Hello and welcome to stage 20 of the Vuelta a España!
This is the penultimate stage of the race, and the last in the mountains - and the GC race remains on a knife edge. Just 44 seconds separate Jonas Vingegaard and João Almeida at the top of classification, and the latter will need to throw everything at gaining that time today.
There is more than enough climbing today for Almeida to gain those 44 seconds. The five mountains today amount to a total of 4,226m elevation gain, including the feared Bola del Mundo, a horrible summit finish which could cause absolute carnage.
This is set to be a significant day in the career of Jonas Vingegaard. The supremacy of Tadej Pogačar means he hasn't actually won a Grand Tour since the 2023 Tour de France, since when he has made the podium three times. He will not want to extend that run to four podium finishes without a win by losing the red jersey today.
The riders have left the unofficial start and will be racing soon.
João Almeida believes he can take the red jersey today. “It’s not much, to be honest,” he said in a pre-race interview of his deficit of 44 seconds. “I think everything is open.”
There's been a minor incident in the peloton in the neutralised one. A few riders appear to have crashed at slow speed, but all seem OK.
UAE's Mikkel Bjerg is one of those riders.
The other major narrative playing out today is the race for the podium. Tom Pidcock still holds on to the place, but only by 39 seconds ahead of Jai Hindley, who is a third week specialist and tends to end Grand Tours strongly. Hindley’s bound to have his eye on that spot, and Pidcock may have to produce one of the climbing performances of his career to hold on to it.
The official start has been delayed as they wait for those held up by that crash to return to the peloton.
The start’s been delayed some more as Bahrain-Victorious’s Mathijs Paasschens has a mechanical.
Now an Arkea rider is getting a bike change. Still we wait to start.
Elia Viviani is the latest to get a bike change. He was one of the riders to go down in the crash.
And we're off!
OFFICIAL START
The race at last gets going, right at the foot of the first climb of the day, the category three Alto de la Escondida.
There’s a flurry of attacks right from the flag, and Ganna has managed to get a small gap.
Egan Bernal has gone clear of the peloton, and joined his teammate Ganna.
There are more attackers jumping out of the peloton trying to join the Ineos duo.
About 7 riders have done so, including a third Ineos rider, Kwiatkowski.
About 12 more riders are about to join them, while the peloton is only seconds behind.
Yet another Ineos rider, Langellotti, is at the front of the lead group, trying to push on.
That group's been brought back by the peloton.
Ciccone has attacked, and got a gap with Ineos' Rivera.
A group of about 10 has joined Ciconne and Rivera.
This lead group keeps getting bigger and bigger as more riders join it from the peloton.
The riders at the start.
Buitrago pushes on off the front to go solo, 1km from the summit.
Five riders join Buitrago, including Aular, Vansevenant and Dunbar.
Buitrago leads this group over the top of the climb, with Landa and Ciccone also having joined it.
KOM - ALTO DE LA ESCONDIDA
There are eight riders in this lead group, including some big names, but their lead on the peloton is only a few seconds.
150KM TO GO
Actually, it's not the 'peloton' that's behind them, but rather a series of smaller groups that the peloton has fractured into.
The first chase group has caught the leaders, forming a big new lead group.
Marit has had a crash.
There looks to be more than 20 riders in this lead group.
The riders are climbing again, up the second hill of the day - the category three Puerto de la Paradilla.
The peloton earlier, when Ineos were instigating the initial moves.
UAE are controlling the peloton, setting tempo. They don't appear to have anyone in the front group.
Bernal has attacked out of the peloton, and is trying to bridge up to the lead group.
In that lead group, it’s that man again, Mads Pedersen, who is setting the pace at the front.
The leaders have 30 seconds on the peloton, but some in the latter aren’t content to let them go yet. A couple of Astana riders are the latest to attack from it.
Kelland O'Brien has taken over from Pedersen, leading the group which now must have around 30 riders in it.
No GC threats appear to be in this group, but there are plenty of quality climbers and therefore potential stage winners, including Bernal, Ciccone and Dunbar.
UAE continue to set tempo in the peloton, at a slightly slower pace than the break, that has gradually increased its lead to 40 seconds.
140KM TO GO
The leaders go over the Puerto de la Paradilla summit, with nobody contesting the KOM points. The leader in that classification, Jay Vine, has not gotten into the break, instead sticking to his UAE leader Almeida.
PUERTO DE LA PARADILLA
The gap grows as the riders fly down this descent, to just under a minute.
