Vuelta a España stage 7 Stay – Hilly day in Andalusia more likely to favour the sprinters

Unsurprisingly, with the intermediate dash the subsequent impediment on the highway, Alpecin-Deceuninck and Visma-Lease a Bike are the groups pulling within the bunch.

There’s not a lot separating them at present, however Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) leads Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) within the factors classification, with 158 factors to the Australian’s 145. Pavel Bittner (DSM-Firmenich PostNL) sits in third with 81.

130km to go

Nonetheless eight minutes between our sole chief and the bunch. 

Let’s undergo the classification leaders whereas the tempo is low. 

The final time Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale held a Grand Tour chief’s jersey was on the 2009 Tour de France with Rinaldo Nocentini. The Italian held the jersey for a 3rd of the race earlier than finally ending thirteenth on GC.

8:16 for Isasa now. We surprise how lengthy the peloton are going to present the 22-year-old.

Not solely did Ben O’Connor placed on a Grand Tour chief’s jersey for the primary time because of yesterday’s win, however he additionally accomplished the set of Grand Tour stage wins.

The Aussie received on stage 17 of the 2020 Giro d’Italia, then stage 9 of the next 12 months’s Tour de France.

It means he is the 111th rider to finish the hat-trick.

145km to go

The hole has actually stretched out now. Isasa leads by over seven minutes. 

And one other British prospect has joined Ineos as they give the impression of being to regular themselves amidst administration modifications.

Ineos Grenadiers signal Samuel Watson on two-year deal

The Olympic highway race silver medallist turns into the most recent rider to maneuver from Jumbo-Visma to Lidl-Trek.

Anna Henderson switches Visma-Lease A Bike for Lidl-Trek in 2025

There may not have been many breakaway strikes right now in Andalusia however there’s been loads of switch strikes this Friday.

We’ll share two of the massive ones shortly.

The tempo has actually gone out of the peloton, with Isasa now holding a 5 minute benefit.

Archidona, unsurprisingly, proved to be an incredible setting for a stage begin.

The best first day within the GC lead for Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale with a sole chief to chase down.

It seems set to be simply Isasa out entrance for the day – he leads by 4:06 now.

The hole has prolonged to 2 minutes for our lone chief, it could possibly be an extended day for the person from Urretxu.

170 km to go

Isasa’s lead has stretched to 1:24. Certainly somebody will come and be part of him?

Isasa was the final survivor from a four-rider break on stage three.

He holds a 0:38 hole to the bunch.

It is a acquainted face to make the primary transfer right now as Xabier Isasa (Euskaltel-Euskadi) accelerates from the bunch.

180km to go

And the flag is dropped to present the official begin for stage 7.

It is marginally cooler to this point right now, simply 33.2 °C.

The beginning city of Archidona is a picture-postcard vacation spot within the area. 

It’s a Historic Creative Complicated with the Baroque type Plaza Ochavada, courting again to 1786, and the Al-Andalus citadel.

And the riders are rolling out from the neutralised begin!

There’s loads of Australian followers firstly in Archidona displaying their help for Ben O’Connor on his first day within the crimson jersey.

It is Ben O’Connor’s first-ever day in a Grand Tour chief’s jersey right now, so a contemporary bike is simply proper!

When there are winners, there are usually losers too. Here is how the Pink Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe camp reacted after they let the maillot rojo slip yesterday.

‘Issues bought out of hand’ – Pink Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe remorse time hole secured by Ben O’Connor at Vuelta a España

Earlier than we crack on with right now’s racing, here is a reminder of what occurred yesterday!

Ben O’Connor wins stage 6 and takes race lead

Some information from the beginning this morning is that each Andreas Kron (Lotto Dstny) and Damiano Caruso (Bahrain-Victorious) will not begin in Archidona. 

The Dane, who this morning was confirmed to be becoming a member of Uno-X Mobility for 2025 and 2026, is out of the race on concussion protocols. 

A 180.5km-long route from Archidona, simply north of Malaga and the Alboran sea, will head inland in the direction of the town of Córdoba.

The route is not too arduous however the aptly named ‘Alto del 14%’ climb at 25km to go, named after its 14% pinches on its higher slopes, could possibly be the proper place for a late assault from a GC contender eager to recoup time.

The neutralised begin is roughly half an hour away, so let’s check out right now’s route. 

Hola and bienvenidos to Cyclingnews’ dwell protection of the stage seven at La Vuelta a España 2024!