Three-time champion Primož Roglič has attacked on the climb to the end on his solution to successful stage eight of the Vuelta a España, taking useful day without work Australian Ben O’Connor’s total lead.
Roglič (Purple Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) took his second stage win of the race, with Spain’s Enric Mas (Movistar) and Mikel Landa (Soudal Fast-Step) claiming second and third locations respectively.
O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) crossed the road in seventeenth place, 46 seconds after Roglič, who additionally earned a 10-second bonus.
Roglič’s effort meant O’Connor’s total lead was minimize to 3 minutes and 49 seconds.
It was anticipated that Roglič would try to make up time on O’Connor on the 159-kilometre journey from Úbeda to Cazorla, a medium mountain stage that includes a pointy uphill end.
“The chance was there, and I went for it,” Roglič mentioned.
“It was exhausting and sizzling. I used to be fortunate, I had the legs to take it right this moment.”
O’Connor mentioned he would look to bounce again in stage 9.
“I used to be a bit disillusioned how I went on the finish as a result of I did not really feel tremendous clutch there,” he mentioned.
“I do not suppose we panicked, I assumed as a workforce we have been nice, and really had the whole lot underneath management.
“Nevertheless it’s extra [time] than I wished to provide away right this moment. It was positively not my very best day, in comparison with the others. Hopefully, there will be higher days to come back.”
Reuters/AAP
