Vuelta a Espana stage 18 live - Evenepoel stamps his authority on the Alto del Piornal

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of stage 18 of the Vuelta a España!

Another mountain-top finish today as the riders take on the Alto del Piornal, which hasn't been seen in the Vuelta since 2006.

A reminder of yesterday's results on the Monasterio de Tentudía summit finish and the GC picture.

Yesterday was Rigoberto Urán's day as the Colombian took the stage win from the breakaway.

Read all about stage 17 here

Two non-starters today – Samuele Battistella (Astana Qazaqstan) and Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ) are out of the race.

Battistella has a fever while Armirail has bronchitis. 136 riders remain in the race.

Take a look at the map of today's stage. Today we're in Extremadura in western Spain.

After yesterday's stage there was little change at the top of the GC standings, barring Primož Roglič's abandon.

Evenepoel still leads Mas by 2:01, while Ayuso in third dropped two seconds to 4:51. Behind him, at over five minutes down, Carlos Rodríguez and Miguel Angel López lost a handful of seconds, while João Almeida in sixth made up nine.

Check out the full GC picture here.

The peloton is currently on the way to the start, rolling through the neutral zone.

Three climbs on the menu today – the Alto de Desperá (3.7km at 9.4%) and two ascents of the Piornal (13.5km at 5% and 13.4km at 5.6%).

The riders will be ascending the Piornal from the east, then descending to the south before ascending again from the west. 

Here's a look at the final climb.

192km to go

Ben O'Connor (AG2R Citroën) puncturing in the neutral zone held up the start a little but now racing is underway.

And immediately we have a group of riding jumping away to try and get into the breakaway.

There are around 20 riders attacking at the front now.

182km to go

Nibali, Hindley, Herrada, Carthy are all up there.

A fast pace early on but the breakaway group hasn't managed to pull away. All together for now.

174km to go

The average is just over 50kph so far.

Still no moves established.

Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers) and Jay Vine (Alpecin-Deceuninck) are among several riders caught in a crash in the peloton.

170km to go

And now a group is on the move at the front once again.

That move has been brought back and the battle to get out front goes on.

165km to go

Sergio Higuita (Bora-Hansgrohe), Nelson Oliveira (Movistar), Chris Harper (Jumbo-Visma), James Shaw (EF Education-EasyPost),  and Robert Stannard (Alpecin-Decuninck) are on the attack now with a small gap.

Abandon

Jay Vine (Alpecin-Deceuninck) has abandoned the race following that earlier crash. A big shame for the Australian, who was leading the KOM standings in the polka dot jersey. He'll go home with two stage wins to his name, though.

Green jersey Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) was also caught in the crash but he's OK to race on.

A look a the peloton racing through the early kilometres of today's stage.

The attacking group has been caught.

Jesus Ezquerra (Burgos-BH) and Ibai Azurmendi (Euskaltel-Euskadi) try a move.

Meanwhile, Carlos Rodríguez is back at the medical car after the crash.

155km to go

Ezquerra and Azurmendi are brought back. Still no move as we approach the 40km mark.

Now more riders are attacking, including Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH), Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers), and Matteo Fabbro (Bora-Hansgrohe).

Bol is 33 today. A birthday breakaway attempt.

A shot of the crash earlier on. Rodríguez is clearly pretty cut up there. You can just about make out Vine in the background on the left.

149km to go

An average speed of 49kph so far.

More riders are trying to get away. A large group at the front. 

There must be 30 to 40 men up there now with a small gap.

A list of riders involved at the front at the moment...

Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers), Fausto Masnada (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl), Nicolas Prodhomme (AG2R Citroën), Dario Cataldo (Trek-Segafredo), Matteo Fabbro (Bora-Hansgrohe), Jasha Sütterlin, Gino Mäder (Bahrain Victorious), Mark Padun, Merhawi Kudus, Hugh Carthy, James Shaw (EF Education-EasyPost), Jan Bakelants (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert), Gregor Mühlberger (Movistar),  Davide Villella (Cofidis),  Alessandro De Marchi (Israel-Premier Tech), Lawson Craddock (BikeExchange-Jayco), Mikel Iturria, Gotzon Martin (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Dan McLay, Lukasz Owsian, Clément Russo (Arkéa-Samsic), Jose Manuel Díaz, Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH).

