Vuelta 2020: Gaudu solos to victory, Roglic seals GC win

David Gaudu solos to victory at La Covatilla, while Primoz Roglic seals the GC victory. The Slovene holds off an attack by Richard Carapaz in the last 3 kilometres to win the overall 24 seconds ahead of the Ecuadorian. Hugh Carthy finishes in third, 47 second down on the red jersey. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 17th stage Vuelta a España 2020

1. David Gaudu (fra)
2. Gino Mäder (swi) + 0.28
3. Ion Izagirre (spa) + 1.05
4. David de la Cruz (spa) s.t.
5. Mark Donovan (gbr) + 1.53
6. Michael Storer (aus) s.t.
7. Guillaume Martin (fra) + 2.23
8. Richard Carapaz (ecu) + 2.35
9. Hugh Carthy (gbr) + 2.50
10. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 2.56

GC after stage 17
1. Primoz Roglic (slo)
2. Richard Carapaz (ecu) + 0.24
3. Hugh Carthy (gbr) + 0.47
4. Daniel Martin (irl) + 2.43
5. Enric Mas (spa) + 3.36
6. Wout Poels (nld) + 7.16
7. David de la Cruz (spa) + 7.35
8. David Gaudu (fra) + 7.45
9. Felix Großschartner (aut) + 8.15
10. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 9.34

Race report
For the fourth consecutive day the fight for the break is hard. After 20 kilometres a group of 34 riders open up a gap. David Gaudu, Rui Costa, Ion Izagirre, Sergio Henao, Guillaume Martin, José Herrada, David de la Cruz, Lennard Hofstede, Gino Mäder, Bruno Armirail, Michael Storer, Mark Donovan, Imanol Erviti and Rémi Cavagna are among the attackers. The leaders widen the gap to more than 4 minutes before the peloton takes the reins.

On the penultimate climb of the day, Alto de la Garganta, Movistar pulls the peloton. When the lead falls to 1.30 minutes Marc Soler attacks. Erviti waits for him and together they chase the lead group down.

Gino Mäder accelerates on the uphill cobbles Candelario and Mark Donovan and Ion Izagirre go with him. They trio tackles the finish climb 40 seconds ahead of the chasers with the peloton 4 minutes in arrears.

Izagirre and Mäder leave Donovan behind on the steep sections halfway up La Covatilla. The Briton comes crawling back before Izagirre gives it another shot.

Gaudu appears in the background to overhaul the Basque with 4.2 kilometres remaining. Carthy strikes on the lower slopes and Carapaz goes with him. Leader Roglic closes down the gap himself with Mas in his wheel.

Carapaz goes again with more than 3 kilometres remaining. He quickly opens up a gap of 20 seconds before Roglic gets his mojo back. Carthy attacks, but the Slovene does not lose any time anymore.

Meanwhile, Gaudu solos to his second stage triumph at La Vuelta. He wins the race 28 seconds ahead of Mäder.

Roglic wins La Vuelta for the second consecutive year, while Carapaz and Carthy round out the podium.

Other interesting reads:
– route 17th stage 2020 Vuelta
– KOM classification
– points classification