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Vuelta a Espana 2018: Stage 12

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The stage profile as printed in the road book suggests a day for the sprinters, but appearances could be deceptive. Today's stage in Galicia still includes some 2250 metres of total climbing and is described as 'hilly' by the race organisation - and bear in mind that stage 2's uphill finish at Caminito del Rey was technically a 'flat' stage. Long story short, just about anything could happen on the road from Mondonedo to Faro de Estaca de Bares, the northernmost point in the Iberian peninsula.

The peloton will reach kilometre zero at 12.17 local time. Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) holds the red jersey, and the overall standings are as follows:

The stage start has been delayed by 10 minutes or so, and the peloton is only now lining up on the start line to navigate the neutralised zone.

There are two classified climbs on today's route, and the category 3 Alto de Cadeira comes very early. The race reaches the foot of the 5.8km climb after just 5km, and it seems an obvious springboard for the early break to forge clear.

Both Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNL-Jumbo) have sustained punctures in the neutralised zone, which looks set to delay the official start of proceedings still further.

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The bunch is on the lower slopes of the Alto de Cadeiro, where there is a welter of early attacks from would-be escapees.

It's an overcast, breezy and relatively chilly day in Galicia. The temperature at the start was 16 degrees.

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Mitchelton-Scott's race management on yesterday's was criticised by Alejandro Valverde, who Movistar team stepped up to the plate and took responsibility for chasing down a break that featured dangerman Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ). "Mitchelton don't work [to bring back breaks] because that's not their philosophy," Valverde said. "They only work when they want to do harm, but when it's to defend a lead, it's hard to see them do that. The only team that worked to pull back the breakaway has been us." Alasdair Fotheringham has the full story here.

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Simon Yates was typically sanguine after he held the red jersey at the end of a frantic stage 11. "The team did a great job for over 100 kilometres, and afterwards Movistar chased because they have to. We don't have enough guys to control the race for over 100 kilometres, and they have the best two guys," said Yates, who is 1 second up on Valverde and 14 ahead of Nairo Quintana. Alasdair Fotheringham has more here.

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A reminder of the men in this break: Alexandre Geniez (AG2R-La Mondiale), Vincenzo Nibali, Mark Padun (Bahrain-Merida), Dylan Teuns (BMC Racing Team), Davide Formolo (Bora-Hansgrohe), Victor Campenaerts, Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Dries Devenyns (Quick-Step Floors), Amanuel Gebregziabher (Dimenstion Data), Tiago Machado (Katusha Alpecin), Dylan Van Baarle (Team Sky), Gianluca Brambilla (Trek-Segafredo), Valerio Conti (UAE Team Emirates), Pablo Torres (Burgos-BH), Jonathan Lastra, Lluis Mas (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) and Mikel Bizkarra (Euskadi-Murias).

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Yesterday, the UCI announced that Nibali's teammate Kanstantin Siutsou has tested positive for EPO in an out-of-competition test on July 31.The 36-year-old was under-23 world champion in 2004 and has raced for Team Sky, Highroad,Barloworld, Dimension Data and Fassa Bortolo during his professional career before signing for Bahrain-Merida last year. "Am NOT understand Whot is happening! [sic]" Siutsou wrote on Instagram after the news broke. 

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The escapees have stretched their advantage out to 10 minutes, and they will be increasingly confident that this move is going to go the distance.

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Thibaut Pinot's presence in the break of the day lit up yesterday's stage, and though the Frenchman ultimately gained a scant 12 seconds over his fellow GC contenders, he signalled that he will be a danger man as the race heads into the high mountains this weekend. The Frenchman is 16th overall at 2:20, but will expect to start moving up in the coming days. "The legs are good and that's good for the future," said Pinot. Read more here.

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Away from the Vuelta, LottoNL-Jumbo have won the novel team time trial at the Tour of Britain, and Primoz Roglic has moved into the overall lead. Full details will follow here.

