Fraile takes out intense País Vasco stage to Eibar
Roglic extends race lead
Primoz Roglic (LottoNL-Jumbo) tightened his grip on the overall race lead at the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, finishing second on the hilly stage to Eibar. His closest rival Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) cracked on the final climb of the day as Movistar blew the race apart and faded from the podium positions.
Omar Fraile (Astana) won the stage, dominating the sprint after the strongest of the overall contenders and a small group of quality riders from the breakaway came together on the category 1 Azurki Gaina climb and descent inside 20km to go.
Fraile made sure to position himself at the back of the rotation as Roglic, Mikel Landa and Ion Izagirre's Bahrain-Merida teammate Mark Padun worked to improve their respective overall positions.
Izagirre received a nice lead-out from his Ukranian teammate, but timed it wrong, giving Fraile the jump on the finishing stretch. Roglic smartly took the bonus seconds for second, padding his lead as his biggest rivals were also distanced.
Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo), third before the stage, finished in the first chase group timed at 1:27 and dropped down to fifth. Alaphilippe finishing a disappointed 2:14 behind, dropping from second to fourth overall, now 2:55 down on Roglic.
Izagirre and Landa's efforts moved them up to second and third overall, respectively, after finishing in the same time Roglic. Izagirre is at 2:13 with Landa at 2:17.
They will now try to take on Roglic on Saturday's final mountain stage with the steep uphill finish to Arrate set to decide the final overall winner.
How it happened
The 163km stage was anticipated to be a warm-up for Saturday's final showdown, with LottoNL-Jumbo expected to let a break steal the glory of the day. How wrong we were.
The only riders absent after the time trial were Michael Storer (Sunweb) and Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida), who headed home to treat a nasty saddle sore. Everyone else enjoyed another aggressive day of racing in the Basque sunshine.
A headwind on the high plateau made it difficult for attacks to get away but a 13-rider move was given its freedom after 35km. They quickly opened a 5:00 gap with little sign of nervousness in the peloton behind.
José Rojas (Movistar), Pierre Latour (AG2R La Mondiale), Omar Fraile (Astana), José Herrada, Daniel Teklehaimanot (Cofidis,) Mark Padun (Bahrain-Merida), Jay McCarthy (Bora-hansgrohe), Tosh Van der Sande (Lotto Soudal), Michael Albasini, Carlos Verona (Mitchelton-Scott), Alex Howes (EF-Drapac), Jonathan Castroviejo (Sky), Jai Hindley (Sunweb) and Matteo Bono (UAE-Emirates) were the adventurers of the day.
Teklehaimanot was the first to be dropped as Movistar set the tempo behind, clearly with a plan of action for later.
The second half of the stage included three steep climbs and was ideal terrain for attacks. The first, the Elosua Giana, was 8.1km in length and saw Movistar turn up the pace, especially near the summit and over the top. The pace was also high in the breakaway with Rojas, Fraile, Latour, Padun, Verona and Castroviejo going clear. The leaders came back together on the descent and so did the peloton, with Roglic happy to see two LottoNL-Jumbo teammates get back on after momentarily being isolated.
There was a pause in the racing on the valley road but the Endoia Gaina - Azurki Gaina climbs came in the final 35km of racing, a tough double whammy, with a total of 12.5km of ascending.
Early on slopes of the Endoia Gaina climb, the Movistar team put its card on the table with Landa going on the attack. He was on a mission and after several accelerations, Julian Alaphilippe was dropped. Roglic, Ion Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida), Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First-Drapac) and David De la Cruz (Team Sky) joined him and they pushed clear. Alaphilippe was suffering and deep in the red, with only Enric Mas to help him.
Uran and De la Cruz cracked, slipping back to the chasers and Quintana was not there but Landa pushed on, keen to earn as much time as possible and perhaps crack Roglic.
Verona – who earlier had exchanged heated words with Fraile - attacked on the Azurki Gaina. He got a gap but was soon caught as the attackers and the remains of the breakaway formed for the descent. The gap to the chasers was close to a minute, with Alaphilippe even further back.
Up front were Carlos Verona (Mitchelton-Scott), Primoz Roglic (LottoNL-Jumbo), Mikel Landa (Movistar), Jon Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida), Omar Fraile (Astana), Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) and Mark Padun (Bahrain-Merida).
