As it happened: Evenepoel attacks again on Vuelta a España stage 15 but Rui Costa takes the stage victory

Hola and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of stage 15 of the Vuelta a España.

The riders leave the high mountains of the Pyrenees with the GC situation looking far clearer than it did three days ago. Jumbo-Visma has seized control of the race, with Sepp Kuss looking more and more like a probable winner, while Remco Evenepoel is out of contention, and the threat of UAE Team Emirates has been blunted.

Today will be a much less challenging stage in terms of climbing than the last two days, but there are still plenty of smaller hills to encourage stage-hunting puncheurs and climbers to get up the road and try to gain glory from a breakaway victory.

The man who achieved breakaway glory on yesterday’s stage was, of course, Remco Evenepoel, who bounced back stunningly from his heartbreak 24 hours earlier to win the stage. 

Barely a day has gone by at this race without the Belgian attracting the headlines for one reason or another, and his arc over the last two days has been the most dramatic yet. From the despair of losing all hope of defending his Vuelta title, to the redemptive joy of winning what was one of the hardest stages of the race, he’s taking us all along on an emotional rollercoaster. You can read more about his epic ride here.

Just a few minutes now before the riders are due to set off from the neutralised zone.

The unofficial start has begun, and the riders are making their way through the streets of Pamplona for the unofficial start. We’ll try to resist the urge to make jokes about / metaphors with the Running of the Bulls festival this town is famous for.

Remco Evenepoel and his Soudal-QuickStep team paid tribute to Morocco before the start today following the tragic earthquake that has struck the nation, by brandishing their flag on the podium. 

"First of all, my wife is Moroccan,” he explained. “We have quite a lot of family close to the area where horrible things happened. It was a difficult time for her, for her family, for myself, so it’s just another to support the people and the country of Morocco with what happened. It means a lot to me, it means a lot to her. It’s never nice when something like this happens."

158.3KM REMAINING

The riders have completed the 7km neutralised zone, and the race is on. Expect a mad scramble to get into the breakaway, as the parcours today looks ideal for the stage to be contested by whoever gets up the road

And guess who’s on the move again? Remco Evenepoel! The Belgian already has a small gap over the peloton.

Two riders have now joined Evenepoel: stage two winner Andreas Kron (Lotto Dstny), and Matevz Govekar of Bahrain Victorious.

Unsurprisingly, Evenepoel and the other two haven't been given any leeway by the peloton, and have been brought back.

Evenepoel now has the incentive of King of the Mountains points to chase, having taken the lead in that classification yesterday. Here he is at the start posing in the jersey.

Ineos’ Kim Heiduk is the latest to try a move, but he too has been unsuccessful. The team are still chasing more redemptive stage wins in addition to Ganna’s earlier this week, after their GC bid collapsed.

The first third of this stage is mostly flat, save for a few undulations, so the kind of punchurs and climbers you’d expect to contend for the stage victory may find it hard to get into the break 

The first official cimb of the day, the category three Puerto de Lizarraga, doesn't begin until 60km into the stage. It may be that the definitive break doesn’t form until then.

The action hasn’t settled down and there are still a flurry of hopeful attacks being made, but none yet have managed to stick. There will be a lot of resentment and pain from riders with no design on a win today, instead merely hoping to get it over and done with and enjoy tomorrow’s rest day.

Egan Bernal is among the riders to have had a go. The Colombian has quietly manoeuvred his way through the first two weeks of the Vuelta, as he attempts to continue to build his strength up following the crash that threatened to end his life almost two years ago. 

He’s still a long, long way from the Grand Tour winning ride of old, but finishing a second successive Grand Tour following his Tour de France return earlier this year would be a major step forward — especially if he can compete for stage wins today and in the final week. 

There’s been a crash in the peloton, and Tobias Bayer (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Diego Andrés Camargo (EF Education-EasyPost) are involved.

130KM REMAINING

Evenepoel really looks hungry again today, and is still trying to get a gap ahead of the bunch. It seems his success yesterday was only the start of his redemptive bounce-back. 

However he and other wannabe escapees haven’t succeeded, and its Gruppo Compatto once more.

12 of the 22 teams competing are still yet to win a stage, so we can expect them to be especially lively as the battle to form the break goes on. Those teams are:

Groupama-FDJ 

EF Education-EasyPost 

Jayco-AlUla

Bahrain-Victorious

Lidl-Trek

AG2R Citroën Team

Intermarché - Circus - Wanty

Movistar

Arkéa Samsic

Astana Qazaqstan

Burgos-BH

Caja Rural-Seguros RGA

Filippo Ganna is also throwing his weight around at the front trying to go clear. The Italian has already won the time trial stage, but doesn’t seem content with just that, having also gone for sprints and breakaways as well. 

