Hello and welcome to our live coverage of stage 11 of the Vuelta a España.
Today's stage map.
(Image credit: ASO/Unipublic)
Yesterday, we saw Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) come out on top in the stage 10 Valladolid time trial as world time trial champion Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) proved himself the strongest of the GC contenders.
Remco Evenepoel was the big GC winner of stage 10, gaining time on all his rivals. He put 20 seconds into Primož Roglič, 34 into João Almeida, 55 into Juan Ayuso, 1:02 into Jonas Vingegaard, 1:13 into Sepp Kuss, and 1:30 into Enric Mas.
Red jersey Sepp Kuss was another rider who could come away happy with the results of the day. The US climber put in a great time trial to hold off Marc Soler in second and limit his losses to much stronger TT riders including Evenepoel.
Meanwhile, Ineos Grenadiers leader Geraint Thomas endured another tough day at the Vuelta after falling victim to a mechanical midway through the stage. Going forward, he and his team will "start every day like it's a one-day", he said afterwards.
Five-time Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain was at the race yesterday as the riders took on his favourite discipline. He spoke to Cyclingnews after the stage to analyse the lie of the land.
EF Education-EasyPost directeur sportif gave some insight into the final climb today, where Dan Martin won three years ago and a minute covered the top 22 riders.
"It's a climb that can do some damage because when Dan Martin went for it, the other guys were instantly in trouble. It starts off easy, too, but it gets harder and harder. So it's a deceptive kind of climb, one where you need a good explosive final acceleration to get away and win."
With multiple players, team politics and transfer dynamics at play, the red jersey is within grasp of many riders, but with no clear hierarchy
(Image credit: Getty Images)
125km to go
Technical issues have delayed the start of our live coverage today but we're up and running now and riders are still battling for the breakaway!
There have been plenty of attacks going in the early kilometres of today's stage with riders including Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost), Jason Osborne (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Rune Herregodts (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) among numerous riders attempting to break clear of the peloton.
Kenny Elissonde (Lidl Trek), Elie Gesbert (Arkéa-Samsic) and Dorian Godon (AG2R Citroën) have been among the recent attackers along with Herregodts.
Find out how to watch Evenepoel, Roglic, Vingegaard, Kuss, Mas, Almeida, Ayuso battle for the red jersey
Elissonde among the attackers.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
121km to go
Jonathan Caicedo (EF Education-EasyPost) and Paul Lapeira (AG2R Citroën) are the latest men to make an effort off the front.
The Frenchman can't get away, though.
And now Caicedo is also brought back.
An scintillating average speed of 47.7kph to start today's stage.
There's been some rolling roads and flat land but no classified climbs. In fact, no classified climbs at all before the climb to the finish.
AG2R Citroën have tried multiple times to get away. Larry Warbasse is the latest man from the French squad to go on the attack.
Here's what Warbasse said at the start of today's stage...
"We don’t expect a GC battle so I think all eight of us will try for the break"
He's no more successful than Lapeira or Godon, though. Warbasse is caught now.
113km to go
50km of the stage over and done with and it's still all together in the peloton.
Mechanicals for the top two on stage 9, Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Matteo Sobrero (Jayco-AlUla). They're quickly back in the peloton, however.
Now a larger group is on the attack. Around 20 riders getting off the front of the peloton.
Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) is at the medical car following a crash earlier on.
Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) is among the riders on the attack. 26 men in the move.
His teammate and stage 10 winner Filippo Ganna is in there. Andreas Kron (Lotto-Dstny), Jesus Herrada (Cofidis), Jonathan Caicedo (EF Education-EasyPost) also there.
100km to go
The 26 riders have three minutes on the peloton now. This is the break of the day!
Here's the break...
