Vuelta: O'Connor keeps the red jersey

Vuelta: O’Connor keeps the red jersey

Written by Redazione Fonbet
29 Aug - 12:23 • Read time

1' min

At the finish line in Padron, Galicia, the Irish cyclist from Team Jayco celebrates, but the Australian retains his lead in the overall standings

Vuelta

There was no shortage of excitement in the 11th stage of the 2024 Vuelta. Dunbar was the fastest at the finish after a sprint that also involved his Italian teammate Filippo Zana, who finished in 6th place. It was not an easy day for the overall leader, Ben O'Connor, who had to fend off his pursuers - most notably, Primoz Roglic. During the final climb of the stage, Roglic managed to gain 37 seconds on the Australian, who still holds a solid lead with a 3:16 advantage.

The Vuelta continues today with stage 12, a challenging 137 km route (Ourense Termal-Manzaneda) that includes a final 15.4 km climb with a 4.5% gradient.

Primoz Roglic, Richard Carapaz, Mikel Landa, and Enric Mas will try to make their mark, especially in the final stretch, just as they did in the Padron stage. The final climb could allow them to chip away more precious seconds from the red jersey holder, O'Connor. It remains to be seen what kind of race strategy the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team cyclist will adopt. It wouldn't be surprising to see him play it defensively to avoid losing ground to his chasers.

Bad news for Italian cycling, as Giulio Ciccone has raised the white flag and withdrawn early from the Vuelta. Following a crash in the eighth stage caused by a deer crossing his path, the Lidl-Trek cyclist has retired due to ongoing knee problems. Currently, the top Italian in the general classification is Lorenzo Fortunato, who is 20th with the Astana Qazaqstan Team, trailing 12:40 behind the leader.

General Classification: