Hello and welcome along to our live coverage of stage 20 of the Vuelta a España. It's been a hell of a lap of Spain so far, and the final weekend is sadly already upon us. It'll all come to a close in Madrid tomorrow evening but first we have our final day in the mountains, with no fewer than seven climbs on the menu culminating with the stunning Picón Blanco, which offers amazing views and horrible gradients. Primož Roglič seized the red jersey yesterday but is there one final twist in this Vuelta?
Here's a closer look at the stage profile, and it's a really tough day out.
And here's a closer look at the final climb, which measures 7.9km at a hefty average of 9.1% but with plenty more stinging ramps than that.
The riders have gathered in Villarcayo for the start of the stage, and they're going through the pre-race sign-on as we speak. They'll be rolling out at 13:00 local time, (in just over 20 minutes) with only the shortest of neutral zones before they're waved underway.
Before we get going, now's the time to catch up on yesterday's race-upending developments...
Having steadily chipped away at the lead Ben O'Connor surprisingly took in the opening week, Primož Roglič is back in the familiar red jersey and now looks poised to clinch a record-equalling fourth Vuelta title. O'Connor must have dreamt for a while but can't have any real complaints in accepting Roglič as the stronger man, and indeed the Australian has ridden a brave race that looks set to be rewarded with a first Grand Tour podium, if he can navigate this brutal penultimate test.
For a full preview of today's stage, which contains the sort of deep dive into Picón Blanco that only our Man-in-Spain Alasdair Fotheringham can produce, here's the link you need.
The riders are on the move, rolling out of Villarcayo, and the stage will be underway in a few minutes.
We're off!
Kasper Asgreen (T-Rex Quick-Step) and Enzo Leijnse (dsm-firmenich-PostNL) are the first two attackers.
That move is brought back and another seven-man move comes to nothing. Another fast start.
A three-man move goes clear now with three familiar names from previous breaks at this Vuelta: Harold Tejada (Astana-Qazastan), Marco Frigo (Israel-Premier Tech), Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates).
We've got rolling roads to start with and it'll soon be dragging up before the official start of the first of the day's seven climbs, the category-3 haul of Las Estacas de Trueba.
A bunch of riders jump to the trio at the head of the race, and the bunch is still very close at hand.
The newcomers to the breakaway: Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates), Clément Berthet (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale), Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious), Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto-Dstny), Carlos Canal (Movistar), Enzo Leijnse (dsm-firmenich-PostNL), Thomas Champion (Cofidis), Pablo Castrillo (Equipo Kern Pharma).
Max Poole (dsm-firmenich-PostNL) sets of in pursuit - that's not the first time he's attempted to bridge late to the break in this Vuelta.
It appears that DSM have dropped Liejnse out of the group to pace Poole up to it, but that plan looks to have backfired as both have been caught by the peloton, which is more than 30 seconds down but still not settled.
So we have 10 left in the breakaway and DSM are now working on the front of the peloton to bring it back or at least get it close enough to successfully fire Poole across this time.
After 25km of racing, the 10-man breakaway hits the start of the first climb with a growing lead of 50 seconds.
Some attacks from the peloton at the base of the climb, but it looks like the breakaway ship has sailed. Red Bull now come to the front to control and they should let the gap drift out.
This was the start line a little earlier, with the special jersey wearers on the front row. Here they are from left to right:
Red Bull let the gap drift out to three minutes on the upper slopes of the first climb.
KOM leader Soler is in this break but it's his teammate Vine who skips to the top of the climb in first place, ahead of Castrillo, who's third in the KOM standings and along with Frigo the only real threat to the jersey.
KOM points at Las Estacas de Trueba
1. Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) 3pts
2. Pablo Castrillo (Equipo Kern Pharma) 2pts
3. Marco Frigo (Israel-Premier Tech) 1pt
Updated virtual overall KOM standings
A lengthy descent now and the gap grows towards the four-minute mark.
After the descent it's straight onto the second climb of the day, another category-3 affair up the Puerto de la Braguía (5.8km at 5.9%).
The 10-man breakaway starts the climb with a lead of five minutes over the peloton.
Kasper Asgreen (T-Rex Quick-Step) and Pavel Bittner (dsm-firmenich-PostNL) clipped off the front of the bunch on that descent and have a handy little buffer for this climb.