There are arund 35 riders in this lead group, and their lead is being held steady at just under a minute. UAE don't look happy with it, and continue to set a fierce pace.
130KM TO GO
Some of the standout names in this lead group include: Bernal, Landa, Ciccone and Buitrago.
Here's Mads Pedersen pulling along the brekaway a little earlier.
Carlos Verona leads the break. He's one of four Lidl riders in this group, along with Ciccone, Pedersen and Bernard.
Pedersen has dropped out of the break and back into the peloton.
The gap has gone up to 1:30, and some riders in the peloton are taking long-awaited comfort breaks. UAE haven't sat up, but the pace is slower than it was.
120KM TO GO
Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe are also assisting UAE with the pace-setting. At some point their leader Jai Hindley is sure to go on the attack as he eyes up Pidcock's place on the podium.
There are once again huge numbers of pro-Palestine protesters on the roadside.
Bahrain and Ineos are the two teams leading the break, for their respective men Buitrago and Bernal.
The riders are on the third climb of the day, and it's hardest so far - the category two Alto del León.
Red Bull and especially UAE are keeping this break very tightly controlled. For the first time all race, it seems the latter are all in for Almeida, and want to deliver him the stage win (and the bonus seconds available) as well as the red jersey.
UAE and Red Bull’s work has seen the break’s lead come down to 1:20. It might be a strong group out front, but they’re not looking good to survive.
110KM TO GO
The pace is high, but Jonas Vingegaard certainly looks untroubled. He waves and blows a kiss to the camera as the TV moto rides past him on this climb.
The break is all strung out in one line as the pace is increased in response to the peloton's chase. Some are struggling to hold on, with Rivera dropped.
Eddie Dunbar is one of the riders in the break, despite saying prior to the stage that he didn’t fancy their chances of holding off the peloton for the win today. So far, his prognosis appears likely to be correct.
Nicolau leads the peloton over the top of the climb to pick up a few points in the KOM classification.
Nicolau might have been a contender for the King of the Mountains earlier in the Vuelta, but has run out of climbs to challenge Vine’s lead in the classification, with none on the menu tomorrow. The only man who can prevent Vine from winning that classification is Vingegaard, who is 20 points behind him.
1:20 is the break's lead, as they descend the climb. That's a very slender margin.
100KM TO GO
There’s a prolonged section of undulating roads before the penultimate of the day’s five climbs, the very hard Alto de Navacerrada. Brace yourself - it's on this category one mountains that the first big GC attacks are made.
A crash in the peloton, Brieuc Rolland and Bjorn Koerdt are the two riders down.
Both are back up and riding.
The break aren't managing to extend their lead on this undulating section. They're being kept at 1:30 by the peloton, with Red Bull and UAE still doing the work.
90KM TO GO
Jonas Vingegaard revealed prior to the stage that he and his Visma team would take a back seat and wait for others to attack them today, and that’s been their approach so far, hiding in the peloton while UAE and Red Bull do all the work.
The gap's remaining steady, at 1:20. There’s a sense of discouragement in the break, where all their efforts look set to be in vain.
80KM TO GO
Bjorn Koerdt is with the medical car, getting his wounds that he sustained in the crash earlier seen to.
Here's the top of the Bola del Mundo, the concrete surface the riders will have to haul themselves up at the end of the stage.
The road is about to start tilting gradually uphill, as they approach the foothills of the Alto de Navacerrada. The break’s lead remains at just 1:30.
70KM TO GO
The upcoming mountain, the Alto de Navacerrada, climbs for 6.9km at 7.6%. This is also the same climb they will return to for the finish, although that time they’ll climb even higher up to the Bola del Mundo.
Still the gap remains at 1:30. The climbing will soon commence, and we can anticipate the first real moves from UAE as they seek to put Vingegaard under pressure.
60KM TO GO
The break as begun the climb, and already riders are being dropped out of it - Rivera and Vansevenant among them.
In fact, about ten riders have gone already, as Lidl set the pace.
Riders are also being jettisoned out of the peloton as they start the climb. This has already been a very fatiguing day, and it’s just become even harder.
Red Bull lead the peloton on the climb.
Zwiehoff is the Red Bull rider pacing the peloton.
In the break, Verona has finished his turn, and now Bernard takes over to work for Ciccone.
UAE and Red Bull, pulling the peloton.
There are only about 12 riders from the day's break still left in it.
Bernal, Landa, Tiberi, Dunbar and Fortunato are some of the riders still in the leading group. Bernard continues to set the pace, for Ciccone.
