Stage 13 of the Vuelta a España: João Almeida outpaces Jonas Vingegaard to secure victory on the treacherous Angliru climb, with both cyclists displaying ferocious determination in a fierce battle on the steepest of mountains.
The 13th stage of the 2022 Vuelta a España took place on the brutal slopes of the Alto de l'Angliru, a notorious climb known for its steep gradients and challenging terrain.
The stage, which had an average speed of 41.6 kph and over 4,000 metres of climbing, started with a breakaway group that included Bob Jungels (Ineos Grenadiers). However, the peloton was not far behind, and a coordinated chase was initiated as a gap of nearly four minutes was capped. The pressure began to trim the main group to only the general classification contenders and their lieutenants.
As the race approached the Angliru, a lead trio had an advantage of nearly three minutes. However, a protest stopped racing on the descent of the Alto del Cordal, draining their advantage by around a minute. This proved to be a crucial moment in the race.
Meanwhile, some riders were dropping out of the race. Ethan Vernon (Israel-Premier Tech) and Tim Van Dijke (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) were among those dropped during the Alto de la Mozqueta, a 6.6km climb with an 8.4% gradient that caused the breakaway group to splinter.
In the final stretch, João Almeida (UAE Team Emirate-XRG) managed to break away from the lead group and crossed the finish line first, winning stage 13 of the Vuelta a España. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), the previous race leader, lost the stage to Almeida. Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) finished fourth, while Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) finished third.
Despite his victory, Almeida gained only four seconds in the overall classification. He is now 46 seconds down on the red jersey, currently worn by Vingegaard. Other riders in the top 10 of the general classification after stage 13 included Hindley, Kuss, Felix Gall (Alpecin-Fenix), and Thomas Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), among others.
The race was not without its share of drama. Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) suffered a mechanical and dropped from the front group inside the final 50km, on the approach to the Alto del Cordal. Gianmarco Garofoli (Soudal-QuickStep) joined Tiberi in a chase group, though Tiberi's prospects were further damaged by a nasty crash on the descent from Alto del Cordal.
Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) lost more than 70 seconds on the red jersey during the stage, which could prove to be a significant setback in his bid for overall victory.
As the Vuelta a España continues, the race is shaping up to be a thrilling contest between the top contenders. With each stage bringing its own challenges, the race is sure to provide plenty of excitement for cycling fans.
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