Vuelta a España Stage Report: The tough stage 15 had a brutal summit finish on Cuitu Negru and was won by Pablo Castrillo of the Kern Pharma team. After 143 kilometres, the Spanish rider fought through the mist to cross the finish line first. He dropped his break companions, Aleksandr Vlasov (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) and Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates) on the steep finale with ramps of up to 24%. GC leader Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale) lost time to Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) and Enric Mas (Movistar), but the Australian still holds the overall lead.
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The last crazy kilometre of stage 15
Vuelta race director, Fernando Escartín: “The second week of competing will conclude with a tough Asturian mountain stage. The double climb of Colladiella will add difficulty to a stage that will culminate at the Cuitu Negru – a true Asturian colossus whose toughest kilometres are found beyond Pajares Ski Resort, with ramps of 23%. This will be an important day for the general classification favourites.”
Stage 15 profile
Stage 15: This stage is a real terror for all the riders. A stage of 142 kilometres, with the finish line on top of the Cuitu Negru in Valgrande-Pajares. A real Asturian climb. The asphalt road to the top was built especially for the Vuelta fifteen years ago. From Infiesto, the peloton has a rolling road to the three climbs before the Cuitu Negru. After 28 kilometres, they start the Alto de la Colladiella (7.8km at 7.1%), after which the Alto de Santo Emiliano (5.4km at 5.6%) quickly follows. As a warm-up, the peloton tackles the Alto de la Colladiella again after 80 kilometres. There are still about 37 kilometres to go to the foot of the Cuitu Negru. After a long descent, there is the Puente de Fierros, where the 19 kilometre final, the Cuitu Negru (19.5km at 5.2%) begins. The average gradient gives a false picture of the climb as the first 7 kilometres are not too taxing, but after that it becomes very difficult. Eight kilometres from the top, the road rises at 11%, and after that the climb becomes more and more difficult. The last 2.5 kilometres rise at more than 12% and just before the top it goes up to 24%.
The jerseys at the start – Will they change shoulders?
The early break didn’t stand a chance
Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) and Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates)
T-Rex Quick-Step did a lot of the chase work today
Sunday and the fans were out roadside
Bike change for Primoz Roglič to a single chainring
Could Sivakov, Vlasov and Castrillo hold off the favourites?
And Castrillo attacks!
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Vuelta a España Stage 15 Result:
1. Pablo Castrillo Zapater (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma in 3:45:51
2. Aleksander Vlasov (-) Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe at 0:12
3. Pavel Sivakov (Fra) UAE Team Emirates at 0:31
4. Enric Mas Nicolau (Spa) Movistar at 1:04
5. Primož Roglič (Slo) Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe
6. Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (Den) Lidl-Trek at 1:09
7. Richard Carapaz (Ecu) EF Education – EasyPost at 1:13
8. Sepp Kuss (USA) Visma | Lease a Bike at 1:22
9. Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Soudal Quick-Step at 1:27
10. David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ at 1:37.
Vuelta a España Overall After Stage 15:
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