Rodríguez at the medical car earlier. He lies in fourth, 5:20 down and just 29 seconds away from a podium place.

140km to go

There are more riders in that attack group and they have just over a minute on the peloton now. Full list coming shortly.

The breakaway with 38 riders...

• Mark Padun, Merhawi Kudus, Hugh Carthy, Julius van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost)
• Elie Gesbert, Dan McLay, Lukasz Owsian, Clément Russo (Arkéa-Samsic)
• Robert Gesink, Sam Oomen, Mike Teunissen (Jumbo-Visma)
• Jose Manuel Díaz, Jetse Bol, Dani Navarro (Burgos-BH)
• Sergio Higuita, Matteo Fabbro, Danny van Poppel (Bora-Hansgrohe)
• Richard Carapaz, Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers)
• Thibaut Pinot, Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ)
• Jasha Sütterlin, Gino Mäder (Bahrain Victorious)
• Nelson Oliveira, Carlos Verona (Movistar)
• Mikel Iturria, Gotzon Martin (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
• Fausto Masnada (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl)
• Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates)
• Jan Bakelants (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert)
• Dario Cataldo (Trek-Segafredo)
• Nicolas Prodhomme (AG2R Citroën)
• Lawson Craddock (BikeExchange-Jayco)
• Davide Villella (Cofidis)
• Omer Goldstein (Israel-Premier Tech)
• Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
• Raúl García Pierna (Kern Pharma)

132km to go

49.9km covered in the first hour. That break move has two minutes now.

Plenty of major names in there.

Carapaz, Geoghegan Hart Oomen, Higuita, Mäder, Pinot, Soler, Carthy, Masnada, Craddock will all be up there later on if the break is allowed to contest the stage win.

Jay Vine after the crash. He had 59 points in the KOM standings but the polka dot jersey will now go to Carapaz, who has 30 points.

Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Qazaqstan) is also in the breakaway, as are Edoardo Zambanini (Bahrain Victorious) and James Shaw (EF Education-EasyPost).

Three minutes for the break now as Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates) chases behind.

124km to go

Oliveira has now made it across. 41 men up front.

The move has 5:30 on the peloton currently.

The gap is only growing now as it's up to seven minutes.

Nobody in the break is a GC threat. Carapaz is the best-placed man at over 26 minutes down.

105km to go

Eight minutes for the break now.

A look at the breakaway with Carapaz up front.

Here's what Thibaut Pinot, who has made the breakaway, had to say about today's stage...

"It would be good to turn these places of honor we’ve had from the start into victory," he said. "That's what we really miss, that's what we came for. We have three chances left to get this result. It won't be easy but we will try, we are motivated in any case.

"Today is tough. There are 3,700 metres of elevation. It is true that the slopes are not the highest but at the end of La Vuelta, it is still quite hard and it can open gaps. [Yesterday] I wanted to enjoy myself and show that I am there too. Of course, I find it difficult to take the breakaways and today it will be the same, it will be difficult to make the breakaway again. But I know the condition is quite good."

Under 100km to go now. The gap is up to nine minutes.

A 45.4kph average speed so far.

UAE Team Emirates have taken over from QuickStep-AlphaVinyl at the front of the peloton.

Tao Geoghegan Hart at the front of the breakaway today.

89km to go

The riders are approaching the Alto de la Desperá now. The second-category climb is 3.7km at 9.4%.

Meanwhile, João Almeida and Brandon McNulty have gone on the attack from the peloton. They have 20 seconds on the rest.

Onto the climb now. The breakaway has six minutes on the peloton.

Almeida, meanwhile, now has just over a minute on the peloton.

83km to go

Astana and Movistar at the head of the peloton.

Almeida now solo in his attack as McNulty drops away.

Oliveira dropped back from the break to help Almeida. The Portuguese pair are 1:05 up on the peloton. The break is still 4:20 up the road.

New KOM leader Carapaz led the way over the first climb of the day. Five points for him and he'll be the favourite to win that jersey following Vine's abandon.

British duo Hugh Carthy and Tao Geoghegan Hart at the front of the break on the climb.

67km to go

Almeida and Oliveira catch Dan McLay, who has dropped from the breakaway.

Up front, McLay's teammate Russo has attacked and has a 45-second gap on the break already.

Iturria also back with the Almeida group after being dropped.

The breakaway is still very large despite several riders dropping back.

No categorised climb at the moment but the riders are still going up and down here on these hilly roads on the lead-in to the first ascent of the Piornal.

58km to go

Almeida's group is slowly falling back towards the peloton. He's 3:25 down with the peloton at 4:00.

Russo has just been caught, too.

54km to go

The break starts the Alto del Piornal (13.5km at 5%).

Almeida is alone in his move now as Oliveira drops back. He has 50 seconds on the peloton.

Now Carthy attacks the breakaway.

More attacks from the break behind him on the climb.

47km to go

Carapaz is jumping across. Up front are Carthy followed by Gesink, Gesbert, Pinot, and Higuita.

Higuita and Pinot are now with Carthy.

Gesink and Gesbert follow with Carapaz at 20 seconds.

The situation up front right now...

Breakaway: Hugh Carthy (EF Education-EasyPost), Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ), Sergio Higuita (Bora-Hansgrohe)

Chase: Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), Robert Gesink (Jumbo-Visma), Elie Gesbert (Arkéa-Samsic)

Now Marc Soler has dropped back from the break to help Almeida.

41km to go

At the front, Carapaz, Gesink and Gesbert have caught Carthy, Higuita, and Pinot.

And Carapaz duly leads the way over the top. Another 10 points for him.

Now Almeida and Soler pass the top. They pass Nibali, who drops back to help his team try and reel in the UAE duo.

Back in the GC group, Rodríguez is out the back. He crashed early on in the stage.

The group is only nine riders right now.

35km to go

Reportedly 2:45 back to Almeida. The GC group is at 3:25.

30km to go

The riders still racing down the descent of the Piornal.

The GC group has gained quite a few riders on the way down. Astana, QuickStep, Movistar working at the front as they catch those dropped from the break. Rodríguez is back in.

Nibali among the riders working at the head of the GC group. They're just under 30 seconds back from Almeida and co (much of the break) now.

24km to go

Almeida's group is two minutes away from the leaders.

Surely not long before the UAE man is caught now as the peloton closes in.

19km to go

The leading six riders are on the short section of flat road before the final ascent of the Piornal.

A shot of Astana leading the peloton. They don't have that many riders there now but they're still making the pace for López.

1:35 for the Almeida group as the GC group lies at 1:55.

13km to go

The leaders hit the Piornal.

A reminder of the final profile here.

Carapaz, Carthy, Pinot, Gesbert, Gesink, Higuita out front.

1:20 back to the Almeida group, two minutes back to the peloton.

Almeida pushing on with no teammates to help at the front of his group now.

He still has 25-30 seconds on the peloton.

Movistar riding at the front of the peloton.

10km to go

Gesbert is solo at the front having attacked the lead group.

Mas attacks as he grabs a bottle from his soigneur!

Evenepoel right on his wheel.

Masnada drops back from the break to help his leader.

O'Connor tries a move now.

9km to go

Up front, Gesink makes it across to Gesbert.

20 seconds between Almeida and the GC group.

O'Connor, López, Ayuso accelerate in the GC group.

AG2R and Movistar riders drop back to do some work.

O'Connor, Hindley, Evenepoel, Ayuso, Rodríguez, Mas, López, Meintjes, Arensman all in this group.

The gaps have gone down in these opening kilometres of the climb. Almeida is 55 seconds off the lead now.

8km to go

O'Connor, Hindley and Arensman have a small gap on the main GC group.

Evenepoel attacks!

Mas chases the red jersey.

The Belgian flies up to the O'Connor-Hindley-Arensman group.

Evenepoel goes right past them!

7km to go

Now the group settles a little. They've caught Almeida.

So it's Evenepoel, Mas, Almeida, O'Connor, Arensman, Hindley in there along with several breakaway stragglers.