Dorian Godon, Nicolas Prodhomme, Damien Touzé (AG2R Citroën); Luis León Sánchez (Astana Qazaqstan); Lukasz Owsian (Arkéa-Samsic); José Manuel Diaz, Eric Fagundez, Pelayo Sánchez (Burgos-BH); Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA); Jesus Herrada (Cofidis); Sean Flynn (dsm-firmenich); Jonathan Caicedo, Andrea Piccolo (EF Education-EasyPost); Rudy Molard, Lewis Askey, Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ); Geraint Thomas, Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers); Julius Johansen (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty); Jan Maas (Jayco-AlUla); Jacopo Mosca, Otto Vergaerde (Lidl-Trek); Andreas Kron (Lidl-Trek); Jorge Arcas (Movistar); Alan Jousseaume, Paul Ourselin (TotalEnergies)
95km to go
Four minutes for the move now as Jumbo-Visma drive the peloton.
The Dutch squad working for race leader Sepp Kuss as well as their GC favourites Primož Roglič and Jonas Vingegaard.
Arcas and Thomas at the head of the breakaway group.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The gap to the break stabilises at 3:50.
Jumbo-Visma are currently maintaining that time gap.
Geraint Thomas is the best-placed man on GC in the breakaway. He's at 13:05 down on Sepp Kuss.
Rudy Molard is next at 20:20 down.
Here's what Burgos-BH rider Diego Gallego had to say about today's stage. The team is riding on home roads today and they have three men in the break.
"The whole team was looking forward to this day. It's a day when we have to shine for the city of Burgos and for the team. I think it could be a good day for the breakaway.
"The other day I already noticed a lot of fatigue in the peloton and I think that from now on the breakaways will start to make it."
82km to go
4:15 for the breakaway now.
Jumbo-Visma leading the way at the head of the peloton.
No role changes for Kuss, Roglič and Vingegaard as they wait for the Pyrenean showdown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
66km to go
The gap to the break is growing a little. It's up to 4:25 now.
Otherwise there's no real change in the situation on this largely flat run towards the day's final climb.
4:35 for the large breakaway group now.
60km to go
A 46.5kph average speed so far today.
55km to go
Five minutes now for the breakaway! It looks like Jumbo-Visma are happy to let the group go up the road today.
Today's final climb of La Laguna Negra has featured in the Vuelta once before – on stage 3 back in 2020.
On the day, Dan Martin took the victory ahead of race leader and eventual winner Primož Roglič who had won on stage 1 in the Basque Country. Six riders finished within 10 seconds of Martin and the top 22 on the day were covered by a minute.
Meanwhile, here's a look back at Ayuso's crash earlier in the day. Jayco-AlUla rider Felix Engelhardt was also caught up.
¡Susto para comenzar la jornada!🚨 Juan Ayuso (@juann_ayuso) ha sufrido una caída. Afortunadamente, el español ha podido continuar sin problemas. #LaVuelta23 #VueltaRTVE6S DIRECTO | @teledeporte y https://t.co/Es7OtLZ8zP pic.twitter.com/tdArlIcXB5September 6, 2023
48km to go
Five minutes for the breakaway as Jumbo-Visma continue to control the peloton.
No movement from the break or the peloton at the moment on these flat roads heading to the climb.
It's all about waiting for the final climb, really. That was never a surprise about a stage with today's profile.
37km to go
5:25 for the breakaway.
The breakaway out on the road.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
30km to go
5:55 for the move now.
Jumbo-Visma continue to lead the peloton.
Here's what Primož Roglič had to say about today's stage this morning...
"Of course [today is important]. I mean, every stage is important for a GC, especially with an uphill finish.
"The last climb will be hard for sure. It's a hard climb. If I have the legs, we go again at the end. But you have to make sure the right breakaway goes and then we see how the stage will continue."
And here's what Remco Evenepoel said...
"Iljo [Keisse] said it before the race: 'you are still young.' I still have two more years I can win the white jersey. It’s pretty special and of course I'm gonna enjoy it.
"I think it's a big opportunity for the breakaway today but of course you never know. If there's another stage win up for grabs, for sure I'm gonna try and go for it but first we need to wait and see the race situation."
22km to go
Heading towards the final 20km and no change in the situation.
