Vuelta a España: Roglič wins Pau time trial

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Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) won stage 10 at the Vuelta a España, blitzing the 36.2km time trial to Pau with a time of 47:06 and vaulting ahead of Nairo Quintana (Movistar) into the race lead.

The Colombian, in red at the start of the day, had a nightmare ride, losing 3:06 to Roglič and falling off the podium to a deficit of three minutes in the process. Miguel Ángel López (Astana) was another big loser, ceding two minutes to the Slovenian and falling to 2:11 behind.

Roglič set the fastest time at each of the day's two checkpoints, besting Patrick Bevin (CCC Team) at the finish. The New Zealand champion had held onto the top spot for 90 minutes but would have to settle for second on the stage, two seconds up on Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck-QuickStep).

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) was another big winner on the stage, with the veteran taking a solid 13th place, 1:38 down on Roglič, meaning he moves up to second overall, 1:52 down.

Pogačar, meanwhile, flew out of the gates but slowed as the race went on, taking 11th place at 1:29. He remains fourth overall at 3:05.

"Every time trial you try to do as fast possible, it was the same issue today," said Roglič after the stage. "I'm happy with the performance for sure. I just tried to go all the time as fast as possible and yeah, it was enough at the end.

"We will see in Madrid," he said when asked about whether he had sealed overall victory with this performance. "For sure I won today but we have to go day by day."

With Roglič taking over the race lead, the red jersey has now changed hands six times, a new record for the Vuelta. The Slovenian also takes over the lead of the points classification, while the polka dot and white jerseys remain with Ángel Madrazo (Burgos-BH) and Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana).

How it unfolded

Nearing the midway point of the Vuelta a España, the stage 10 time trial could be one of the more pivotal stages for the GC battle. The 36.2km test, across the border in France from Jurançon to Pau, featured a rolling course and was the longest TT at any Grand Tour in 2019.

In contrast to Vuelta time trials of recent years, which have largely been held on wider, open roads, the stage took in twisting and narrow country roads. Gauging effort would be key on such a hilly, technical course.

Pawel Bernas (CCC Team) set the early running, clocking a time of 50:55 as the first man across the line in Pau. Former four-time time trial world champion Tony Martin (Jumbo-Visma) was the seventh man to start but it soon became clear he was saving himself to work for team leader Primož Roglič.

Instead, it was 2015 world champion Vasil Kiryienka (Team Ineos) who would beat Bernas. He put 38 seconds into the Pole, but his time in the hot seat wouldn't last very long either, as Bernas' teammate Will Barta was the first man under 50 minutes, setting a time of 49:17 to go a minute up at the finish.

Possession of the hot seat soon became something of a game of musical chairs, as first Benjamin Thomas (Groupama-FDJ) and then Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck-QuickStep) went fastest, with Cavagna finishing with a time of 47:32, 1:39 faster than his countryman.

Patrick Bevin (CCC Team) would edge Cavagna out at the second checkpoint, having been a second down at the first. At the finish, he held on, beating Cavagna's time by a mere two seconds to go top of the leaderboard.

There would be scant competition for Bevin's time from the remaining riders, save for stage favourite Roglič, and the New Zealander would face a wait of almost 90 minutes before finding out if he would hold on for the victory.

Just under three hours after Lennard Hofstede (Jumbo-Visma) had kicked off the stage, it was time for the general classification hopefuls to start their efforts. Pogačar went the fastest of the GC men initially, his time of 18:34 at the first checkpoint 11 seconds faster than Cavagna.

Roglič bettered his compatriot's time by 21 seconds though, also taking 1:03 up on Miguel Ángel López (Astana), 38 seconds on Valverde, and a mammoth 1:26 on Quintana with two-thirds of the course still to race.

By the second checkpoint, Roglič, still fastest, had put 2:12 into Quintana, 1:32 into López, and 54 seconds into Valverde. Pogačar, meanwhile, was slowing, crossing the checkpoint 48 seconds down on the Jumbo leader.

At the finish, Roglič's domination was confirmed, putting between 1:29 and 3:06 into the four men closest to him on the general classification, and putting himself in the driving seat for overall victory in Madrid.