The parcours today might seem too tricky for such a heavyweight rider, but his climbing has surprised us in the past and he can’t be written off.

Here is the peloton earlier today at the start setting off from Pamplona — thankfully not being pursued by bulls.

Here’s Evenepoel trying to force a break. You can tell from the expressions of the riders behind him how hard the pace is.

You get a real sense of how hard the start has been from this picture taken earlier in the stage. The peloton is all strung out in one long line, but hasn’t reached breaking point. The riders are on the limit, but a break still hasn’t been formed.

We’re approaching the start of the first climb of the day, Puerto de Lizarraga. It’s a very long one, at 19.3km, but only averages 2.6%, with gradients that fluctuate all the way up. There’s plenty of time here for the stronger climbers to break free from the peloton.

100KM REMAINING

100km to go, and the riders are already climbing before the official start of the hill. 

34 of the remaining 100km will be spent climbing — the final two-thirds of this race is much more climber-friendly than the first.

The riders have just started the climb and, surprise surprise, Evenepoel has attacked again. This terrain should be far more conducive to getting a gap than where he tried earlier.

Evenepoel has Santiago Buitrago and Juan Pedro López for company. These are the kind of quality climbers who have a chance to go clear now the road is rising uphill. 

About 20 riders have now joined that trio. Riders are all over the road and it’s quite chaotic out there. Sepp Kuss in the red jersey and his Jumbo-Visma teammates will have to be careful to keep this under control.

They have to be especially attentive now as Marc Soler attacks. Jumbo are alert to the danger and have Kuss and another rider on his wheel.

The peloton comes back together, but Soler’s teammate Almeida counter-attacks. This is aggressive racing from UAE Team Emirates!

90KM REMAINING

After that flurry of action, Soler and Vingegaard have managed to escape out of the peloton, and have joined the leading group, which is being led by Evenepoel and is about 20 riders strong.

The gap between the lead group and the peloton is 18 seconds. Jumbo-Visma are leading the chase in the peloton for Sepp Kuss, but with Vingegaard having infiltrated the lead group, aren’t in crisis.

Another dangerous rider who managed to get into the lead group is Aleksandr Vlasov. He’s 8th on GC at 5-02, while Soler is 6th at 3-10 and Vingegaard is 3rd at 1-44.

Jumbo-Visma have brought the peloton (now only with about 20 riders left) back to the leaders.Despite Vingegaard’s presence, they deemed Soler and Vlasov too dangerous to let go.

So we now have a new lead group / peloton of about 40 riders, from which new attacks are already being made. Evenepoel is once again involved, in a three-man group with Rui Costa and an Arkea rider.

The is Arkéa Samsic rider Cristián Rodríguez, and the trio have built a sizeable lead.

80KM REMAINING

More riders are firing off the front of the peloton in pursuit, with Jumbo-Visma looking on attentively. A chase group has consequently formed behind the trio of Cristián Rodríguez, Remco Evenepoel, Rui Costa.

Just 1500m from the top. Evenepoel surely has his eye on the King of the Mountains points. Will anybody contest him?

The peloton has sat up. The trio’s lead is up to 1-30. They also look set to be joined by a handful of pursuers. We’ll let you know who they are shortly.

Lennard Kämna and Santiago Buitrago have proven to be the strongest of those pursuers, and have joined up to the trio prior to the climb’s summit.

Jonathan Caicedo and Chris Hamilton are behind and trying to join them, while behind them is a larger group of more chasers.

Evenepoel rolls over the top of the climb to take the maximum points, uncontested. It would, after all, probably be a bad idea making an enemy of the Belgian, seeing as they'll have to cope with his infernal pace for the rest of the stage.

It doesn’t seem any of the major favourites were caught out in all the action and confusion further down that climb, although Cian Uijtdebroeks was distanced. He’s back now though, as are many more following the slowing down of the proton, being led by Jumbo-Visma.

The 8 riders on the road between Hamilton and Caicedo ahead of them and the peloton behind them are: Einer Rubio, Rudy Molard, Kenny Elissonde, Nico Denz, Andrea Vendrame, Andreas Kron, Geoffrey Bouchard and Jimmy Janssenes.

70KM REMAINING

The breakaway’s lead is already up to 2-30. It seems very likely that they will be allowed by the peloton to contest for the stage win.

A number of the pursuers have joined up to the lead group on the descent. Along with Cristián Rodríguez, Remco Evenepoel, Rui Costa, Lennard Kämna and Santiago Buitrago, we now have Kenny Elissonde (Lidl-Trek), Chris Hamilton (Team dsm - firmenich), Jonathan Caicedo (EF Education-EasyPost), Andrea Vendrame (AG2R Citroën Team), Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ) and Nico Denz (Bora-Hansgrohe).