Aleksandr Vlasov is leading the way for Red Bull on this climb. Dani Martínez is right up there and so is Florian Lipowitz, who sits 8th overall himself. The team put in a big effort yesterday to set up the stage win - can they keep this stage under wraps?
Another attack from the bunch, this time from Xabier Isasa (Euskaltel-Euskadi).
Change in the peloton...
The breakaway come to the top of the Braguía climb, and Vine skips clear of Castrillo once again. This time Soler, who actually wears the KOM jersey, pips Frigo to third.
Soler accelerates and semi-attacks beyond the crest - all very Marc Soler.
KOM points on the Puerto de la Braguía
1. Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) 3
2. Pablo Castrillo (Equipo Kern Pharma) 2
3. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) 1
Updated virtual overall KOM standings
8km downhill now then straight into the third climb, the difficulty set to intensify with our first category-2 of the day.
The peloton, led by Ineos Grenadiers, crest the climb 5:45 behind the breakaway. The gap had stretched out to 6:15 so the British team have conspired to take half a minute off of it.
Onto the Alto del Caracol and this one measures 10.8km at 5.4%. A modest average gradient for a cat-2 but that does include a mini descent early on.
Isasa has been caught but Bittner and Asgreen remain, on their own, in between break and bunch. They're not realistically going to get across but are at least buying themselves some sliding room when the climbing ramps up later on.
Ineos continue their work on this climb and they've brought the gap down under the four-minute mark.
We mentioned Red Bull's collective efforts yesterday. Well Vlasov has just been dropped by the peloton.
Movement up front as Soler accelerates towards the top of this climb. Berthet goes with him and Vine joins a little later.
Vine is then ushered through to take maximum points once again, extending his virtual lead in the KOM classification.
Here are Soler and Vine at the head of the break
Ineos lead the peloton over the top of the Caracol. The gap has stretched slightly back above four minutes but the stage win is still very much in the hands of the bunch and the pace all adds up to the workload in the legs before we get to the final climbs.
Only a short descent before our first cat-1 climb and the trio who went first over the top - Vine, Soler, Berthet - are taking a lead downhill over the rest of the break.
Onto the Portillo de Lunada!
Here's a closer look at the gradients
Onto the lower slopes for the breakaway and it was already breaking up on that descent but it's really fragmenting now. Soler launches a long-range move to start us off.
Ineos are really attacking the descent and they're splitting the bunch slightly themselves.
Berthet has followed Soler and Vine is back with them. Those three again at the head of the race.
Change in the peloton...
Vine attacks! Two UAE men and one from AG2R up front, and they're already bickering.
The trio are back together but they've already found 45 seconds on the rest of the break.
Soler attacks now! The two UAE men are looking to work Berthet over.
Soler has found 18 seconds on his teammate Vine, and Berthet. Confusing tactics from UAE, who didn't necessarily need to attack Berthet like this, and who have prioritised Vine for the KOM points so far today... Again, it's all very Marc Soler.
Before we get to the crunch phase of today's stage, why not have a read of Barry Ryan's typically astute analysis of the complexion of this race from the summit of Moncalvillo yesterday evening.
T-Rex QuickStep continue to lead the charge up this climb. Their numbers, and that of most GC teams, to be fair, stand in stark contrast to the team of the race leader, Roglič, who has already lost two key climbing domestiques in Vlasov and Martínez.
Soler has 25 seconds in hand over Berthet, who has Vine sitting in his wheel.
Castrillo and Frigo do now make it across to Vine and Berthet, 33 seconds behind Soler - a gap that could stretch as they decide who should do the work.
The answer is no one, as Castrillo rips an attack. Frigo is well distanced. Vine follows comfortably. Berthet is fighting.
T-Rex are still on the front of the bunch but they're still 3:40 behind the lone leader so aren't laying down too fierce a pace just yet.
"This is just junior stuff, the way they're racing here."
Into the final kilometre of this cat-1 climb for Soler, who has 28 seconds in hand and is set to grab a big chunk of mountains points after allowing Vine to collect the more minor offerings on the opening three climbs.
Frigo works his way back to the chasing trio.
79km to go
Half a minute behind, Vine mops up for second place in the group with Castrillo, Berthet, and Frigo.
Abandon: Dani Martínez (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)
T-Rex lead the peloton over the top of the climb at 3:30 from the head of the race. The stage win is well within range, and will Roglic's main rivals smell blood? Ineos and T-Rex have worked but what will we see from Mas' Movistar and Carapaz' EF?
10km downhill now and then it's back uphill for a 7km cat-2 climb of the Portillo de la Sia. A longer descent will the take us to the foot of the two cat-1 climbs that form the finale of this stage.
Soler is losing time on this descent. His lead has halved.
KOM points atop the Portillo de Lunada
1. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) 10
2. Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) 6
3. Marco Frigo (Israel-Premier Tech) 4
4. Pablo Castrillo (Equipo Kern Pharma) 2
5. Clément Berthet (Decathlon-Ag2r La Mondiale) 1
Updated virtual overall KOM standings
Soler leads solo onto the Portillo de la Sia but the chasers are almost upon him, while the peloton are at less than three minutes now.
The Portillo de la Sia measures 7.2km at 6.1%
T-Rex are continuing their charge on this climb and they've upped the tempo, with James Knox wringing the last drops out of his effort. 2:40 the gap to the head of the race now.
Soler has found more ground with the road going back uphill and question marks over collaboration in the group behind. 35 seconds now as he heads into the final 2.5km of this cat-2 climb - the fifth of seven on today's menu.
Vansevenant takes it up for QuickStep, who also have Mattia Cattaneo poised as the next man up.
Roglič has moved forward in the bunch now. He has three teammates with him.
Attack!
A Carapaz teammate shoots out the front but then looks around and eases up. Not sure what that was all about, but a suggestion that Carapaz is indeed up for trying something today.
Soler hits the top of the Portillo de la Sia, and he has 43 seconds in hand!
Vine accelerates away to collect the next helping of mountains points. Frigo follows, then a laboured Castrillo with Berthet in the wheel.
Vansevenant continues his effort to the summit, leading the reduced peloton over the top just 2:20 in arrears of Soler with 58km to go.
KOM points atop the Portillo de la Sía
1. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) 5
2. Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) 3
3. Marco Frigo (Israel-Premier) Tech 1
Updated virtual overall KOM standings
Vintage Solar-inspired tactical confusion as the Spaniard and his teammate are tied at the top of the mountains classification, with two climbs remaining in this Vuelta, both coming up shortly. Vine was the chosen man for the early climbs, Soler has soloed to help himself on the meatier stuff... what happens next?
Soler is losing ground once again as the road goes downhill. Given the length of this descent compared to the previous one (it's over 20km), it's likely we could see him caught by the rest of the break before the next climb.
Strong descent from Berthet, who has left the others and caught Soler. The other three aren't far behind, though.
Reunion up front and we have five together now: Soler, Vine, Castrillo, Berthet, Frigo.
The peloton are not hanging around, and the gap is down to just 90 seconds. As far as the stage win is concerned, it's highly unlikely to come from the break now.
As well as the Vuelta, we've also got racing at the Tour de Romandie Féminin and the Tour of Britain. No spoilers here but head to our homepage for the latest from those races.
Berthet is the strongest descender in the lead group and he has just clipped off the front once again, a few kilometres from the foot.
A reminder of the GC standings before crunch time.
Abandon - another Red Bull man, Nico Denz. Sickness in the camp becoming an increasingly plausible theory. How is Roglič himself feeling? That's the big question here.
Berthet is caught as Soler takes it up as the road flattens out. The five leaders have 1:10 over the peloton where QuickStep are still at it.
Soler may just be sacrificing himself for Vine now, but with the bunch just a minute behind, and two cat-1 climbs to come, the stage win is realistically not happening for this break.
Soler is done. That was indeed the case and the Spaniard has just gone pop in characteristically flamboyant fashion. Never say never with Soler, but he's not coming back now, and Vine takes it on.
The climb proper has begun and Castrillo is dumped out the back by Vine's pace.
Frigo distanced now. Berthet the only rider left in Vine's wheel.
Here's a closer look at the Puerto de los Tornos
Huge QuickStep push on the lower slopes of the Tornos. They're splitting the bunch!!
Two Quicksteppers and two Red Bulls, including Roglic, as four split off the front. Wow.
Mas, Carapaz, and others scramble back across. That acceleration caught many off guard.
Skjelmose caught out here.
Only 15 left in this red jersey group. Roglič reacted well there as did his only remaining lieutenant, Lipowitz.
Cattaneo drives it on for QuickStep, and they're only half a minute behind Vine now with 9km to the top of this penultimate climb.