Juan Ayuso is doing the work for UAE on this climb. Behind him, Vine, Soler and Großschartner are poised to take over. For once at this Vuelta, Almeida is surrounded by teammates.
This work from UAE has seen the gap come down to 1:05. The break will make it to the top of the climb still at the front, but are very unlikely to survive the final climb.
50KM TO GO
Ayuso is still leading as they near the summit, and has brought the back to under one minute.
Van der Lee moves to the front of the lead group to take points at the top of the summit.
KOM - ALTO DE NAVACERRADA
The peloton crest the climb about a minute later. Everyone is now plunging down this descent, after which it won't be long till theyre climbing back up the mountain again.
The leaders are increasing their advantage a little on this descent, to 1:05, but that's not going to be enough to contest the stage win.
There are only five riders left in the front group: Ciccone, Landa, Bernal, Amirail and Van der Lee. They lead the peloton by 1:05, with chasers dropped from the break in between.
40KM TO GO
Ayuso led the peloton all the way to the top, meaning Almeida still has four riders with him, Vine, Soler and Großschartner. They have tried nay outside the box tactics today, but are well-positioned to ignite the race on the final climb.
Jonas Vingegaard, safely in the peloton. He has just one more climb to survive in the red jersey - but what a climb it is.
This is what the top of the Bola del Mundo looks like. There are no spectators there, as they've been barred entry for environmental reasons.
The peloton has the break in sight now. With 25km left to ride, they’re just 45 seconds up the road.
The riders in between who were dropped by the front five have sat up and are about to be caught.
The riders will start Bola del Mundo in about 10 kilometre’s time. It’s 12.2km long, but it’s the gradients that really make it difficult, averaging 8.6%, and with stretches much steeper than that. The final kilometres are especially agonising, when the road surface becomes concrete and thus even more difficult to drag yourself up.
Van der Lee and Amrirail have been dropped by Bernal, Ciccone and Landa.
Landa, Ciccone and Bernal are persevering. They still have 1 minute over the peloton - but all eyes are on the latter as we await the final showdown in the race for the red jersey.
20KM TO GO
Ciccone has attacked and dropped the others.
There are some pro-Palestine protesters trying to block the road.
Both the break and the peloton appear to have gone through the block.
At some point Mikel Landa went clear from the rest of the break, and now leads the race.
Although the riders managed to get through the road block, their teams cars have been held up.
Ciccone, Bernal and Van der Lee are together behind Landa.
UAE, preparing their assault on the red jersey as they approach the final climb.
Armirail has been caught by the peloton.
Landa is 12 seconds ahead of Bernal, Ciccone and Van der Lee, and 1:15 ahead of the peloton.
Van der Lee is dropped by Ciccone and Bernal, as the road goes up just before the official start of the mountain.
Here we go then, they've began the final climb! Three weeks of racing all comes down to this.
BOLA DEL MUNDO
Landa has been caught by Ciccone, who has also dropped Bernal.
Ciccone attack again and drops Landa. He leads the race - but only by 1:12 over the peloton.
In the peloton, Großschartner has taken over, Ayuso's work done. Marc Soler has also gone.
Ciccone's maintaining his lead for now, holding 10 seconds over Landa, and 1:13 over the peloton.
10KM TO GO
Landa has dragged himself back to the wheel of Ciccone.
Van der Lee has been caught by the peloton, still being led by Großschartner.
The pace still isn’t that high from UAE, and the peloton still has about 25 riders left in it.
There's still 8km to ride to get to the top.
You can read more about the protests that held up the race before the final climb here.
Großschartner's finished, Vine takes over, and the group's down to about 20 riders.
All of the riders in the top ten of GC are present.
Giulio Pellizzari's been dropped! That's a surprise given how well he looked to win a mountain stage a few days ago.
Both Pellizzari's fifth place on GC and white jersey are now under threat.
Bernal's been caught.
Felix Gall, who was 7th on GC, is the latest to be dropped by this turn from Vine.
Now Jorgenson has been dropped. Thankfully for Vingegaard, he still has both Kuss and Tulett to support him.
Vine is Almeida's last man. When is he going to make his move?
Landa and Ciccone still lead by 25 seconds, but the gradient is about to ramp up to a much steeper gradient. This is where the mountain starts to get really hard.
5KM TO GO
Vingegaard, Kuss, Tullet, Almeida, Vine, Pidcock, Howson, Hindley, Riccitello, Traen, Pickering and Lecerf are the riders in the group of favourites.
