2018 Vuelta a España Stage 20 Results & Recap
Stage 20 of the 2018 Vuelta a España is in the books. The final results and standings are below, followed by our recap of how the race unfolded.
Race Recap
Mas takes victory on stage 20
On what could be considered the most brutal stage of this year’s Vuelta a Espana, Enric Mas (Quick-Step Floors) claimed his first grand tour victory ahead of Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana). The young Spaniard moved into second in the overall competition and Lopez third after dominating the Coll de la Gallina together.
“I looked at the video of Alejandro Valverde’s victory here in 2012 and I knew I had to come first in the last curve,” Mas said. “I went full gas until the corner and then I just kept going until the line. This is my second big victory after the stage at the Vuelta al Pais Vasco and I’m very happy with it. I’m also very happy with my second place on general although I’m a bit nervous not to crash and do anything stupid in Madrid. I’m a young 23-year-old kid enjoying myself. I’ve been dreaming of this for years. Today is about enjoying, tomorrow too. And I hope this won’t be the only time. I’m not the new Contador, I’m Enric Mas. I hope I can achieve half of his victories. I think it’s enough. I really like how he raced so if I can I’ll try to race like him sometimes.”
Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) made it through the day, conceding 23 seconds to Mas on the last climb, but still holding a 1’46” heading toward Madrid, effectively winning the 2018 Vuelta.
“Yes, I’ve made it,” Yates said. “It’s still sinking in. I’m incredibly proud. I’m also incredibly proud of the team. They’ve carried me for these entire three weeks. It’s the first Grand Tour for the team. It’s just unbelievable. Adam (Yates) was running out of legs (when he attacked in the penultimate climb) and I didn’t want to end up in a position where I could have been riding in the valley, that would have been the worst situation possible. I knew Quintana and Lopez were up the road and Lopez had something to win so I figured maybe he could work with me. Sometimes attack is the best defence. In the last climb I was ok. I was at my limit. Mas and Lopez were riding incredible. I just tried to make my own rhythm. I gave everything I had and thankfully it was enough.”
The 97-km stage was a fight from the start. Over the initial KOMs, Thomas De Gendt powered over to consolidate his lead in the KOM competition - leaders on the road were constantly in flux. \nNairo Quintana, now working for Valverde, put in an attack in the GC group at 80 km to go, but was quickly joined by Yates, but Lotto-NL Jumbo neutralized it.
With about 40 kilometres left, Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) made a big move, getting to the front with help from his teamamates, Fraile and Cataldo. Quintana, Yates and Mas joined Lopez before the penultimate climb.
Quintana dropped out of the break to help a cracked Valverde, while Yates was dispatched with six kilometres to go. From there, it was battle between Mas and Lopez for the win.
“You have to accept defeats,” Valverde said. “When you win, awesome, and when you lose, it means the rivals were stronger than you. I was suffering a lot in the second ascent of Coll de Beixalis. I suffered from there and that was it. The team has been phenomenal during the whole of La Vuelta and Nairo (Quintana) proved today a good a teammate he is. Of course, it hurts (to get down the podium) but you can’t ask for anything more when you’ve given it all you had. We take home the teams classification. I take the points classification and two stage wins. We have 15 days until the Worlds. It’s obvious I wasn’t at my best in the past two days but I believe I can recover for the Worlds.”
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