The day after the second day of rest, the Belgian Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step) established his dominance in the Tour of Spain by winning the time trial in Alicante (30.9 km) on Tuesday August 30, in a context of growing concerns related to the resurgence of positive cases of Covid-19. On Wednesday August 31, the British leader of the BikeExchange formation Simon Yates, current 5th overall, had to abandon the race due to a positive test for Covid-19.
Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) dreams of a fourth victory in a row in the Tour of Spain. But a pebble named Remco Evenepoel slipped into his shoe. The 22-year-old Belgian, who is nicknamed “The little cannibal” in reference to the great Merckx, continues to assert his domination over this edition of the Vuelta. Tuesday August 30, the day after the rest day, Remco Evenepoel showed his power on the flat course between Elche and Alicante during the individual time trial, relegating Primoz Roglic to 48 seconds and the French Rémi Cavagna, exercise specialist, one minute. Enough to crush the competition. Roglic had never been beaten in the solo exercise on the Vuelta since his first steps in 2019. The only consolation of the day for the Slovenian, having taken second place overall in favor of the Spaniard Enric Mas (Movistar). But to make the pass of four, Roglic will have to rack his brains. “ Remco is currently flying¸ acknowledges the outgoing three-time winner. He’s in the shape of his life, we’re not surprised by that, he’s had so many wins already. »
Bringing the red jersey back to Belgium
“ We will fight to win the Vuelta. The team is confident. We want to keep this jersey to bring it home “, said Evenepoel after his time, he who now has 2 minutes and 41 seconds ahead of Roglic in the general. Entering the top 10 five times since the start in the Netherlands on August 19, Evenepoel has this time signed his first success on the roads of the Tour of Spain.
The Belgian prodigy had taken power during the 6th stage which arrived at the top of the unprecedented Pico Jano by imposing a frantic pace on the peloton at the start of the last ascent. Here he grabbed the leader’s red jersey for the first time in his career. Last Sunday, during the 9th stage, at the top of the explosive Col des Praeres, he again showed that the red jersey was firmly hanging on his shoulders. He had further improved his lead in the general classification. Even if the Tour of Spain is still long, we wonder who could well come to disrupt the plans of the winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Classic of San Sebastian 2022. A fall? Covid-19?
The Tour of Spain decimated by the Covid-19
This Wednesday August 31, the British leader of the BikeExchange formation Simon Yates, current 5th overall, had to abandon the Tour of Spain due to a positive test for Covid-19. Winner of the Vuelta in 2018, Simon Yates (30) had just won a place overall after the individual time trial the day before between Elche and Alicante. Frenchman Pavel Sivakov (9th overall) was also forced to leave the race for the same reasons.
Since the start of the Tour of Spain on August 19 in the Netherlands, at least 18 riders have tested positive for Covid-19. The spread of the virus has accelerated within the peloton in recent days, with at least 15 cases detected since Friday August 26. On Tuesday August 30, four riders had to give up the individual time trial following a positive test: Briton Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers), Australian Harry Sweeny (Lotto-Soudal), Spaniard José Herrada (Cofidis ) and Irishman Sam Bennett (Bora), winner of two stages and in the race for the green jersey.