The rider crest Alto de Navacerrada again, and swing on to the concrete road. The Bola del Mundo proper starts here!
Ciccone and Landa are about to be caught.
Vine is finished, and Almeida takes over. This is his moment.
Almeida now leads the race, Ciccone and Landa both caught and dropped.
Vingegaard, Hindley, Pidcock and Kuss are the only riders still with Almeida.
Riccittelo has been dropped, but could still take over Pellizzari to take the young rider's jersey.
Almeida is using the same tactics as the Angliru, not attacking but setting a tempo to try and ride everyone - and most importantly Vingegaard - off his wheel.
It's more of an acceleration than an attack but he's putting the others under pressure.
HINDLEY ATTACKS
Pidcock is just about hanging on at 5th wheel. He needs to defend 39 seconds to keep his place on the podium.
Hindley and Vingegaard have a few bikelengths on Almeida and Kuss.
Almeida drags himself, Kuss and Pidcock back to Vingegaard and Hindley.
It's still Hindley who leads on these horrible, uneven, rough roads.
Pidcock is really struggling, but just about managing to hang on.
Still its Hindley who leads.
Vingegaard makes a move, just over 1km from the top.
VINGEGAARD ATTACKS
Vingegaard has a gap, of a few seconds.
It looks like Vingegaard is riding away for both the stage win, and the red jersey!
Hindley is leading the chase, with Kuss, Almeida and Pidcock with him. It seems Almeida doesn't have the legs to challenge.
Pidcock has managed to hang on. It seems he's going to seal his podium.
Riccitello is nearing the chase group and could be about to return to it.
Vingegaard is nearing the finish, he's looking behind him and seeing noone anywhere near him.
The stage win goes to Vingegaard - and the Vuelta a España too.
VINGEGAARD WINS
Almeida finishes quickly for 2nd place, which is the same place on GC he will have to settle for.
Kuss takes third, finishing off a superb day for Visma-Lease a Bike.
Correction - actually Kuss took second place, to seal a 1-2 for Visma. Almeida finished at the back of the group, in 5th.
Pidcock has also done it, finshing in the group to all but seal 3rd place on GC.
Pellizzari arrives home, but he's lost too much time and will hand the white jersey he has held for so long to Riccitello.
Pidcock seems lost for words in his post-race interview, as he tries to articulate what he's achieved by sealing third place overall. “I’m a bit exhausted to be honest, I can’t really find the words,” he says.
There's no change to the podium placings then, despite all the aspiration of Almeida and Hindley. Vingegaard extends his lead to 1:16 over Almeida in 2nd, and 3:11 over Pidcock in third. Hindley must settle for fourth, at 3:41.
There are some changes further down the top ten. Riccitello swaps places with Pellizzari to move up to fifth, while Kuss’s second-place finish on the stage sees him swap places with Gall in seventh and eighth.
João Almeida sounds stoical in his post-race interview, having been unable to take the red jersey from Jonas Vingegaard. “No regrets, we did what we could.” Second place overall will still be his career-best finish at Grand Tour level.
You can read our full report of what happened today here.
Vuelta a España stage 20: Jonas Vingegaard smashes Queen stage solo win to seal overall race victory
Vingegaard might have won the stage, but didn't take enough points in the KOM classification to dethrone Jay Vine as King of the Mountains.
One jersey that has changed hands today is the white jersey. Giulio Pellizzari had led the classification since stage 6, and had looked very strong in doing so, but cedes it to Matthew Riccitello after being dropped on the Bola del Mundo today.
João Almeida, reflecting on having to settle for 2nd overall.
"I wanted to win in Bilbao, I wanted to win on Angliru, but the Bola del Mundo is also a very special one," Vingegaard told Eurosport at the finish about securing the final mountain stage victory.
"Actually I was feeling, I wouldn't say comfortable in the pace that João was doing, but at least I felt like I was not on my limit yet. So I felt that I had a good chance of winning the stage. So yeah, at one point I just decided, now I'm gonna try. And then immediately I got a gap, and yeah, then the last few 100 metres was also incredibly hard, and I almost went into the barrier. So small mistake from my side."
Thanks for joining us today, on the stage that Jonas Vingegaard all but sealed overall victory at the Vuelta a España.
The race for red might be over, but the Vuelta isn’t, and there’s one more stage for us to enjoy tomorrow. Be sure to join us again for what’s always a celebratory spectacle around the streets of Madrid, with a likely bunch finish to round this year’s race off.
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