00:00Madrid fast approaching, but still two days before arrival in the Spanish capital, after
00:07a grueling vuelta that has pushed them all to their limits, the reward for the remaining
00:12sprinters is a welcome return to the spotlight, like Arnie Maret, who finished third in Zaragoza.
00:17When you look to the last three days, we have two bunch sprints, also one in Madrid.
00:24So I think it was a big motivation for all the sprinters to keep going, even after 11
00:30days without any sprint chances, so everybody was committed to get to Madrid and sprint two
00:39more times.
00:41Two stage wins so far, but Jasper Filetsen has suffered to make the final weekend, yet a strong
00:46Alpecin de Koenig team focused on delivering more success in the final stretch.
00:50We have Jonas, who is in really good shape, Edracht as well, the other guys are also really
00:56motivated for the day, so we try to do as good as possible and try to control for the sprint,
01:04and it's a quite hard sprint, a little bit uphill, so of course the legs will be important.
01:10There's never truly a rest day for the leaders, every stage holds its dangers, responsibility
01:15on teammates to shepherd them to the line.
01:19For sure tomorrow is a super hard stage, but my role is going to be much more important
01:24today.
01:25It's a flat stage, a bit of wind, and getting him safe to the finish is the goal of the day.
01:36Roeda hosting a pro cycling race for the first time, and no major difficulties en route to
01:42Guijuelo.
01:43Wind expected but unlikely to worry the peloton, a mass sprint expected to take on the false
01:48flat uphill to the finish.
01:50It could be fast following the Vallaudelid time trial, and if a breakaway manages to form.
01:57It started with two, but soon Jakub Otruba went it alone for home team Caja Rural.
02:08The duo had built up three minutes, but Thibaut Genalek fell back into the peloton, while the
02:13Czech rider pressed on to almost four minutes after 30k of racing.
02:20The 27-year-old had made the most of his first Grand Tour, having already been in the breakaway
02:24three times this Vuelta, however Otruba may have been weaker on the rules, warned for tucking
02:29out of his saddle.
02:32The race direction has just announced that Jakub Otruba has been given a yellow card for
02:38an irregular position on the bike.
02:42With only one rider up the road, a sprint finish all but guaranteed, unless a team without a
02:47dedicated sprinter chose to attack late on.
02:51Back in the peloton, the Lone Ranger was kept at arm's length, with the average speed at
02:56under 40km an hour.
02:59Jasper Philipsen and Elia Viviani's teams setting the tempo.
03:05Attention also on the green jersey.
03:07With the right mix of results, Maths Pedersen could all but wrap up the jersey.
03:13Entering the final 100km and the gap noticeably falling, Otruba no longer galloping, and just
03:19over two minutes in hand.
03:32Fast approaching Salamanca and the penultimate pure sprint of this Vuelta.
03:35The peloton not yet in pursuit of Otruba, rather a fight brewing for points and bonuses.
03:42The check over the line unopposed, now Vizman Lidltrek moved in service of the red and green
03:47jerseys respectively, 17 points per second and a vital four bonus seconds on offer.
03:52Wengergaard is going to go for the bonus seconds, he sprints, Pedersen is trying to get on terms,
03:59he gets squeezed on the inside and Wengergaard takes two bonus seconds.
04:04Wengergaard, then Jorgensen meant no bonus for Almeida, a further four seconds back in
04:11the red jersey fight.
04:13Pedersen picked up 13 points to give him hope of remaining on the podium in green.
04:17Otruba had enjoyed centre stage, but on the outskirts of Salamanca, his break came to
04:22an end.
04:23More importantly, the teams accelerating to position themselves ahead of potential echelons
04:27forming.
04:28Ineos, Vizma, UAE and Lidltrek all fighting for prime real estate.
04:34The increased pace too hot to handle as some riders dropped off the back.
04:47Mario Aparizzo and Sergio Chumel elected to attack, Burgos dreaming of a new breakaway,
04:53yet they mistimed their leap of faith, the wind picking up and on those wide open roads,
04:58echelons formed.
05:00UAE initially caught out, but fast to return their leader Almeida safely into the red jersey
05:07group.
05:08And then after just six kilometres at the front, the Burgos duo unceremoniously swallowed by
05:13the vanguard of the peloton.
05:16Fast approaching the final 20k and things heating up, after a tranquil start, the average
05:21speed now over 41k per hour.
05:26The time to organise in earnest heading towards La Femme Rouge.
05:31The pre-race predictions was a battle between Philips and Pedersen, or could someone else
05:36outpace the pair?
05:37Time to find out.
05:41This is the run-in to the finish now, Philipsen is locked in, Pedersen is there, Turner is there,
05:48Arne Marek gets set as well, Olar is set for this sprint, Alperson de Koenig now are about
05:54to launch, Jasper Philipsen to try and win yet another stage, Philipsen has sat in the wheels
05:59all day today, is he going to explode in and win this one?
06:04Pedersen now kicks, but Philipsen has had the most wonderful lead out, Pedersen and Philipsen
06:10going for the line, Philipsen now goes, Jasper Philipsen, Philipsen is going to win yet again,
06:17Jasper Philipsen wins the stage.
06:19What a victory by this rider from Alperson de Koenig.
06:25One, two, three, Philipsen getting better and better on La Vuelta.
06:30One stage one on his debut, two on his second spin, now with third success during his third
06:35participation.
06:36But the Belgian quick to signal how well his team set him up for success throughout this
06:41Vuelta.
06:42Yeah, of course, it's definitely a team job.
06:47Yeah, like Al Vuelta already, the team was super strong, also Jonas and Edward were riding
06:58super fast, super good and I was struggling in the wheel, but I saw the finish line and I
07:07pushed through and yeah, it was really nice.
07:11Sprint opportunities have been scarce.
07:14Philipsen not missing his chance to notch another win.
07:17Can anyone stop Jasper claiming a fourth in Madrid?
07:21Venegor's sprint edged the difference up to 44 seconds, but Almeida knows that Bola del
07:26Mundo will decide the red jersey winner.
07:29Pedersen opening up a 100 point lead over Venegor.
07:33The Dane's 51st time wearing a Grand Tour green jersey and 16th on La Vuelta.
07:40An easy day for Jay Vine, but with only 20 point cushion, the challenge for the polka dot jersey
07:46will come tomorrow.
07:49Giulio Pellizzari safely home in white, but with 58 seconds on Matteo Ricotello, the jersey
07:55isn't yet secure.
07:57The whole GC race has been building to this moment.
08:00Will Venegor or Almeida grasp theirs on the penultimate stage of the 2025 La Vuelta?
08:06Joan and UlHerbst.
08:07Tell him to reach a new folder.
08:08Tell him to reach a new forwarder.
08:09Gracorn in
08:11target
08:13São Souto
08:21T свидanause
08:22Excellent.
08:27I'll show you
08:29the best
08:31How to answer