Skjelmose is the only rider in the top 10 who has missed this split in the bunch. He took the white jersey yesterday from Carlos Rodriguez, with just eight seconds separating them, and he's handing it back as things stand.
Skjelmose has burned his only teammate and is now chasing himself, with several riders in the wheel, 20 seconds behind the red jersey group.
Vine is still plugging away, with Berthet still in the wheel, but they're only 13 seconds up now and will be caught any moment now.
Vine and Berthet are caught. Breakaway neutralised with 32km to go in total, and 6.4km to go on this penultimate climb.
Roglic in fact has two teammates with him - Lipowitz and Roger Adria.
Rodriguez is not in the red jersey group after all. He's in a group even further behind his white jersey rival Skjelmose.
Still Cattaneo on the front and so it's mano a mano as far as Skjelmose is concerned and he's closing the gap here.
Skjelmose makes the bridge, panic over for him. He has dragged a few more riders into this lead group, which now counts around 20 riders.
Sivakov attacks from that lead group.
Carlos Rodriguez is more than a minute down.
Landa attacks! There it is.
Roglic is a few wheels back but has a teammate shut the gap.
3km from the summit and Landa has settled back at the rear of the group. We've got a lengthy plateau after this and before our final climb, which could dissuade long-range efforts.
Sivakov has a lead of 17 seconds but he's not truly getting away here.
Red Bull are now controlling the 20-man GC group with Adria and Lipowitz.
This is the red jersey group
Sivakov leads the race over the Puerto de Tornos with a lead of 22 seconds with just over 25km to go.
Bonus seconds available here and Mas goes after them.
KOM points and Bonus Seconds atop the Puerto de los Tronos
1. Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates) 10 points, 6 seconds
2. Enric Mas (Movistar Team) 6 points, 4 seconds
3. Roger Adrià (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) 4pts, 2 seconds
4. Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) 2 points
5. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) 1point
Amid the sprint for bonus seconds, Vine managed to produce one last sprint to take two points. He was in second place but tied atop the KOM standings with his own teammate Soler before this climb, in an odd display of team tactics, but he's gone and snatched the jersey with that move.
The only GC development there was Mas gaining four seconds, which takes him to within 22 seconds of O'Connor and 2:16 of Roglic.
After a gentle downhill we now have more of a plateau and Sivakov has taken advantage of a flying nature break in the group behind to take his lead out to one minute.
Carlos Rodriguez is two minutes down on the GC group here and three minutes down on Sivakov. That puts him provisionally down into 10th place. Ouch.
Red Bull controlling on this plateau. Three abandons and rumours of sickness in the camp, but in the circumstances Lipowitz and Adria are doing a very good job. They're going to take Roglic to within one climb of the virtual Vuelta title, but what can the rivals produce on the final climb?
1:12 now for Sivakov with 14km to go and the final climb soon to start.
This is it: Picón Blanco, 7.9km at 9.1%
And for much more on Picón Blanco, now's your final chance to read our stage preview.
The easing in the red jersey has allowed a few riders to come back, among them two of Landa's teammates, who have now resumed their work on the front. A ckilometre or so to the start of Picon Blanco now.
Sivakov leads the way through the intermediate sprint and is going to take just under a minute onto the final climb, but it surely won't be enough on those gradients.
Landa's teammate Lecerf leads the red jersey group onto Picon Blanco. Here we go!
Cattaneo takes it up now for QuickStep
But Roglic accelerates and eases back to the front alongside Adria.
Cattaneo distanced as Adria takes it up in a show of strength from a team that has been depleted today.
Skjelmose dropped. The white jersey is off the back again, along with Yates.
Final reminder of the GC situation at the start of the day.
Sivakov holding well at 41 seconds up on the thinning red jersey group.
Adria pulls aside, leaving Roglic at the front. Lipowitz is still in this group but further down it.
Small acceleration from Roglic.
Roglic is on the front of the GC group and he's happy to dictate proceedings here.
10 left now in the GC group: Roglic, Lipowitz, Mas, O'Connor, Gall, Gaudu, Landa, Carapaz, Dunbar, Skjelmose
But they're still 45 seconds behind Sivakov!
Dunbar attacks! The Irishman is no GC threat and is looking to take advantage of a tempo that's steady rather than all-out.
Sivakov's lead plummets to 35 seconds and it's a good effort but when the favourites really open the taps on the steep stuff that can be wiped out in no time.
