Two seconds to the win
Stefan Kung won the Vuelta’s 18th stage time trial on Thursday. The Tudor Pro Cycling rider covered the 32.1 kilometres between El Puerto de Santa Maria and Jerez de la Frontera in 35’22″82. He beat Callum Thornley by 2.27 seconds.
The 23-year-old Scot had set the pace a few minutes earlier. Going out early in the start order, Thornley caught Steffen De Schuyteneer, who had rolled off two minutes ahead of him, and posted 35’25”. Kung built his lead in the middle section of the course. Thornley came flying home over the final kilometres. He fell just short by two seconds.
Joao Almeida completed the podium, 8.78 seconds back. Primoz Roglic was fourth at 18.55 seconds, just ahead of Wout van Aert. It is Kung’s second Vuelta time-trial stage win.
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Mas hangs on, Roglic moves up to second
The route featured only 190 metres of climbing. Flat roads, exposed stretches, and a test of raw power all the way. Roglic went after the red jersey from the opening kilometres. At the first checkpoint, after 11.7 kilometres, he had already taken 22 seconds out of Enric Mas. By the second split, the gap was up to 36 seconds.
Then Mas held firm. The Spaniard even clawed back around three seconds in the closing section. He finished 12th in 36’14″64. Roglic could only gain 33 seconds on the day with his 35’41″37. Mas keeps the red jersey and leads the Slovenian by about 1’37”.
Gall loses his podium spot
Felix Gall was the real loser on the day. The Austrian started with a four-second cushion over Roglic in the general classification. He gave up 1’28” to the Slovenian and 1’47” to Kung. He drops to third, about 3’01” behind Mas.
Richard Carapaz lost 1’45” to the stage winner but stays fourth overall. Oscar Onley finished 15th and took 26 seconds back from Jakob Omrzel. His lead in the white jersey battle goes from 30 seconds to 56.
Kung’s win also ends a run. Visma-Lease a Bike had strung together three straight stage victories. There are two mountain finishes to come before Madrid, and Mas still has 1’37” to defend.
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