As it happened: Two-up breakaway sprint decides shortened stage 16 as protests disrupt Vuelta a España

Hola and welcome to stage 16 of the Vuelta a España!

As we kick-off our full live coverage of stage 16, the riders are signing on in Poio, in Galicia.

Race leader Jonas Vingegaard is the last to sign-on. Visma are down to just six riders after Victor Campenaerts quit due to illness.

Read more here on Victor Campenaerts's abandon.

A reminder of why the Vuelta is so special.

La Vuelta es Más - YouTube

Watch On

The riders are rolling out but face a short neutralised sector before the official stage start.

The Vuelta has faced a testing few days due to the protests but the race rolls on, with a final week in northern Spain and then towards Madrid.

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) starts the third and final week of the Vuelta as the overall leader, 48 seconds ahead of Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates).

Tom Pidcock (Q36.5) is third at 2:38’. Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) is only 32’ seconds behind the Brit as they battle for the final podium place.

Today's 16th stage seems to be ideal for a large and aggressive breakaway.

Stage 17 is a key mountain top finish and so the GC riders are likely to let the attackers enjoy a moment up front.

We're expecting a fast start to the stage and and attack that could include anywhere between 10 and 50 riders.

Vamos!

This was the roll out.

Alasdair Fotheringham was at the start of the stage for Cyclingnews and saw how a number of teams, including Ineos, warmed-up for the expected fast start.

Race organisers have said the neutralised sector has been extended to include the opening 9km of the stage. Officially this is due to "narrow sections in the first kilometres".

This is the profile of stage 16.

There are 15 rider in the peloton.

Gianmarco Garofoli (Soudal Quick-Step) has also abandoned the race beore today's stage.

They're off!

The stage has officially started.

A few riders suffered mechanicals in the neutralised sector, including Matteo Jorgenson of Visma.

The attacks are already coming.

There are 11 riders in the first attack.

155km to go

The 11 are quickly caught but Pierre Thierry (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) and Patrick Eddy (Picnic PostNL) try their hand.

Good luck guys!

How do you say 'gruppo compatto' in Spanish? Anyway the peloton is all back together.

This short uncategorised climb could be the right place to attack.

More attacks, more chasing and more regrouping!

After a fast 25km of racing the peloton is back together.

140km to go

Alasdair Fotheringham has written another excellent stage preview, giving real context on what to expect and why.

"When the Vuelta a España embarks on stage 16 on the switchbacks of the narrow, twisting roads of southwestern Galicia on Tuesday, it'll be hard to forget the words of Superman Miguel Ángel López: 'Aquí me quedo... Gracias por todo. [I'm getting out now...Thanks for everything. ]'. " Alasdair writes.

"López radioed those words to his Movistar team on the same terrain as Tuesday's stage during stage 20 of the 2021 Tour of Spain, letting them know without any advance warning that his race was over, just like that."

Click here to read Alasdair's full stage 16 preview.

We're expecting Eddie Dunbar (Jayco AlUla) to try to join the decisive attack today and the Irishman spoke at the start.

"Today is going be another good day for a breakaway I think. It could be the last chance for a breakaway so I think there’s gonna be a lot of guys wanting to fight for a stage win today," he said.

"I think the finish is a bit more suited to me today. The finish is uphill, which is always a big plus. But the hardest bit, as we’ve seen this race, is actually getting in the breakaway. Big groups always get away and today is quite a flatter start compared to two days ago, so it’s gonna be a bit more difficult, but we can try, that’s the main thing.”

Egan Bernal is amongst those on the attack early in the stage.

The Ineos rider has slipped to 14th in the GC and so is looking for stage victories and perhaps a chance to move back up into the top ten.

Red Bull DS Patxi Vila has predicted their could be some rain for the final part of the stage.

Bruno Armirail (Decathlon AG2R) sparked an attack, was chase but then caught by the fast-moving peloton.

125km to go

The stage is heading south, past Vigo and close to the northern border with Portugal.

The riders wll then head west to the coast for a loop and then east for a twisting ride to the hilltop finish.

Most of the climbs are in the second half of the stage, hence why we have not seen the decisive attacks so far.

The peloton rolls along at close to 60km/h but each attack is pulled back.

Andrea Bagioli (Lidl-Trek), Bob Jungels (Ineos Grenadiers), Finlay Pickering (Bahrain Victorious) and Victor Guernalec (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) have gone clear.

Others are trying to join them. Is this the attack of the day?

Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick-Step), Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) and Kevin Vermaerke (Picnic PostNL) are also in the now 17-rider attack.

This looks serious.

The elastic has snapped! The peloton has let the attackers go and the gap is close to 2:00.

The riders have covered 51.5 km in the first hour of intense racing.

The peloton has eased massively, the gap is now up to 4:20.

105km to go

These are the 17 riders in the attack. Over to you guys!

Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Andrea Bagioli (Lidl-Trek), Jefferson Cepeda (Movistar Team), Nico Denz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Mikel Landa, Mauri Vansevenant (Soudal Quick-Step), Egan Bernal, Bob Jungels (Ineos Grenadiers), Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost), Finlay Pickering (Bahrain Victorious), Clément Braz Afonso, Rudy Molard, Brieuc Rolland (Groupama-FDJ), Victor Guernalec (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Louis Rouland (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Kevin Vermaeke (Picnic-PostNL) and Jake Stewart (Israel-Premier Tech).

The second act of the stage starts now, with the break racing for the stage victory and the biggest climbs packed into the final 100km.

Visma-Lease a Bike are leading the peloton, 4:00 down on the attackers.

95km to go

The team cars are up to the breakaway, offering food and tactical advice to their riders.

There seems to be real commitment in the attack to work together and stay away.

The selection of the riders in the break means that there is no team keen to lead the chase.

The riders are on the descent. There were a few protesters at the KOM line but the riders passed safely and are diving down the descent.

80km to go

Vingegaard has two Visma teammates on the front leading the chase.

Sadly Javi Romo of Movistar has abandoned the Vuelta. He crashed after a protestor invaded the road on Sunday and was suffering. with his injuries.

The first drops of rain can e seen on the road. A wet race could make stage 16 very interesting.

This shot explains the attack of the day.

In the absence of Victor Campenaerts, Dylan van Baarle and Wilco Kelderman are doing he work and leading the chase for Visma.

Egan Bernal is the closest rider on the GC of those in the break. But he is 15:42 down on Vingegaard.

The riders have passed another stunning Galicia bay but they immediately start the next climb, the 11.4km Alto da Groba.

Mikel Landa was on the front at the start of the climb but has dropped back and is loading up with gels and his raid jacket.

Is he getting ready for the descent and the final 60km of intense racing?

Interestingly, Alpecin and then UAE are lined-out together behind the Visma riders on the front.

At 2.7km from the summit of the Alto da Groba, Landa has put his hands on the drops and made a classic Lands move. He is hoping for some support but the tactical battle for the stage victory has begun.

Landa's attack has smashed open the attack. Bernal joins Landa up front and others are coming.

At the summit the rain is coming down. There are also some protestors waving Palestine flags but the riders pass without incident.

The peloton cross the summit of the Alto da Groba 6:00 down. The peloton is letting the move slowly extend their lead.

The gap should mean that the break stays away and fights for the stage victory.

The 3.2km Alto de Prado is the next categorised climb. It comes after 140km, with 30km to go.

The protests have been controlled so far today but there is a report that a trees was cut down and allowed to fall across the road at the foot of the climb.

Officials quickly cleared the tree and then local farmers cut down a remaining piece of the stump.

This a X post by Spaziociclismo, who first reported the tree on the road.

Landa led over the top of the Alto da Groba but other riders are catching the move and making counter-attacks.

