The Vuelta peloton hit the road again on Tuesday, and Stage 10 gave us some fireworks. João Almeida finally got the tactical support he needed on the brutal final climb to El Ferial Larra Belagua. His teammate, Juan Ayuso, stepped up in a big way.
Ayuso, who just ended his contract with Emirates, truly pushed the pace. He drove hard for a good two or three kilometers. This strong effort set Almeida up perfectly for his attack in the last eight kilometers of the climb. Almeida then launched himself forward, looking to gain ground. But Jonas Vingegaard quickly answered. The rider from A dos Francos was the only one among the top contenders to really make a move. All this happened while the day’s breakaway was speeding towards victory at the finish line.
So, who took home the stage victory on Day 10? None other than Jay Vine. This marks Vine’s second win in this year’s Vuelta. It is also the fourth stage win for his Emirates team. Vine’s strong ride further cemented his lead in the mountain classification.
The main group of favorites crossed the finish line a minute and five seconds after Vine. João Almeida led that group, finishing in tenth place for the stage.
General Classification Shake-Up
The overall standings saw some important changes at the top. Jonas Vingegaard of Visma seized the red jersey, putting on a powerful display. Torstein Træen, riding for Bahrain, had a tougher time on the uphill finish. He lost more time to his rivals. Even so, the Australian only dropped one position. He now sits 26 seconds behind the new leader, Vingegaard. João Almeida held onto his third-place spot in the general classification. He is now 38 seconds behind Vingegaard.
Stage 11 rolls out on Wednesday and promises more action. It will not end with a mountain top finish. However, the route, starting and finishing in Bilbao, packs a punch. It features no less than seven categorized climbs. These are split between second and third category ascents. The final third-category climb comes with eight kilometers left until the finish line.
You can check out all the classifications here.