Pogačar eighth on nervous stage at La Vuelta

With just one decisive stage left to contend at the Vuelta a Espana, Tadej Pogačar held on to his top-5 in the General Classification after another well managed ride, which saw him cross the line in 8th place along with all of his main rivals.

The 165.2km stage was won by Remi Cavagna (Deceuninck Quick Step) after he attacked the breakaway and managed to out pace the peloton to the line. Pogačar finished safely with the bunch and was able to avoid an earlier crash which saw race leader Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma) hit the deck and have to chase back on to the main group.

Pogačar commented: “We all thought that today would be a quiet stage, but we quickly found ourselves fighting for position through the city which resulted in a big crash. After the crash we had to deal with crosswinds and it became another day of constant battling to be at the front. In the end it was another really fast stage.”

Today’s stage also saw the withdrawal of Marco Marcato who was involved in the crash which affected many other riders. The Italian suffered abrasions and is being treated by medical staff at the team hotel, though his injuries are not thought to be serious.

Tomorrow brings the final mountain stage of the tour where the overall classification will be decided. The 190.4km route from Arenas de San Pedro to Plataforma de Gredos features six classified climbs and provides a multitude of opportunities for the GC contenders to make their mark on the race.

Stage 19 Results:

1. Remi Cavagna (Fra) Deceuninck Quick Step 3:43:34”

2. Sam Bennett (Ire) Bora Hansgrohe +0:05 “

3. Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Deceuninck Quick Step st

8. Tadej Pogacar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates +0:08”

GC Standings after Stage 19:

1. Primoz Roglic (Slo) Jumbo Visma 75:36:00”

2. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar +2:47”

3. Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar +3:31”

5. Tadej Pogacar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates +4:49”