The eighth stage of the Tour of Spain left an interesting finale in which the favorites took the show, with the victory for the Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) after winning the duel against the Belgian Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) in the last meters before the finish line.
It turned out a new half-mountain journey through the interior of the province of Alicante. A tough 165-kilometre segment between Denia and Xorret de Catí, with hard terrain marked out by no less than five qualifying ports, well known to the cyclists in the peloton since most of them spend many weeks training in this area during the months of winter.
It was a day in which Jumbo Visma, the team in which the Slovenian runs, celebrated twice, as the American Sepp Kuss became the new leader of the general classification apart from a Lenny Martínez who suffered in the last ascent towards Xorret de Catí.
Just a few kilometers from the start of the climb, the Jumbo-Visma club was already fully occupying the head of the peloton, anticipating a battle between the contenders for the final victory. Little by little, Movistar also took the lead, as did UAE Team Emirates, since the start of the port is tremendously violent, with very hard ramps from the start.
Kuss was the first to break away from the leading field. Meanwhile, Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard were keeping Evenepoel and the Spaniard Jaun Ayuso in line, another of those who had options to dispute the stage victory.
The only thing left to do was determine the stage winner after the short and intense descent that separated the top from the finish line. A great tactical duel that seemed to favor Remco, who led the way into the last corner.
However, contrary to what happened in Andorra, today yes, Primoz Roglic went back to being what he used to. He easily caught the Belgian’s wheel when he started and easily overcame him to take the victory. At the wheel of both entered Juan Ayuso, the three biting the rest of the group for a couple of seconds, in which Sepp Kuss once again rounded off a great day for Jumbo-Visma by taking the red leader’s jersey.
The North American grouped with the other favorites prior to the end of the stage. In this way, Roglic climbed to the top-10 of the general classification, now led by Sepp Kuss. The Slovenian was in seventh place after stage 8, ahead of his teammate Jonas Vingegaard.
Now, the Jumbo Visma seeks to ratify its power in stage 9 this Sunday, which will have a first-category port and a second-category one before the finish line in Collado de la Cruz.
Classification Stage 8
1.- Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) 4h13’52”
2.- Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) m.t.
3.- Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) m.t.
4.- Enric Mas (Movistar Team) +02’’
5.- Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) m.t.
6.- Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) m.t.
7.- Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Vismaa) m.t.
8.- Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) m.t.
9.- Wout Poel (Bahrain-Victorious) +34”
10.- Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) +39’’
General ranking
1.-Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) 30h51’06”
2.- Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) +43”
3.- Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ) +01’00”
4.- Wout Poels (Bahrain-Victorious) +02’05”
5.- Mikel Landa (Bahrain-Victorious) +02’29”
6.- Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) +02’31”
7.- Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) +02’38”
8.- Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) +02’42”
9.- Enric Mas (Movistar Team) m.t.
10.- Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) +02’52”