Johansen tries a move off the front of the break but he's swiftly brought back.
Just over 3km to go until the break passes the day's intermediate sprint.
Into the final 20km and the gap reaches up to six minutes.
Jumbo-Visma still in control.
18km to go
Nicolau leads the break through the intermediate sprint, for which there was no contest among the group.
16km to go
We're closing in on the start of the climb now.
Now Johansen is going off the front once again.
A small gap for the Intermarché rider.
14km to go
The group almost back with Johansen now.
Bora-Hansgrohe and Soudal-QuickStep join Jumbo-Visma up front in the peloton.
12km to go
The gap to the break coming down a little as the peloton speeds up.
It's 5:45 now with Johansen back in the group.
Not long before the riders hit the climb now.
Ourselin attacks the break!
10km to go
Here's a look at the climb. 3.5km to go to the start.
(Image credit: Unipublic/ASO)
Ourselin has 15 seconds on the break.
The peloton still at 5:45.
8km to go
1.5km to go until Ourselin hits the climb.
Ganna leading the break behind.
20 seconds for Ourselin now.
6.5km to go
The Frenchman starts the climb 23 seconds up on the Ganna-led chase group.
Kron attacks from the chase with Gregoiré on his wheel.
The move doesn't go anywhere though and now the chase group begin the climb 25 seconds down.
5:35 to the peloton.
6km to go
Ourselin still solo and gaining a second here and there.
5.5km to go
Owsian off the back of the chase. Touzé too.
Sánchez also dropping.
Ganna still pushing on and closing in on Ourselin.
11 seconds to the solo leader.
More riders dropping from the move.
5km to go
The peloton passes through the 8km banner
Now Ourselin is caught.
Ganna still driving at the front as more riders drop.
4.5km to go
Arcas the latest to go.
Only around 10 riders left in the lead break group.
Godon and Maas drop.
Kron in second wheel behind Ganna.
4km to go
Jumbo-Visma, Soudal-QuickStep, Bora-Hansgrohe, UAE Team Emirates lead the peloton at 5:50 down.
The peloton begin the climb to the finish.
Thomas moves up to third wheel behind Ganna and Kron.
Nicolau and Ourselin drop.
Ganna, Thomas, Caicedo, Kron, Prodhomme, Herrada, Molard, Grégoire left up front.
3km to go
The peloton upping the pace at 5:40 down.
The riders left in the break...
Geraint Thomas, Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers); Jonathan Caicedo (EF Education-EasyPost); Andreas Kron (Lidl-Trek); Nicolas Prodhomme (AG2R Citroën); Rudy Molard, Lewis Askey, Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ); Jesus Herrada (Cofidis); Pelayo Sánchez (Burgos-BH)
2.5km to go
Ganna still leads it.
Nobody has even tried to attack at the front since Ganna took over.
5:35 back to the peloton.
2km to go
A short flat section now before the road ramps up to double-digit gradients towards the finish line.
Godon fighting to get back on.
1.5km to go
Onto the steep stuff now.
Caicedo attacks!
Thomas tries to close down the move as Ganna drops away, his job done.
Thomas brings Caicedo back.
All the same men there, minus Ganna.
Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers); Jonathan Caicedo (EF Education-EasyPost); Andreas Kron (Lidl-Trek); Nicolas Prodhomme (AG2R Citroën); Rudy Molard, Lewis Askey, Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ); Jesus Herrada (Cofidis); Pelayo Sánchez (Burgos-BH)
Kron at the front with Caicedo and Thomas on either side.
Coming up to the final kilometre now.
1km to go
Caicedo makes a move!
He has a small gap.
Ganna now back on as Molard tries to up the pace.
Caicedo doing well so far...
Now Thomas heads to the front to up the pace.
A big effort from the Welshman.
Caicedo is almost caught.
Five with Thomas behind.
300m to go
Caicedo is almost caught!
Herrada leads it behind!
Herrada blasts past with Gregoire behind him.
Kron also chasing.
