The 11th stage of the Vuelta a España started with a significant breakaway consisting of 26 cyclists. In this breakaway, there were some riders looking for glory in the stage, as they had the assurance of a “truce” among those vying for the general classification. Pelayo Sanchez, Jesus Herrada, Nicolas Proudhomme, Jonathan Caicedo, Andreas Kron, Romain Grégoire, Geraint Thomas, and Filippo Ganna were among them.
However, as the ascent to “La Laguna Negra” progressed, this group gradually dwindled. Filippo Ganna tried to lead Geraint Thomas (who has already stated that he’s given up on the general classification and will focus on stage wins) to the finish with a reduced peloton. But with a sudden attack by Jonathan Caicedo (EF Education EasyPost), Filippo Ganna was left behind, and Geraint Thomas couldn’t keep up either.
The riders who managed to respond to the attack were Jesus Herrada (Cofidis), who eventually overtook Caicedo and won the stage, Romain Grégoire (Groupama FDJ), and Andreas Kron (Lotto Dstny), who finished in 2nd and 3rd place, respectively.
With the victory, Jesus Herrada takes the lead in the mountain classification of the Vuelta a España 2023.
In the main peloton, despite an attack by Cian Uijtdebroeks in the final kilometer, there was no time difference among the top contenders for the red jersey of the Vuelta a España. The “truce” indeed seemed to be in effect among the main leaders, suggesting that all cyclists were conserving their energy for the daunting stage of the Tourmalet on Friday.
Watch the finish:
Results of the 11th stage:
Shortly, the General Classification of the Vuelta a España 2023.