Despite some attacks they stayed together with Fraile strongest and leading out the sprint to win by a couple of bike lengths. He was the winner of the day but Roglic now seems in total charge, with only Saturday's 122km stage and its eight nasty climbs standing between him and overall victory.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Omar Fraile (Spa) Astana Pro Team | 3:53:49 |
2 | Primoz Roglic (Slo) LottoNL-Jumbo | 0:00:04 |
3 | Ion Izagirre (Spa) Bahrain-Merida | 0:00:06 |
4 | Carlos Verona (Spa) Mitchelton-Scott | 0:00:10 |
5 | Jose Herrada (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Mikel Landa (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Mark Padun (Ukr) Bahrain-Merida | 0:00:25 |
8 | Pello Bilbao (Spa) Astana Pro Team | 0:01:37 |
9 | Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Jai Hindley (Aus) Team Sunweb | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Jack Haig (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | David De La Cruz (Spa) Team Sky | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Rigoberto Uran (Col) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Team Sky | 0:02:01 |
19 | Enric Mas (Spa) Quick-Step Floors | 0:02:25 |
20 | Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:03:58 |
24 | Eduard Prades Reverter (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Bjorg Lambrecht (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Alex Aranburu Deba (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Quick-Step Floors | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) Trek-Segafredo | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Garikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Igor Anton (Spa) Dimension Data | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Hermann Pernsteiner (Aut) Bahrain-Merida | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Mikel Bizkarra Etxegibel (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Oscar Cabedo Carda (Spa) Burgos BH | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Jesper Hansen (Den) Astana Pro Team | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Eri) Dimension Data | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Pierre Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:04:05 |
43 | Julen Amezqueta Moreno (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 0:05:42 |
44 | Rudy Molard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Nathan Brown (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | José Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Michael Woods (Can) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Carlos Betancur (Col) Movistar Team | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Jan Polanc (Slo) UAE Team Emirates | 0:07:14 |
51 | Laurens ten Dam (Ned) Team Sunweb | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Sergio Pardilla Bellon (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Toms Skujins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Floris De Tier (Bel) LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb | 0:09:35 |
61 | Jay McCarthy (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Anass Ait El Abdia (Mar) UAE Team Emirates | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Jordi Simon Casulleras (Spa) Burgos BH | 0:10:36 |
64 | Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Jesus Herrada (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Dimension Data | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:15:31 |
68 | Alex Howes (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Sunweb | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Michael Albasini (Swi) Mitchelton-Scott | 0:19:15 |
71 | Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Chad Haga (USA) Team Sunweb | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Benjamin King (USA) Dimension Data | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Team Sky | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Lawson Craddock (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Ian Boswell (USA) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Luis Guillermo Mas Bonet (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Rafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Victor De La Parte (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | Winner Anacona (Col) Movistar Team | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Jonathan Lastra Martinez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Jon Irisarri Rincon (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Enrico Battaglin (Ita) LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Steff Cras (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Neilson Powless (USA) LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Felix Grossschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Quick-Step Floors | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Brendan Canty (Aus) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Jesus Ezquerra Muela (Spa) Burgos BH | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Pablo Torres Muiño (Spa) Burgos BH | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Aritz Bagues Kalparsoro (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Aleksandr Riabushenko (Blr) UAE Team Emirates | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | James Knox (GBr) Quick-Step Floors | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Team Sky | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Willie Smit (RSA) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Matteo Bono (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Romain Seigle (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Léo Vincent (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Manuele Mori (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
109 | Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
110 | Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
111 | Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
112 | Eros Capecchi (Ita) Quick-Step Floors | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
113 | Simon Gerrans (Aus) BMC Racing Team | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
114 | Stephen Cummings (GBr) Dimension Data | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
115 | Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Bahrain-Merida | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
116 | Gorka Izagirre (Spa) Bahrain-Merida | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
117 | Lachlan Morton (Aus) Dimension Data | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Mitchelton-Scott | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
119 | Cyril Gautier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:19:53 |
120 | Sepp Kuss (USA) LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
121 | Nelson Andres Soto Martinez (Col) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
122 | Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
123 | Rob Power (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
124 | Zhandos Bizhigitov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
125 | Ibai Salas Zorrozua (Spa) Burgos BH | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
126 | Fernando Barcelo Aragon (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
127 | Remy Mertz (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
128 | Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
129 | Igor Merino Kortazar (Spa) Burgos BH | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
130 | Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
131 | Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
132 | Paul Martens (Ger) LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
133 | Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
134 | Enrique Sanz Unzue (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias | Row 133 - Cell 2 |
135 | Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Astana Pro Team | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
136 | Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 135 - Cell 2 |
137 | Rúben Guerreiro (Por) Trek-Segafredo | Row 136 - Cell 2 |
138 | Damien Howson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott | 0:19:57 |
139 | Bert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 138 - Cell 2 |
140 | Gregor Mühlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 139 - Cell 2 |
141 | Michael Gogl (Aut) Trek-Segafredo | Row 140 - Cell 2 |
142 | Benoit Vaugrenard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | Row 141 - Cell 2 |
143 | Hugh Carthy (GBr) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale | Row 142 - Cell 2 |
144 | Moreno Moser (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 0:22:05 |
145 | Bruno Armirail (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | 0:23:15 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jai Hindley (Aus) Team Sunweb | 3 | pts |
2 | Omar Fraile (Spa) Astana Pro Team | 2 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Jay McCarthy (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe | 1 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jose Herrada (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 3 | pts |
2 | Jai Hindley (Aus) Team Sunweb | 2 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Carlos Verona (Spa) Mitchelton-Scott | 1 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Omar Fraile (Spa) Astana Pro Team | 25 | pts |
2 | Primoz Roglic (Slo) LottoNL-Jumbo | 20 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Ion Izagirre (Spa) Bahrain-Merida | 16 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Carlos Verona (Spa) Mitchelton-Scott | 14 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Jose Herrada (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 12 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Mikel Landa (Spa) Movistar Team | 10 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Mark Padun (Ukr) Bahrain-Merida | 9 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Pello Bilbao (Spa) Astana Pro Team | 8 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates | 7 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Jai Hindley (Aus) Team Sunweb | 6 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Jack Haig (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott | 5 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | David De La Cruz (Spa) Team Sky | 4 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | 3 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | 2 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Rigoberto Uran (Col) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale | 1 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Mark Padun (Ukr) Bahrain-Merida | 6 | pts |
2 | Carlos Verona (Spa) Mitchelton-Scott | 4 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Omar Fraile (Spa) Astana Pro Team | 2 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Team Sky | 1 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Mark Padun (Ukr) Bahrain-Merida | 6 | pts |
2 | Carlos Verona (Spa) Mitchelton-Scott | 4 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Omar Fraile (Spa) Astana Pro Team | 2 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Jai Hindley (Aus) Team Sunweb | 1 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|