Herrada is on the way to a win!
Finish
Jesús Herrada (Cofidis) wins stage 11 of the Vuelta a España!
No major moves in the peloton, though Cian Uijtdebroeks has jumped.
No top GC men have made an attack here.
It almost looks as though the race has been neutralised in the peloton...
Absolutely nothing happening here aside from Uijtdebroeks' move.
The peloton race into the final kilometre.
Herrada beat Grégoire and Kron to the line by 3 and 8 seconds respectively. Caicedo and Thomas were fourth and fifth at 12 and 19 seconds.
Soudal-QuickStep, UAE Team Emirates, Jumbo-Visma all up front in the peloton.
Hugh Carthy makes a move now with Wilco Kelderman marking him.
Carthy is defending 13th place on GC from Uijtdebroeks here... Thrilling.
The Belgian is 20 seconds down on Carthy.
Into the final 300 metres for the GC group now.
Evenepoel now makes a move.
Kuss sticks with him.
Roglič behind.
The group gets across to Kelderman, Carthy and Uijtdebroeks just before the line.
No change at all in the GC, then, aside from Thomas shifting up several placings.
The GC group came in at 5:50 down and 5:31 down on Thomas.
Here's what Thomas said after the stage...
"We got in the break. Ideally, we wanted two of us, and me and Pippo was a good combination. I said to him halfway around that I wasn't feeling great. I don't know if the car thought I was being nervous or not confident, but I was being honest. They tried geeing me up and Pippo really wanted to commit to me and I really appreciated that.
"I'm just disappointed I couldn't finish it off. I just felt that I had no real gas at the end. A bit limited. We gave it everything and that's what we had on the day.
"Seeing [Ganna] at the start reminded me of Van Aert at the Tour last year when he could just make a break happen. He was going so well and the bunch was just splitting. Everyone was getting dropped and he was making the break. He's going so well. It was great to have him there, but it was probably too steep for him here so he committed full for me and unfortunately like I say, I couldn't quite finish it off, but we'll keep trying."
Finally a shot from today's final climb and it's Herrada celebrating his victory.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
That was Herrada's third Vuelta stage victory of his career. He won as Cistierna last year and at Ares del Maestrat in 2019.
Check out all the action from the final kilometre of the stage below...
💫 Una batalla por la victoria hasta los metros finales... 🔥 ¡La fuga lo ha conseguido! 🎥 Revive el ÚLTIMO KM. 💥 A battle until the closing metres for the stage win as stage 1️⃣1️⃣ honours go the way of the break today. 🎥 Watch back the final KM! #LaVuelta23 pic.twitter.com/OL49KNcWaySeptember 6, 2023
It took a huge effort from Herrada to be the best from the breakaway today.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Here's what Herrada had to say after his win today...
"It's always hard to know when it can be your day but you have to try, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I'm very happy. My goal was a stage win. I had to wait for the second week to make it happen but we did it. Now we can enjoy the rest of the race and keep fighting.
"I knew it was a good finish for me but it was complicated to even get in the breakaway. But I had good legs so I could be up there. It was hard to attack with the riders in the move and with Thomas there but I knew the finish suited me. I waited for the sprint and won it."
Kuss defends red as Geraint Thomas gains several spots in the overall order
Another couple of days in red secured for Sepp Kuss with tomorrow being one for the sprinters.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Here's what Kuss had to say after today's stage...
"It wasn't too bad, I think everyone wanted to do a nice pace at the end, so it was a bit strange. It took a while for the break to go but there were a lot of big, wide roads. There was an annoying wind all day, so it wasn't easy but it was all relative.
"As long as the wind doesn't blow too strong on the road to Zaragoza [on stage 12], it should be an okay day.
"You always have to believe. It's pretty simple: I give my best every day and I'm enjoying every day that I have the red jersey."
That's all for the live coverage of stage 11 of the Vuelta a España today. Be sure to check back through the evening for news from the race and then tomorrow for more live coverage from stage 12!