Four more riders also present in the lead group: Einer Rubio (Movistar), Geoffrey Bouchard (AG2R Citroën Team), Jimmy Janssens (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Andreas Kron (Lotto-Dstny). That makes 15 in total, which will more than give them enough firepower to stay clear.

60KM REMAINING

Three minutes between the breakaway group and the peloton. Jumbo-Visma are setting a comfortable pace, slow enough for riders dropped from the peloton earlier to rejoin.

It’s just been announced that Arkéa Samsic’s Kévin Vauquelin has abandoned the race. The 22-year-old was tipped as one of the exciting young Grand Tour debutants to look out for at the race, but hasn’t made the same impression as Lenny Martinez or Cian Uijtdebroeks.

Jumbo-Visma can’t afford to sit up completely, what with Evenepoel’s presence in the break. He’s still 19-12 down on GC, but they don't want him making the kind of gains he made yesterday every day. Buitrago also needs to be kept an eye on, as the highest placed rider in the group on GC in 13th at 13-15

50KM REMAINING

Indeed, the gap has actually come down in the past few kilometres, to 2-38. Still very hard to imagine the break being caught, but Jumbo-Visma are going to keep them on a leash.

Interestingly, Alpecin-Deceuninck are also contributing to the chase with Jumbo-Visma. That’s not much of a vote of confidence in Jimmy Janssens, who’s up the road in the break. It could be that the team still have hopes for a sprint finish, in which case their man Kaden Groves would be a hot favourite.

As pointed out by Daniel Lloyd on the TV commentary, Alpecin may have another incentive to chase: defending the points classification. Groves leads that classification currently, with Evenepoel in second place. The Belgian might for now be 97 points adrift, but if he keeps riding in the mood he has the past two days, he could yet make that deficit up, especially with so many more stages suiting him rather than Groves in next few stages.

Despite their efforts, Alpecin aren’t making any more inroads. The deficit to the breakaway is still at around 20-30.

The breakaway group is climbing again, this time up the category two Puerto de Zuarrarrate. It’s 6.3km long at 5.1%, and will be climbed again closer to the finish.

It hasn’t taken long for the action to kick off on the climb. Hamilton attacks, and is brought back by a typically sprightly Evenepoel.

Now Buitrago goes. Aside from Evenepoel, he’s arguably the strongest rider in the group, and will be hard to follow.

He has been brought back though, by Evenepoel. Evenepoel still has most of the group on his wheel, but some riders have been dropped

Meanwhile in the peloton, Alpecin are chasing seriously, but the gap is extending rather than closing. It’s up to 2-50.

Evenepoel is putting his companions through the hurt. He’s setting his own pace and not worrying about any of the others sharing a turn, as is his way.

Buitrago attacks again, but still can't get a gap as Evenepoel closes him down. There are only about 8 riders left in this lead group now.

And Buitrago goes again. He seems desperate to either go clear on his own, or rid the ead group of its weaker climbers.

40KM REMAINING

1500 from the top and Evenepoel has the group under control again. He’s setting a tempo and the other 8 are straining to hang on.

Evenepoel is again allowed to take the maximum points uncontested. The King of the Mountains jersey is already looking like it might be in the bag. 

The leaders reach the top with their lead over the peloton up again to almost three-and-a-half minutes. Alpecin-Deceuninck are still leading the peloton, but their efforts appear to be in vain. 

Some strong climbers found the pace set by the lead group on the last hill too much. Elissonde, Caicedo and Molard are all among those dropped. Only 9 riders are now left in the lead group.

More bad news for Geraint Thomas, who appears to have gone down in a crash. He has just been spotted on camera out the back of the peloton very gingerly. The Welshman is enduring a rotten Vuelta, in a race that has done nothing to dispel his reputation as a rider who crashes a lot.

30KM REMAINING

More attacks from the lead group on an uncategorised uphill. Hamilton has a gap of a few seconds over the rest.

Thomas must have fallen on his left-hand side, as he has a slightly bloody left elbow and a torn jersey around the shoulder area. He’s on his bike, but is still off the back of the peloton.

Hamilton has been brought back, but more attacks in the lead group seems imminent. Nobody here wants to simply keep riding and wait for Evenepoel to attack them.

Have Alpecin-Deceuninck thrown in the towel? The gap to the leaders is now up to 3-50, and they’ve let Jumbo-Visma retake control of the peloton.

Perhaps not. An Alpecin rider is again taking a turn in the peloton. It might be that they want to bring back the stragglers between the leading group and the peloton, in order to open up the possibility of taking a few points at the finish in the minor placings.

