La Vuelta 2022 is very much alive. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo) did a lot of damage to Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step) on the climb to La Pandera, where the Belgian suffered for the first time in this race. Roglic cut 48 seconds off him in a climb in which Richard Carapaz (Ineos) shone again, repeating victory in La Vuelta.
[Vuelve a ver la 14ª etapa de La Vuelta 2022 entre Montoro y la Sierra de La Pandera]
Lap 2022 | #LaVueltaEnUnMinuto: Stage 14 – watch now The leader of La Vuelta, until now untouchable, has had his first difficult day in a weekend that can still give a lot of himself with this Sunday’s stage in Sierra Nevada. Primoz Roglic, with a low profile in the last week, had warned that this was not over and has complied. The Slovenian was the first to attack in La Pandera and the first to open a gap with Evenepoel, whom he now sees at 1:49 in the general classification. Lap 2022 | Evenepoel: “The difference is not to panic” – watch now The tremendous speed with which the favorites climbed La Pandera jeopardized the success of an escape in which Richard Carapaz once again starred. The Ecuadorian, ruled out for the general classification, has revealed himself as a relentless ‘stage hunter’ and the most dangerous possible escape partner when the road goes uphill. Lap 2022 | #ElZoom: Carapaz, a stage hunter with stripes – watch now As he did in Peñas Blancas, neither Luis León Sánchez (Bahrain) nor Clément Champoussin (Ag2r), fellow escapees, nor Roglic and ‘Supermán’ López (Astana) could follow him, who they were 8 seconds away from catching it. La Pandera does not disappointThe Sierra de La Pandera, a stop that goes to the La Vuelta classic, has always left us with good stages and today everyone remembered the victory of Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) in 2003, the first time he climbed in the Spanish round . The ‘Bala’, 19 years later, was honored at the start and was seen on the first ramps of the ascent to La Pandera, before Roglic blew up the stage. Before, the heat and air had sought prominence next to the escape of the day. An escape of ten runners, with Luis León Sánchez and Raúl García Pierna (Kern Pharma) giving presence to Spanish cycling, and with ‘greyhounds’ like Alexey Lutsenko (Astana), Filippo Conca (Lotto), Mads Pedersen (Trek), winner of this Friday, and, despite the rest, Richard Carapaz. There were no great hopes for the escape, which did not achieve advantages greater than 4 minutes, but Carapaz contradicted everyone. Lutsenko moved the tree on the way up to Los Villares, but the wheel to follow was that of the Carchi Locomotive. Carapaz’s figure became great on the ramps of La Pandera, where only ‘Luisle’ and Champoussin could follow him, until the Ecuadorian definitively accelerated. Meanwhile, from behind, all eyes looked at an Evenepoel who marched impassively. However, Roglic changed the pace for sure and there was no response. The leader did not reply. He couldn’t, today there were no forces. Yes, Enric Mas and Miguel Ángel López did. Also Juan Ayuso (Ineos), whose ascent was cut short by an untimely puncture. With almost four kilometers to go, Roglic was making room for himself and Evenepoel trying to avoid him, with the first gestures of suffering from him in this Vuelta. The Slovenian could not catch up with Carapaz, who crossed the finish line in first place with a smile from ear to ear, but he was able to snatch 48 seconds from Evenepoel in the fight for the general classification. Mas, who suffered in the final stretch of the climb, lost 28 seconds to the Slovenian from Jumbo and cut the red jersey by 20 in a beautiful stage. The Tour 2022 | Enric Mas: “He has given me an impressive slump” – Watch now