45 seconds down on the lead duo.

Ayuso and López are 20 seconds back. Rodríguez is further back.

Up front Gesink puts in an attack to leave Gesbert behind.

Now the GC group are collecting some attackers from the break as Higuita drops back.

Movistar pacing that group for Mas.

The situation at the moment...

Leader: Robert Gesink (Jumbo-Visma),

Chase: Elie Gesbert (Arkéa-Samsic)

GC group: Remco Evenepoel (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl), Enric Mas (Movistar), Ben O'Connor (AG2R Citroën), Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe), Thymen Arensman (Team DSM), João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates)

Dropped: Miguel Angel López (Astana Qazaqstan), Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates), Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers)

5km to go

50 seconds between Gesink and the Evenepoel group.

Ayuso, Rodríguez, López are back up to the Evenepoel group now.

Mas ups the pace at the front as Evenepoel follows him. Rodríguez is out the back of the group.

3km to go

35 seconds to Gesink.

Almeida accelerates. The group is still together with Rodríguez the one major name to be dropped so far.

Now Evenepoel attacks again!

Mas on his wheel after a short delay.

O'Connor and Arensman the only other GC men to get across

Almeida, Ayuso, López a bit further back.

Stage 17 winner Rigoberto Urán is also in there and he tries a move at the front of the Evenepoel group.

2km to go

Rodríguez dropping 30 seconds at the moment.

Around 11-12 men in the GC group. Carapaz is back with Rodríguez helping him pace his way up the climb.

Gesink is holding a steady pace as the riders behind attack and slow. 

20 seconds as he heads towards the flamme rouge.

Evenepoel leads the group.

López has jumped up above Rodríguez in the virtual GC.

1km to go

Gesink has 20 seconds. Rodríguez is a minute down.

Mas accelerates as Evenepoel easily follows.

López next to catch but Mas keeps pushing on.

10 seconds to Gesink...

The Dutchman is going to get caught very late.

500 to go and Mas rides on with Evenepoel behind.

Mas and Evenepoel have Gesink in their sights.

300 metres to go and Mas and Evenepoel make it across.

Gesink tries to push on.

Here's the final sprint!

Evenepoel comes from the back of the group to launch the sprint!

He rounds Mas and Gesink and wins the sprint with ease!

Remco Evenepoel has won stage 18 and extended his GC lead with those bonus seconds.

Mas second, Gesink third. The chase group at 12-13 seconds.

Evenepoel gained two seconds on Mas there in addition to four bonus seconds.

His GC lead will now be up to 2:07.

No changes at the top of the GC standings today, apart from Rodríguez dropping from fourth to fifth.

Check out our short report on stage 18 here

Evenepoel celebrates his stage victory.

Mas tried his best once again today but ended up losing time in the end. It's hard to see where he's going to gain over two minutes on Evenepoel now that the Belgian looks back to his best following his crash last week.

Three stages left to run – tomorrow's in Talavera de la Reina which includes two  second-category climbs, Saturday's stage 20 over four mountains including the final atop the Puerto de Navacerrada, and Sunday's finale circuit race in Madrid.

Check out the Vuelta's current GC standings here

Evenepoel outsprinting Mas for the win today.

Evenepoel celebrates his stage victory on the podium today.

He's in red and is now 2:06 up on Mas.

Evenepoel is alos in white as the best young rider, 5:14 up on Juan Ayuso.

Richard Carapaz takes over the KOM jersey after Jay Vine's abandon. He has 45 points to Mas' 25.

Mads Pedersen remains in control of the points classification, too. He's on 349 points, 200 up on Fred Wright.

The fifth stage of the Tour of Britain also finished earlier on today. There was a sprint finish in Mansfield, derailed when a large portion of the peloton took a wrong turn inside the final kilometre.

Check out the stage 5 report here

The second stage of the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta is underway, too. We'll have results and news from that race coming up later.

Look out for news coming in from all the major GC names at the Vuelta coming in later this evening.

Check out the action from the final kilometre of stage 18 in this video below.

Evenepoel with a message on Twitter after his win...