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And, as if on cue, Davide Formolo hits the front of the break and puts in a probing acceleration that briefly stretches things out. De Gendt comes to the front shortly afterwards to restore a little order.

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Formolo continues to pile on the pressure over the other side of the San Pedro, and there are gaps beginning to open in the front group on the descent.

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Nibali and Campenaerts are also in the front part of the break, though it seems the men caught behind are on the point of making contact once again.

The bunch crests the summit of the San Pedro 10:30 down on the break. Adam Yates took over on the front near the top in support of his brother Simon. A number of riders were distanced on the final approach towards the summit, including Elia Viviani.

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Brambilla and Padun continue their forcing, but Devenyns is on the cusp of bringing them back. The front group is breaking up, however. Pablo Torres (Burgos-BH) has punctured at a most inopportune time and surely won't make it back on.

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Lluis Mas Bonet and Victor Campenaerts are betraying signs of suffering at the rear of the break, where the strongmen are coming to the fore as the stage reaches a pivotal moment.

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Tiago Machado and Pablo Torres, incidentally, had rejoined the break, though it has fragmented all over again thanks to this attack from Campenaerts et al.

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Victor Campenaerts is the first rider to launch an acceleration, but Devenyns smoothly brings the rest of the break back up to him.

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Formolo is the next rider to attack on a long false flat. This race is turning into something of a slugging match between the leading group. Formolo opens a small gap but he can't quite snap the elastic. Devenyns and Van Baarle were flitting off the back but they are both back on once again.

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Herrada, meanwhile, remains on course to take over the red jersey, as Mitchelton-Scott are happy to allow Movistar set a steady but unspectacular pace on the front of the peloton.

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Padun, Campenaerts, Padun and Geniez lead into the final 600 metres but Van Baarle is closing in...

Van Baarle rejoins the front group in time for the sprint...

Geniez opens the sprint, but Van Baarle follows...

Alexandre Geniez (AG2R La Mondiale) wins stage 12 of the Vuelta a Espana.

Dylan van Baarle (Team Sky) took second place. 

As on stage 6, it appears as though there was a crash after the finish line, though it's unclear what precisely was the cause 

The Herrada group approaches the finish a little over 2 minutes down. The Spaniard is on course to take the red jersey, as there is no urgency in the peloton's pace.

Herrada came in 2:30 down on Geniez. The peloton is still some distance from the finish. Herrada, remember, began the day 5:45 down on Simon Yates.

Mark Padun (Bahrain-Merida) was third on the stage behind Geniez and Van Baarle, incidentally. Dylan Teuns was 4th ahead of Victor Campenaerts.

Result:

The crash at the finish was caused by an accredited individual who was - for reasons unknown - running with his back to the oncoming riders past the finish line. Geniez couldn't avoid hitting him with his shoulder as he came past. The running man fell to the ground, bringing Van Baarle and Teuns down with him.

To have one post-finish line crash on a Grand Tour may be regarded as unfortunate. To have two looks like extreme carelessness from the race organisation.

An injured Van Baarle is being carried away from the finish area by two Sky soigneurs. There is no excuse for an incident like this.

Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) will wear the red jersey tomorrow. The peloton is over 9 minutes down and still has 2km to race.

The peloton finally crosses the finish line 11:39 down on the stage.

General classification after stage 12:

General classification after stage 12:

That's the third Vuelta stage win of Geniez's career after his triumph at Peyragudes in 2013 and his victory at Mirador de Ezaro in 2016. "I did the Giro for the GC and I’ve come here to go for a stage win," Geniez said. "This is the kind of day I enjoy, but no, I wasn’t confident of winning. There were 18 riders and everyone had a chance. When the break split in two my chances increased, but Van Baarle is fast and Campenaerts is very strong. It was a tough sprint in the end."

Thanks for following our live coverage of the Vuelta this afternoon on Cyclingnews. You can find a full report, results and pictures here. We'll be back with more tomorrow and in the meantime Alasdair Fotheringham and Sadhbh O'Shea will have all the news and reaction from Galicia.

Result:

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