Refresh
-165km
Break:
Stan Dewulf (AG2R-Citroën), Mikel Bizkarra (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Dimitri Claeys (Qhubeka NextHash), Quinn Simmons (Trek-Segafredo) and Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH)
Peloton at 2:15
-167km
Jetse Bol has succeeded in bridging across to the escapees to make it a five-man front group. The peloton, containing the red jersey and the main GC contenders, is at 2:14. A third group is at 2:40, but seemingly making its way back up to the peloton after that early crash.
Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo) went down in the crash but the Italian is back on his bike and still in the race. The Abruzzese lies 12th overall at 6:16.
Stan Dewulf (AG2R-Citroën), Mikel Bizkarra (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Dimitri Claeys (Qhubeka NextHash) and Quinn Simmons (Trek-Segafredo) have a lead of 1:14 over the peloton, while Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH) is trying to bridge across alone to the break.
-170km
Guillaume Martin and Enric Mas have returned safely to the peloton after that earlier crash, and it appears as though the bunch is slowing and reforming, while the four escapees are extending their advantage.
The peloton has split as a result of that crash. Meanwhile, four riders have succeeded in forging clear off the front. Quinn Simmons (Trek-Segafredo) has been joined by Dimitri Claeys (Qhubeka-NextHash), Stan Dewulf (AG2R-Citroen) and Mikel Bizkarra (Euskaltel-Euskadi).
-173km
A crash in the peloton sees Enric Mas (Movistar) and Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) among the riders held up. It’s not yet clear if they were among the fallers, but it appears that many riders have been caught up in this incident.
There’s a very brisk start to proceedings with an early flurry of attacks, but no move has gained traction just yet.
-180km
The peloton hits kilometre zero and stage 16 of the Vuelta a España is formally underway.
The peloton is making its way through the neutralised zone en route to kilometre zero. The temperature is a pleasant 23°C on the Cantabrian coast.
Roglič and Jumbo-Visma have been glad to spend a week out of the maillot rojo, though he was careful to point out that both Eiking and Martin are full value for their current positions on general classification. “The thing is, they’ve showed some really good efforts,” Roglič told Alasdair Fotheringham yesterday. “Especially on Sunday, Eiking’s whole team was super good and he definitely deserves to still have the jersey. Now, as the days go on, we will see what the outcome will be. But to be in the positions we are in now, everybody has to do some good rides and everyone deserves it.” Read Alasdair’s full rest day interview with Roglič here.
General classification after stage 15
1 Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 59:57:50
2 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Cofidis 00:00:54
3 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Jumbo-Visma 00:01:36
4 Enric Mas Nicolau (Spa) Movistar Team 00:02:11
5 Miguel Angel Lopez Moreno (Col) Movistar Team 00:03:04
6 Jack Haig (Aus) Bahrain Victorious 00:03:35
7 Egan Bernal Gomez (Col) Ineos Grenadiers 00:04:21
8 Adam Yates (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 00:04:34
9 Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma 00:04:59
10 Felix Grossschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:05:31
11 Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Astana-Premier Tech 00:06:04
12 Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 00:06:16
13 Gino Mäder (Swi) Bahrain Victorious 00:06:47
14 Louis Meintjes (RSA) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 00:07:07
15 David de la Cruz (Spa) UAE Team Emirates 00:07:11
16 Juan Pedro Lopez Perez (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 00:11:08
17 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 00:14:46
18 Rafal Majka (Pol) UAE Team Emirates 00:26:20
19 Rémy Rochas (Fra) Cofidis 00:26:35
20 Geoffrey Bouchard (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 00:28:21
Odd Christian Eiking (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) continues to lead this Vuelta a España, and the Norwegian should have another day playing Pascal Lino to Primož Roglič’s Miguel Indurain tomorrow. He has 54 seconds in hand on Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) and 1:36 on Roglič, the favourite for overall victory.
The Vuelta a España resumes after the second rest day with a stage that ought to suit the fast men, even if there are few ripples along the 180km road from Laredo to Santa Cruz de Bezana. The roll-out is at 12.49 local time, with the peloton due to hit kilometre zero at 13.00.