20KM REMAINING

There are currently ten riders in the lead group: Cristián Rodríguez, Remco Evenepoel, Rui Costa, Lennard Kämna, Santiago Buitrago, Chris Hamilton, Nico Denz, Einer Rubio, Jimmy Janssens and Andreas Kron. They're lead is 3-50 over the peloton, with a few riders dropped earlier from the break still stranded in between.

There’s an intermediate sprint coming up in a few kilometres, and it will be interesting to see if Evenepoel goes for any points. He looks in an especially hungry mood at the moment, going for King of the Mountains points as well as stage wins, and might now have his eye on the points classification today. Kaden Groves will certainly hope he isn’t.

Evenepoel doesn’t look interested. Groves’ teammate Janssens jumped out of the group to wrap up the maximum points, and Evevenpoel didn’t bother to chase him, nor sprint at the line. It seems Groves can breathe a sigh of relief - although if Evenepoel wins today and keeps origins so aggressively, he might yet win the classification inadvertently.

15KM REMAINING

Janssens has pushed on after that sprint and has a small advantage. It’s kicking off behind and some are trying to bridge over to him.

Buitrago and Rui Costa are the two riders who went after Janssens, and are about to close the gap just as they start the second and last ascent of  Puerto de Zuarrarrate.

That duo has dropped Janssens and are pressing on. Evenepoel and co have some ground to make up.

16 seconds is the gap between Buitrago and Rui Costa and the Evenepoel-led chase group. Normally the Belgian would easily be the strongest on such a climb, but he must surely be tired after his huge efforts both yesterday and earlier today.

Janssens has been caught by the Evenepoel group and is slipping off the back. Five riders are clinging to the Belgian's wheel.

Continuing his approach the last time he went up this climb, Buitrago has attacked Rui Costa. The Portuguese rider was equal to him, and the two remain together.

Rui Costa is now refusing to take a turn with Buitrago. He is a canny operator in breaks, and has won many a Grand Tour stage playing similar tactics that don’t necessarily win him friends, but does win him races. Buitrago will have to play this smartly.

The duo’s lead is growing to the Evenepoel chase group, and is now up to 25 seconds. It seems as if the unthinkable has happened - Evenepoel has at last tired.

Kämna attacks from the chase group, and is riding away.

Evenepoel was unable to respond that time. It doesn’t look like he’ll be winning back-to-back stages.

10KM REMAINING

Just 1km from the summit, and Buitrago and Rui Costa still have a lead of 24 seconds on the chasers.

Lennard Kämna appears to be flying, and has already caught the leaders. 

Rui Costa still refuses to take a turn, which has also annoyed Kämna. The German attacks them, and has a small gap…

Kämna’s gap is enough to see him take the maximum KOM points at the summit, but not enough to stay clear. Buitrago and Rui Costa are back with him on the descent.

Buitrago is pushing on the descent. He’s got a few bike-lengths, but is being kept under control.

Kämna is now at the front and upping the pace. The others are having to strain to keep up.

5KM REMAINING

The pace has slowed again, and the three are looking at each other. This is shaping up to be a tense, hostile finale.

Kämna has another gap of a few bike-lengths, with 4km to go.

Kämna’s crashed!

He’s back up and ok, but his chances of winning the stage are over.

The German overcooked a corner trying to maintain his slender lead on the descent. 

2KM REMAINING

Rui Costa is now being left to do all the work by Buitrago as the finish approaches. It's surely going to be one of these two riders to take the win.

Rui Costa’s slowed down completely and trying to force Buitrago to work. And he succeeds, as the Bahrain rider takes the lead

Kämna's back!

1KM REMAINING

The pace has slowed enough for the German to return. 1km to go...

The pace is slow, nobody is taking it up

Kämna leads on the finishing straight

Buitrafo starts his sprint...

But Rui Costa takes the win!

Kämna led for most of the sprint, but Rui Costa came past him just in time to pip the German at the line. Buitrago finished in third.

That was a masterclass in breakaway gamesmanship from Rui Costa, one of the greats of such dark arts.

The trio even nearly let Evenepoel and the chase group back into contention, who were charging up to them on the finishing straight. But they still finished a few seconds adrift.

The peloton arrive at the finish, and Groves leads home the sprint. He'll gain a few handy points in the green jersey classification, the fruit of his team's labour today.

All the GC favourites were in that group, and Sepp Kuss looks happy at the finish following another day's good work. 

That was exactly the kind of thrilling excitement for the stage win we were hoping for and that the hilly parcours promised. You’ll find our full report of the stage here.

Thanks for joining us today. It's a rest day tomorrow, but the third week promises plenty of more drama starting with stage 16 on Tuesday. All four jerseys are (just about) still up for grabs, and there looks set to be some intense battes for them. Plenty to look foreward to!