.6 percent. 

Looks like there's a tailwind up this climb as well. Gaps are opening in the peloton. 

Now AG2R is back at the front. Bob Jungels is leading and hoping Ben O'Connor can deliver today. 

The red jersey is isolated in the peloton, however he still has two teammates up the road. 

Mads Pedersen (TFS) is about to be caught by the peloton. 

We're still on the climb and Craddock is hanging tough and holding his advantage. He's done with 2/3 of the climb. 

3km to the KOM. Craddock is about 3'30 ahead of the peloton. There is still a huge chase group in between. 

Craddock has been out there for 35km. He's on the steep part of the ascent. 

Jay Vine attacks out of the chase group. 

Fred Wright (TBV) is heading back into the peloton. 

Vine is about to connect with Craddock. 

The peloton has relaxed quite a bit. The gap has gone back out to five minutes. 

Results at Alto del Purche

37km to go

The riders are tackling a twisting, narrow descent before heading up the final HC climb. 

Jay Vine (ADC) and Lawson Craddock (BEX) have 45 seconds on Thymen Arensman (DSM), Jai Hindley (BOH), Louis Meintjes (IWG), David De La Cruz (AST), Richard Carapaz (IGD), Gino Mäder (TBV), Sébastien Reichenbach (GFC), Fausto Masnada (QST) and Antonio Tiberi (TFS).

30km to go

Ruben Fernandez (Cofidis): “Yes, I think [many riders know the climb up Sierra Nevada]. In the end, almost every team and almost every rider have done training camps in Sierra Nevada, or at least the big majority. It will be a key stage. For sure there will be a big battle, like every day, to try to make the break. Then, I think Jumbo-Visma will try to shake Remco [Evenepoel]. In the end, it’s one of the stages best suited to try to wear him down for real, they will surely try.”

Vine and Craddock have 30 seconds on the chasers. The peloton is at 4'49. 

And the two leaders have been caught by the chasers. 

25km to go

Thymen Arensman (DSM), Jai Hindley (BOH), Louis Meintjes (IWG), David De La Cruz (AST), Richard Carapaz (IGD), Rigoberto Urán (EFE), Jay Vine (ADC), Gino Mäder (TBV), Marc Soler (UAD), Sébastien Reichenbach (GFC), Lawson Craddock (BEX), Louis Vervaeke (QST) and Antonio Tiberi (TFS) are our leaders. 

Jumbo-Visma is leading the peloton. We're gearing up for the final climb.

Fausto Masnada (QST) crashes at the bottom of the climb. 

Jumbo is putting early pressure on Remco Evenepoel. 

The peloton has exploded. We have 22km of climbing yet to come.

Harper comes to the front for Roglic. Evenepoel, O’Connor, Mas and Lopez are there. 

Soler has attacked out of the chase group on the lower slopes of the climb. 

Now Evenepoel takes to the front of the GC group to show his strength. 

15km to go

Soler is gaining time. He's 42 seconds ahead of his pursuers. 

Thymen Arensman (DSM), Jai Hindley (BOH), Louis Meintjes (IWG), David De La Cruz (AST), Rigoberto Urán (EFE), Jay Vine (ADC) and Gino Mäder (TBV) make up the first chase. 

10km to go

Remco Evenepoel (QST) is with Primož Roglič (TJV), Enric Mas (MOV), Miguel Ángel López (AST), Ben O'Connor (ACT), Sébastien Reichenbach (GFC) and Louis Vervaeke (QST) on this climb. They're 2'15 behind the lone leader, Soler. 

There's a strong attack from Miguel Ángel López (AST) out of the GC group. 

Now Enric Mas (MOV) goes. The red jersey is also letting him go. 

Mas is going across the gap to Lopez. 

Remco is being forced to work as Roglic sits on. 

5km to go

Thymen Arensman (DSM) has joined Marc Soler (UAD) at the front. 

And Thymen Arensman passes Soler, who doesn't have the legs to stay with the DSM rider. 

Lopez attacks Enric Mas. 

But he's not quite shaking off Mas. He has a little bit left to give. 

Thymen Arensman (DSM) is flying up this climb. He's on his way to a stage win if he can keep this pace up. 

The GC leaders head up the Sierra Nevada climb, the highest point in Spain. 

2km to go

Lopez is getting frustrated with Mas. He won't work with him and he shakes his head in frustration.

Thymen Arensman (DSM) is going to do it! 

Arensman is about to become the king of Sierra Nevada. It will be his first grand tour victory. 

Roglic goes! 

He drops Evenepoel who can't respond. 

But it looks like the red jersey is fighting back. 

Thymen Arensman (DSM) wins stage 15 of the Vuelta a Espana! 

Roglic is putting time on Evenepoel. 

Evenepoel only loses a few seconds to Roglic at the end of the stage. 

Provisional top 5:

At the end of the stage, Evenepoel maintains his lead, but Roglic is slowly chipping away at it. The defending champion is now 1:34 behind the 22-year-old before the final rest day. 

After the rest day tomorrow, the peloton picks up again on Tuesday where they'll have another flat 189.5km stage to the finishing town of Tomares, where the sprinters will once more have their turn to shine. The race starts at 12:45 p.m. CET.

And here's a look at a detailed breakdown of how Stage 15 unfolded by Stephen Farrand.

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