Vuelta 2024 - Stage 16: Soler triumphs on the Lagos de Covadonga - Roglic sniffs red

The 16th stage of the Vuelta a Espana 2024 had plenty of drama to offer: The retirement of Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) after a crash, the stage win by Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) and the battle of the favourites, in which Ben O'Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) defended the overall lead by five seconds ahead of Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).

>> Visma | Lease a Bike gives update on van Aert

The stage win at the mythical lakes of Covadonga was decided by a breakaway group that included Wout van Aert. The Belgian crashed on the descent of the penultimate climb and had to abandon the race with an injury. On the final climb, Marc Soler broke away with Max Poole (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) and Filippo Zana (Team Jayco-AlUla). Four and a half kilometres before the finish, the Spaniard left his last two companions behind and celebrated a solo victory.

Ben O'Connor saves a narrow lead over Primoz Roglic

Meanwhile, the battle for overall victory raged in the group of favourites. Primoz Roglic reached the finish together with Enric Mas (Movistar) and Richard Carapaz (EF Education EasyPost) 58 seconds ahead of O'Connor, who remains in the red jersey by five seconds. Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) lost time and had to hand over the white jersey of the best young pro to Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers), on whom he is now 34 seconds behind.

Vuelta a Espana 2024 - Results: the top 10 of stage 16

1. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) 4:44:46
2. Filippo Zana (Team Jayco-AlUla) +0:18
3. Max Poole (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) +0:23
4. Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) +0:57
5. Ion Izagirre (Cofidis) +1:02
6. Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) +1:29
7. Marco Frigo (Israel-Premier Tech) +1:35
8. Matthew Riccitello (Israel-Premier Tech) +1:47
9. Enric Mas (Movistar) +3:54
10. Richard Carapaz (EF Education EasyPost) +3:54

The current standings in the overall standings of the Vuelta

1. Ben O'Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) 65:09:00
2. Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +0:05
3. Enric Mas (Movistar) +1:25
4. Richard Carapaz (EF Education EasyPost) +1:46
5. Mikel Landa (Soudal - Quick Step) +2:18
6. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) +3:48
7. Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers) +3:53
8. Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) +4:00
9. Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +4:27
10. Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates) +5:19

>> The route of the Vuelta 2024

How the 16th stage of the Vuelta a Espana 2024 went

Two riders, Tom Paquot (Intermarche-Wanty) and Callum Scotson (Team Jayco-AlUla), did not resume the race after the second rest day. It was painful for Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) shortly after the start. The leader in the points classification crashed after just a few kilometres. However, this did not prevent the Belgian from joining the day's breakaway group a few minutes later.

17 Outliers

This consisted of 17 riders: Matthew Riccitello, Marco Frigo (both Israel-Premier Tech), Max Poole, Martijn Tusveld (both Team dsm-firmenich PostNL), Marc Soler, Isaac del Toro, Jay Vine (all three UAE Team Emirates), Oier Lazkano (Movistar), William Junior Lecerf (Soudal - Quick Step), Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike), Felix Engelhardt, Filippo Zana (both Team Jayco-AlUla), Simon Guglielmi (Arkea-B&B Hotels), Darren Rafferty (EF Education EasyPost), Fran Miholjevic (Bahrain-Victorious), Ion Izagirre (Cofidis) and Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto-Dstny).

The group built up a lead of more than ten minutes. Van Aert and Vine battled it out for the mountain points at the Mirador del Fito (1st category). Van Aert clearly decided the duel in his favour and secured ten points, moving on alone after the mountain classification. The Belgian built up a lead of around a minute, but allowed himself to be caught again.

Enric Mas attacks on the penultimate mountain

In the peloton, Movistar took command at the Collada Llomena (1st category) and reduced the group of favourites before Enric Mas attacked himself. Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) closed the gap and brought the rest of the favourites back. When everyone looked at each other for a moment, Mikel Landa (Soudal - Quick Step) took the initiative. However, Ben O'Connor now had another helper at his side in Valentin Paret-Peintre, who neutralised the situation.

Crash and retirement of Wout van Aert

The breakaway's lead dwindled to six minutes as the peloton stepped up the pace, while van Aert took the ten points on the Collada Llomena. In the wet and slippery descent, van Aert crashed for the second time 50 kilometres before the finish. Felix Engelhardt slid off in first position in a left-hand bend, van Aert and Isaac del Toro also crashed. The leader in the points and mountains classification got back on his bike, but got into a team car shortly afterwards.

Soler rides to victory on the 16th stage of the Vuelta 2024

Twelve breakaway riders remained at the front, tackling the final climb to the Lagos de Covadonga with a six-minute lead over the group of favourites. However, the group quickly became smaller. Eventually, Max Poole, Filippo Zana and Marc Soler broke away from their rivals. After a further increase in speed by Soler, Zana initially went flying, but came back again. With four and a half kilometres to go, Soler put all his eggs in one basket, distanced Poole and Zana and finished 18 seconds ahead of Zana.

Action in the group of favourites

In the peloton, Soudal - Quick Step took the lead and prepared the terrain for an attack by Mikel Landa, which came a little later. O'Connor did not react directly, but let Paret-Peintre follow. When Enric Mas then stepped up the pace, Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) started to have problems and O'Connor also had to let go. Mas brought the group back to Landa and launched a second attack that put Landa in trouble. Only Richard Carapaz (EF Education EasyPost), Primoz Roglic and David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) were able to keep up with Mas.

White jersey changes hands

Gaudu also had problems on one of the last ramps and was caught by Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek). The Dane outsprinted Lipowitz in the battle for the white jersey and is now only seven seconds behind Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers). Lipowitz, who crossed the finish line six seconds ahead of O'Connor, is 34 seconds behind Rodriguez in the battle for the young rider classification of the Vuelta a Espana 2024.

On Wednesday, the Tour of Spain 2024 will start on the 17th stage over 141.5 kilometres from Arnuero to Santander, where the sprinters could make their last appearance.