As it happened: Molano snatches Vuelta a España stage 12 sprint in Zaragoza before Pyrenees showdown

Hola and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of stage 12 of the Vuelta a España from Ólvega to Zaragoza.

We begin our live coverage as riders sign-on in Ólvega. They are happy to descend from 1000m to just 200m today but are worried that cross winds on the exposed roads could spark echelons.  

"The wind will make the difference in this stage. The Vuelta regularly travels to Zaragoza and we have often seen echelons in this region. So it can be a treacherous day. The speed will be very high," former pro and now technical race director Fernando Escartin suggested. 

The stage descends to Zaragoza from the north, where cross winds are expected to blow. The forecasts are for 15km/h later, perhaps not enough to split the peloton, but everyone will be on edge today, the sprinters and the GC riders.

Landa is always a fan favourite.

Sepp Kuss signs on ands takes his place on ther front of the start grid. We're ready to roll. 

There are  160 starters and they face a 6.5km neutralised sector.

This is what Ineos expected today.

Kaden Groves and his Alpecin-Deceuninck team will be doing everything in their power to make sure it comes down to a bunch battle before a weekend of suffering in the Pyrenees.  

The Australian has dominated the few sprints of the race so far, claiming victory on stage 4 and 5, but was left rueing a missed opportunity on stage 7 in Oliva, when Geoffrey Soupe (TotalEnergies) spoiled the sprinters party with a late acceleration.

It is not a scenario he expects will transpire again.

“It is actually a less technical final, I think that might play a part, a more straightforward run in, big road," said Groves told Eurosport, prediciting the outcome of the stage.

"Sure there are some critical points but there is no final corner or anything like this – so I think it suits us really well with the horse power.”

First, however, the sprint teams have to make sure the escapees don't take the prize, with Groves expecting that the team will have to shoulder much of the work during the stage to manage the break. 

"Hopefully we can control for a small breakaway, like we have in every other stage, and then we have a sprint at the end,” he said.

Of course, there is terrain for a breakaway attempt.

There are no classified mountain climbs but a ascent just past Tarazona in the opening 30km could signal accelerations for a breakaway.  

After a long, gradual descent, there is a gradual uphill section of 36km through the Aragon region, setting up the prolonged downhill of 50km to the finish. In fact, there is more descending than climbing en route to Zaragoza, which has not seen the Vuelta for 15 years. 

In 2008 it came down to a sprint finish, and the same is expected in 2023 particularly given the teams of the fast men have had a couple of days to sit back and let the GC and break riders take their turn. 

Egan Bernal suffered a mechanical before the flag dropped but the attacks have begun. 

Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH) and Abel Balderstone (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) have opened a gap of 10 seconds.

The peloton have let them go! 

Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH) and Abel Balderstone (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) have a 2:00 lead.

Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH) and Abel Balderstone (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) will soon start the descent off the plateau and so can perhaps extend their lead even more. 

Many where expecting attacks from Remco Evenepoel on Wednesday but he opted to save himself for the Pyrenees. 

He spoke post stage about  staying unpredictable.

Remco Evenepoel: It's good we are a bit unpredictable

Bol and Balderstone have pushed out their lead to over 2:00 and so the Alpecin-Deceuninck has taken over on the front of the peloton. 

The likely sprint finish means that Jumbo-Visma do not have to work too hard too soon today. They can oblige the sprint  to lead the peloton today. 

Bol and Balderstone have covered 30km so far, holding their lead over a short climb. 

Now they can enjoy another descent.

Bol and Balderstone are pushing on, working well together.

The peloton less, so with riders stopping for natural breaks, bidons and enjoying a quieter day.

112km to go

The peloton is also not keen to chase into the current headwind.

Crash!

A distraction and touch of wheels appears to have sparked the spill. 

Louis Vervaeke of Soudal is down, as is Battistella and Fraile. All get up and chase back on.

108km to go

The peloton is lined out despite the crash. There was some initial sense they waited but the gradually descending roads is naturally keeping the speed above 43km/h.

100km to go

As the riders reach 100km to race, the gap to Bol and Balderstone is falling. 

It's down to 1:20. Is that due to the wind, the chase or a lack of speed up front? 

It's yet another busy race day and the Simac Ladies Tour time trial has already ended. 

Click below for our stage report.

Simac Ladies Tour: Lotte Kopecky fastest in stage 2 time trial, takes race lead

We'll have a full report from stage 5 of the Tour of Britain very soon, with a full report from the Vuelta a Espana too. 

Alasdair Fotheringham is in Spain for Cyclingnews and will have news, interviews and   a special preview on Friday's stage to the Tour du Tourmalet finish.

90km to go

Bol and Balderstone lead by 1:45, as Alpecin gather en masse at the head of the peloton. 

They are chasing but also playing cat and mouse with the two attackers. 

These are the views during today's stage.

85km to go

Interestingly the Alpecin riders have formed an echelon and are even half-wheeling the rest of the peloton, to force them to take some wind, which is blowing from their right.

These are the jersey wearers as the riders line-up for the stage start.

The views across the plains of Spain.

Enric Mas is towed back into the peloton by his Movistar teammates, no doubt after a natural break. 

Any early crash saw Louis Vervaeke (Soudal Quick-Step) go down. 

This was the moment of the crash.

We pass the 70 kilometre to go mark and so the freewheeling on the descending roads is over for a while. 

For the next 30km the road is slightly uphill, not hard enough to hurt the sprinters but perhaps enough to shake-up the race. 

Indeed, Bol and Balderstone have lost 45 seconds to the peloton. 

The gap is just 1:00 now and the two riders' team cars have been sent ahead.

70km to go

Indeed the speed is up in the peloton.

