Featured image courtesy of gettyimages
One final week of grand tour racing remains, the Vuelta due to finish in Santiago de Compostela after 21 stages of blistering hot heat across Spain. A second rest day in Santander after week two has given every cycling fan, journalist and the riders themselves something to ponder. With six stages remaining, the pre-race favourite Primož Roglič is not in red, but a Norwegian is. Odd Christian Eiking was a relieved figure to keep hold of the race lead after Stage 15 at El Barraco, but for how much longer can he hang on? This Vuelta has been straightforward to read, yet some added strings have been attached. So many small plot lines have happened since the Grand Salida back in Burgos, the final outcome may be expected but somewhat strange.
Firstly, there are no doubts that Roglič is still the rider to beat, despite the Slovenian wearing red and giving it away twice to Rein Taaramäe and Eiking after Stage 9. He remains the outright contender to claim a third successive Vuelta title, but this 76th Vuelta is far from certain.
Primož Roglič might hold a near 40-second advantage over Movistar’s Enric Mas, almost two minutes over Mas’s teammate Miguel Ángel López and more time over Ineos pair Adam Yates and Egan Bernal – it doesn’t yet make this race a done deal. Team Bahrain-Victorious rider Jack Haig at two minutes one second behind Roglič might also have his say yet. The Stage 15 finish at El Barraco gave us a small glimpse of the defending champion fading ever-so slightly, with Yates putting in an impressive acceleration to find some useful seconds.
The only way Primož Roglič can lose this Vuelta is if he seriously cracks during this third and final week, where three brutal summit finishes, including Lagos de Covadonga, await. Encris Mas, López, Yates, Bernal and Haig have now got to put the pressure on Jumbo-Visma, most especially with a final time trial to come, where Roglič will thrive.
Focusing on Jumbo-Visma themselves, there was a questionable moment on the El Barraco stage when Steven Kruijswijk decided to chase down eventual stage winner Rafał Majka. A wasted effort where he may yet pay for the consequences? When others decide to attack, who can the team leader call upon to help him? Will Kruijswijk having anything left to help Roglič and what about Sepp Kuss? There have been times when the American has gone backwards early at key moments. After riding the Tour and collecting a stage along the way, fatigue might be kicking in for Kuss, understandable yet it runs the risk of Primož Roglič not winning this Vuelta.
Let’s also not forget that Roglič has crashed twice at this Vuelta. It’s in his locker to suddenly come a cropper. The pressure is on for both him and Jumbo-Visma and it’s clear that if Primož Roglič does not secure a third Vuelta title in a row come Stage 21, surprising is an understatement. A warning remains though as proved via his Stage 11 victory – never discount what proven grand tour champions can do!
A massive responsibility now hangs over Jumbo-Visma’s rivals. Movistar, Ineos Grenadiers and Bahrain-Victorious have got to deliver. Despite the loss of Richard Carapaz, Ineos will have Adam Yates, who has looked spritely and active to attack more and although Egan Bernal looks drained, the Giro d’Italia champion could yet secure at least a podium place if others suffer.
It is inevitable that Mas and López will attack and in Jack Haig, the Australian could slip away and cause problems. Week three of a grand tour can always play tricks on the contenders, you just never know what will happen. An unpredictable race is evident with Odd Christian Eiking in red, leading with six stages to go, plus Frenchman Guillaume Martin rising to second overall, just 54 seconds behind Eiking. Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux deserve praise for committing their resources to the Norwegian and Cofidis, still searching for their first Tour de France stage win in a long time, have put in respectable rides at both the Giro and now the Vuelta.
Odd Christian Eiking will remind fans of a resilient Tommy Voeckler, who kept hold of the yellow jersey for ten stages before suffering on the Col du Galibier with three stages to go. Eiking could keep red up until Stage 17, the slopes of Lagos de Covadonga brutal and unforgiving. If the Norwegian remains in red after then, it would be incredible.
Elsewhere during week two, fortune has favoured the brave. After a disappointing showing at the Tour, Team DSM will be extremely happy with this Vuelta – two stages for Michael Storer and now a brilliant triumph for Romain Bardet. The GC went out of the window early at this Vuelta, but to come back and perform at the highest level to take a stage, Bardet deserves all the plaudits. Tipped for Tour de France success in the years previous, the shining light upon him at former team AG2R led to a change in team, the chance to ride away from the Tour meaning pressure taken off his shoulders.
EF Education Nippo will also be delighted to see Magnus Cort double-up and if Fabio Jakobsen can sprint for Quick Step, Florian Sénéchal can also take stages. A flat tyre for his team mate did leave another sprint opportunity go begging, but the Frenchman delivered the goods to beat former four-times stage winner in 2017, Matteo Trentin.
Only one flat stage remains for the sprinters, can anyone beat either Jasper Philipsen or Fabio Jakobsen? Plus, a tribute must go out to Stage 15 winner Rafał Majka, one of the most gifted climbers in cycling. A four-year drought without a grand tour stage success now at an end, the Pole clearly full of emotion due to the loss of his father earlier in 2021. A loyal servant to Tadej Pogačar’s Tour de France obliteration this year, Majka deserved his time to shine!
Stages 16 to 21 are still to come, the third and final week to conclude another Vuelta edition. Madrid still isn’t the finish, as a reminder, Santiago de Compostela ever closer.
The race for red is approaching its conclusion…
General classification Top-Ten after Stages 10-15:
1 – Odd Christian Eiking (Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux) 59 hrs 57 mins 50 secs
2 – Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) + 54 secs
3 – Primož Roglič (Team Jumbo-Visma) + 1 min 36 secs
4 – Enric Mas (Movistar Team) + 2 mins 11 secs
5 – Miguel Ángel López (Movistar Team) + 3 mins 04 secs
6 – Jack Haig (Bahrain-Victorious) + 3 mins 35 secs
7 – Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) + 4 mins 21 secs
8 – Adam Yates (INEOS Grenadiers) + 4 mins 34 secs
9 – Sepp Kuss (Team Jumbo-Visma) + 4 mins 59 secs
10 – Felix Großschartner (BORA-Hansgrohe) + 5 mins 31 secs