Nine riders are chasing the Landa+Bernal+others attack.

43km to go

The gap to the peloton is up to 7:00 as he attackers race hard and Visma ride steady on the front of the peloton.

These are the five rider on the attack. They're 40 seconds ahead of the chasers, who are trying to reel them back in.

Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick-Step), Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers), Clément Braz Afonso (Groupama-FDJ), Brieuc Rolland (Groupama-FDJ), Victor Guernalec (Arkéa-B&B Hotels).

Marc Soler has made a huge effort on a gradual climb to drag the chasers across to the Lands attack.

Bernal responds by upping the pace in the attack. That hurts Denz and the French riders.

The Landa group is diving down the descent to try to stop Soler and Finlay Pickering (Bahrain) going across.

28km to go

The riders hit the 3.2km Alto de Prado climb on narrow country roads.

Landa has to cross the gap now if he ants to try to in the stage. He is making a huge effort, with Pickering on his wheel.

Ouch! The climb kicks-up at 16% and is hurting everyone.

25km to go

Indeed, the teams know it in the peloton, so there is a race to be at the front for the start of the climb.

Positioning will be important.

The Alto de Prado is a lot like the Cipressa or Poggio of Milan-San Remo but it is even steeper.

As the summit nears, Landa, Bernal and Braz Afonso are clear, after Rolland was dropped and Denz before him.

Soler and Pickering have dropped to 1:00 back. It's game over for them.

The peloton has split in the climb, with just 20 or so riders in the selection.

20km to go

The steep part of the climb is also wet after the rain, making it even harder to get rip and power down.

And after all his efforts, Soler has been called back by UAE to be there for Almeida.

Ayuso and Vine are not with Almeida on the climb, leaving him a little exposed.

He takes a bike from teammate Ben Tulett and begins to chase.

Almeida raised his hand and did not attack the race leader as they go over the top of the climb,

Puncture for Vingegaard!

Landa and Bernal are clear together.

Race organisers have just announced that due to a 'big protest' the stage winner and times will be decided with 8km to go.

"Radio Vuelta said: "We have a big protest at 3 kilometres before the line. We will decide the stage winner and take times at 8 km before the line."

This is a developing story.

'Big protest' sparks race change

The times will probably be taken and the new finish held at the sign that indicates the start of the final climb.

There a number of video and photos of the protests at 3km to go.

Landa and Bernal are about to sprint for the stage win.

Egan Bernal beat Landa in the sprint to win the stage but there appears to be confusion about the exact location of he new finish line.

Other riders from the break hit the new finish line, but continue to ride up the climb, probably to their team vehicles.

The late change to the finish has allowed the Vuelta to outmanoeuvre the protests.

The GC riders are about to finish.

Egan Bernal has been confirmed as the stage winner.

The GC riders cross the new finish line, as race officials wave their arms, indicating the stage is over. They are riding on to their team buses.

This is one of the photos of the protest.

The results have confirmed that Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick-Step) was second.

Brieuc Rolland (Groupama-FDJ) was third at 7 seconds.

Nico Denz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) was third at 1:02 and Clément Braz Afonso (Groupama-FDJ) fourth in the same time.

This was the situation at the 3km to go point.

To read our initial story on the stage disruption, click here.

The riders soon stopped beyond the finish line and were given clothing and drinks.

They are waiting to known what to do. The team buses are close to the point where the protest blocked the road with 3km to go of the original stage route.

On another dramatic day, there was some great racing. This is our full stage report.

Vuelta a España stage 16: Egan Bernal wins abbreviated race with unusual finish as last climb eliminated due to protesters

These are the results for the stage from our friends at First Cycling.

Alasdair Fotheringham is on the ground at the Vuelta for Cyclingnews and will have all the news on the protest, rider and team reaction and what it means for the Vuelta.

Check back on Cyclingnews later for verified information and updates.

We'll have full live coverage of stage 17 of the Vuelta on Wednesday.