60km to go

The roads and fields are pan flat at the moment. There is little wind and so no risk of crosswinds and echelons at the moment. 

The terrain is ideal for an echelon attack but the wind is not blowing enough. 

After two hours of racing the average speed is still a solid and consistently fast 43.5km/h average. 

The  peloton riders through the official eco zone of the stage and so the riders drop their rubbish, excess bars and gels and empty musettes. 

54km to go

Alpecin are riding on the front and making the other riders 'eat' some wind. 

Their pace has cut the gap to the two attack down to 30 seconds. 

Could we about to see a new phase of the stage? 

The pace is definitely rising, as riders try to move up to the front. 

50km to go

The pace is steady but it's hurting Alan Jousseaume of TotalEnergies. 

He appears to have crashed earlier and so is struggling to hold the wheels.

Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH) and Abel Balderstone (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) refuse to ease up and give up as the race passes through a valley of vines and fields. 

However their gap is only 20 seconds now.  

44km to go

Gruppo compatto. 

Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH) and Abel Balderstone (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) shake hands and wave to the TV camera and are swept up by the peloton.

Yet we spoke too soon!

Bol attacks again and this time alone. He wants more time in the spotlight and perhaps the combativity prize for the day.

Three riders from Alpecin continue with the chase.

Bol dances on the pedals over the top of the climb. 

The climb will have slowed the sprinters but they will surely soon close Bol's meagre five-second lead. 

34km to go

Bol is done and has been caught. 

That means there could be a battle for the intermediate sprint with 18.7km to go. 

Will the GC riders even get involved? We'll soon find out.

25km to go

It's a last time for riders to get a final bidon or visit their team car. 

Very soon, the pace is going to get very fast in the final 20km.

20km to go

Here we go! 

The speed is up to 50km/h! 

The riders are in the suburbs for the intermediate sprint. 

Kaden Groves came out late but was fastest in the intermediate sprint. That means he's further strengthened his lead in the green points jersey. 

Interestingly Primoz Roglic was second in the sprint to take 4 bonus seconds! 

14km to go

The pace is still high after the intermediate sprint.

Teams are using the wide roads to move up and take position for the sprint finish. 

The riders are on a fast northernly road to the centre of Zaragoza. 

There are then several corners in the final kilometres before a sweeping finish. 

10km to go

The teams have gathered together into formation now. 

We can see Lidl-Trek, Bahrain, dsm, and Jumbo-Visma riding to protect Roglic, Kuss and Vingegaard.

Soudal also move up to protect Evenepoel, as do UAE Team Emirates.

The riders are near the centre of Zaragoza. 

It's sprint time!

5km to go

Evenepoel is right up front to stay safe. 

EF are also up front for Marijn van den Berg.

The peloton crosses the river into Zaragoza and Alpecin move back up to the front. 

2km to go

Alpecin have 3 riders with Groves on their wheel. 

Lidl-Trek move up too. 

Groves protects his lead out position with two shoulder bumps. 

Last kilometre!

Uae surge early for Molano!

Molano hits the front and holds off Groves and everyone else!

Groves was boxed in behind a teammate and then lost his pedal briefly.

He came back fast but could not close the huge gap to Molano. 

Groves was second, with Boy van Poppel (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) third.

Rui Oliveira decided to take Molano up late on the outside. He's emotional as he talks about the sprint to Eurosport.

Rui Oliveira was strong and so well placed that he was able to finish  fourth and celebrate with his arms in the air.

He and Molano then hugged in celebration after the smash and grab sprint win.

This shot shows Molano's joy and Groves' disappointment. 

This is the top five for the stage:

1. Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates)
2. Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
3. Boy Van Poppel (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty)
4. Rui Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates)
5. Edward Theuns (Lidl-Trek)

This is another great shot of Molano's win. 

Molano is celebrated on the podium and now Sepp Kuss is in the podium after keeping the red leader's jersey.

"Thanks to my team for their work. They were amazing today," Molano said after the finish. 

"I'm very happy to win a stage in the Vuelta; last year, now this year. After my incident it's not easy to return but now it's okay and I'm very happy."

"Alpecin is a strong team and so is UAE. We've got also got guys going for the GC and they have to be looked after. But Rui did a great job today for me but also for Marc Soler," Molano explained. 

"We knew we had to be on the front in the last corner and close to the barriers, then just open up at that point."

Sepp Kuss finished safely in the peloton and kept the red jersey going into Friday’s big stage to the summit finish on the Col du Tourmalet.

He is still part of Jumbo-Visma’s trio of leaders. 

“Jonas and Primoz have given me a lot of advice and confidence throughout the race. It’s nice that are also believing in me at times. We’re all there for each other, that’s the most important thing,” he said after the stage to Zaragoza.

He agreed with Roglic going for the bonus seconds but expects bigger gaps in the Pyrenees. 

“It never hurts to try and if you’re in a good position, it’s easy to go for it. Tomorrow will normally be bigger difference but’s it all good.  

Kus did not give away anything on Jumbo-Visma’s strategy for Friday’s vital stage.

“It’s hard to say right now. We still have to have the three of us up there. I’ll have to see how I feel. There’s not much more to say,” he concluded.

This is how Molano and UAE celebrated their win.

To read our full stage report and see our growing photo gallery and stage results, click below.

Vuelta a España: Molano sprints to stage 12 victory

Thanks for joining our full live coverage of stage 12 of the Vuelta. 

Alasdair Fotheringham will soon have interviews and other news from Zaragoza and a special preview feature on Friday's vital stage to the summit of the mighty Col du Tourmalet. 

We'll be back on Friday with full live coverage of the stage here on Cyclingnews.

Hasta luego!