Lipowitz is now dictating in the red jersey group.
Roglic back on the front! The red jersey raises the pace!
Steep ramps and only Mas can hold the wheel. Small gap to the rest.
Carapaz comes around Landa and Gaudu as he looks to get on terms.
Carapaz hauls his way up, as does Gaudu. Landa has lost a few lengths and then it's the AG2R duo of O'Connor and Gall.
20 seconds no for Sivakov with 3.8km to go.
Skjelmose is distanced once more, but is in front of Lipowitz, who is now his nearest rival for the white jersey, with Carlos Rodriguez so far back.
Gaudu drives this on in the GC group, the Frenchman looking better and better deeper into this Vuelta.
Dunbar reaches Sivakov but they're only 12 seconds up on the favourites.
Gaudu attacks! Carapaz, just ahead of him in fourth on GC, responds.
Burrade attacks! What a Vuelta the Kern Pharma team are having and the Spaniard looks to spring a surprise having worked his way back to the group.
Gaudu leaps onto the attack and the two are away with just under 3km to go.
Gaudu eases away from Burrade as Dunbar does the same to Sivakov.
Roglic accelerates now! Carapaz and Mas in the wheel.
Mas comes through and takes it up... Carapaz in the wheel, Roglic third wheel but on terms.
O'Connor is distanced again but is being paced by Gall.
Mas gets a small gap, Roglic nips around Carapaz to close it.
Burrade accelerates again and he's just in front of this red jersey trio.
Carapaz distanced slightly but gets himself back as they pass Sivakov. Only Dunbar left out front now.
Carapaz needs to find a minute on O'Connor to knock him off the podium. Mas just needs 22 seconds to bump the Australian off second place.
The gaps are smaller than that though with 1900 metres to the top of the climb.
Gaudu still just in front of Mas, Roglic, Carapaz, who have spat Burrade.
O'Connor is losing 13 seconds as it stands.
Roglic, Mas, Carapaz come back to Gaudu. They're 13 seconds behind Dunbar
Landa is drafting O'Connor and Gall now.
Mas finds himself on the front of this GC quartet. Dunbar needs them to hesitate.
And they are hesitating!
Gall drags O'Connor back to the red jersey group thanks to that lull. And Dunbar moves back out to 15 seconds inside the final kilometre!
Dunbar already has a stage win at this Vuelta - can he bag another? Huge ask still given the favourites will sprint to the line.
17 seconds now for Dunbar with 700metres to go
Mas takes it up behind.
O'Connor distanced slightly again.
Roglic on the front now but looks around. He looks happy not to attack this final 500m.
Landa attacks!
Huge one from he man who only just came back. He has a gap but can he catch Dunbar?
Through the crowds now and Dunbar grits his teeth. Into the final 300 and he's going to do this I think.
But Mas takes it up once more behind.
Dunbar sprints out of the saddle in the final 100 metres. Victory is his now. He punches the air.
Mas takes second place a couple of seconds ahead of Roglic, then Carapaz.
O'Connor saves second place behind Burrade. Gaudu and Landa next home.
Lipowitz and Skjelmose finish together 40 seconds down.
Eddie Dunbar (Jayco-AlUla) wins stage 20 of the Vuelta a España
Results
In the GC, Mas gained three seconds on Roglic at the finish, with six more bonus seconds than the red jersey on a day that saw him cut his deficit by nine seconds but nowhere near enough, with Roglic 1:45 ahead and expected to seal his fourth Vuelta title in tomorrow's time trial.
Let's hear from the winner
And here's the photo for the Dunbar household wall.
Carlos Rodriguez lost more than five minutes today. He has dropped from seventh to 10th overall in what was the major movement in the GC. Lipowitz, Landa, and Sivakov all move up a place at the Spaniard's expense, but the top six remains the same.
So going into tomorrow's concluding time trial, Roglič has 2:02 on O'Connor and 2"11 on Mas, with Carapaz at 3:00 and Gaudu rounding out the top 5 at 4:48. Skjelmose maintains sixth place and the white jersey after a yo-yoing display.
Roglic accelerating further down the climb.
Roglic finishing in red, and keeping it. He lost a few seconds to Mas but not enough to matter. Record-equalling fourth Vuelta title loading for Madrid tomorrow evening.
And now we can hear from the race leader, Primož Roglič
For all the reaction from Spain, keep an eye on Cyclingnews over the next few hours!
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