Bernal goes big with Vuelta attack

Egan Bernal put in a committed long-range attack on stage 17 at the Vuelta a Espana.

 

The Colombian launched his move with 61 kilometres still remaining, riding clear alongside Primoz Roglic on the second ascent of the La Collada Llomena climb. The pair combined well to open out a gap, but as the race hit the slopes of the infamous Lagos de Covadonga climb, Bernal began to slip back.
 
The Grenadier limited his losses well but was caught ahead of the final kilometre of racing by a select group of GC riders, including teammate Adam Yates. Staying together to the finish, Yates came home fourth, with Bernal seventh – both 1:35 behind winner Roglic.
 
The gutsy move from Bernal had seen the two-time Grand Tour winner ride into a net podium position heading into the closing stages, but with Bahrain Victorious applying pressure, and a string of counter-attacks behind, the gap eventually eroded. 

 

Bernal and Yates moved up once place on the day to sixth and seventh overall, 4:29 and 4:45 back on new leader Roglic, with another tough mountain stage to follow on Thursday.
 
Earlier the team had worked hard to set up the opportunity. Dylan van Baarle placed himself in an early move, with Tom Pidcock and Pavel Sivakov getting through a lot of work to set the tempo at the front of the peloton.

Wednesday also saw day three at the Benelux Tour, with Gianni Moscon and Ben Swift the team's top finishers in the peloton, which was denied a bunch sprint by breakaway victor Taco van de Hoorne (Intermarche-Wanty).