Vuelta 2024 - Stage 13: Woods wins brutal mountain finish, Roglic catches up

A new stage, another mountain finish - and another stage win by a breakaway, to summarise the 13th stage of the Vuelta a Espana. Over 3700 metres of climbing through Galicia and 176 kilometres to the brutal Puerto de Ancares (1st category) finale - 7.5 kilometres long, with an average gradient of 9.3 per cent. Along the way, a large leading group took centre stage, from which Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) ultimately took the day's victory.

The escape group, which also included Kim Heiduk (Ineos Grenadiers) from Herrenberg, was 17 minutes ahead of the peloton at times, but fell apart in the second half of the race. At the start of the final climb, only five riders remained: Woods, Wout Van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike), Sam Oomen (Lidl-Trek), Mauro Schmid (Jayco-AlUla) and Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates). Woods finally prevailed on the steep ramps. Schmid finished in second place, 45 seconds behind, while third place went to Soler (+1:11 minutes).

Among the favourites, Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) made up some time on the leader Ben O'Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale). The Slovenian finished 10:54 minutes behind the day's winner Woods. He was followed shortly after by Mikel Landa (Soudal - Quick-Step, +11:29), Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek, +11:32), Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers; +11.38), Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, +11:49), Enric Mas (Movistar) and Richard Carapaz (EF Education EasyPost). O'Connor finished 1:54 minutes behind Roglic.

In the overall standings, O'Conner still leads Roglic by 1:21 minutes, followed by Mas, who is 3:01 minutes behind.

Vuelta a Espana 2024 - Results: the top 10 of stage 13

1. Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech), 4:19.51 hours
2. Mauro Schmid (Jayco-AlUla), +0:45
3. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates), +1:11
4. Sam Oomen (Lidl - Trek), 1:25
5. Wout Van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike), +2:56
6. Gijs Leemreize (dsm-firmenich PostNL), +3:33
7. Jose Felix Parra (Equipo Kern Pharma), +5:19
8. Mikel Bizkarra (Euskaltel-Euskadi), +5:38
9. Luca Vergallito (Alpecin-Deceuninck), +5:59
10. Mathis Le Berre (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), +6:15

The overall standings

1. Ben O'Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), 52:10:15
2. Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), +1:21
3. Enric Mas (Movistar), +3:01
4. Richard Carapaz (EF Education EasyPost), 3:13
5. Mikel Landa (Soudal - Quick Step), +3:20
6. Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers), +4:12
7. Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), +4:29
8. Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), +4:42
9. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), +4:44
10. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates), +5:17

>> All stages of the Vuelta a Espana 2024 at a glance

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This is how the 13th stage of the Vuelta a Espana went

Once again, the stage offered good prospects for a breakaway success. The breakaway group of the day was therefore formed surprisingly early: after a few kilometres, two groups broke away, which merged into a large 23-rider lead group 15 kilometres later. Riders at the front included Van Aert, Soler, Oomen, Woods, Schmid, Victor Campanaerts (Lotto Dnsty), Dylan Teuns (Israel-Premier Tech), Nicolas Winokorow (Astana), Kasper Asgreen (Soudal - Quick-Step) Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and three riders from UAE Team Emirates, Marc Soler, Jay Vine and Brandon McNulty.

The group's lead then grew rapidly and quickly exceeded the ten-minute mark. Two mountain classifications awaited in the first half of the race: the Alto Campo de Arbre (3rd category) after 33 kilometres and the Alto O Portel (2nd category) after 74 kilometres. Van Aert secured the points at both classifications and thus took the lead in the mountain classification. In the peloton, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale organised the chase, but seemed to have no interest in bringing the group back. As a result, the lead increased to over 15 minutes with 50 kilometres to go.

Van Aert takes the lead in the mountain classification

Shortly afterwards, the first attacks from the group began. Van Aert, Campenaerts and Schmid were the first riders to briefly break away and open up a gap of 30 seconds. Several riders then dropped back, including Groves and Heiduk. Other riders followed, however, so that the leading group grew back to 13 riders. However, the unity in the group was over from then on, and several more attacks and group formations followed.

Van Aert won the intermediate sprint in Sesamo 29 kilometres before the finish, at the foot of the penultimate mountain Puerto de Lumeras (2nd category) a group formed around Vine, NcNulty, Oomen, Woods, Schmid, Van Aert and Gijs Leemreize (dsm-firmenich PostNL). The attacks continued, however, and Soler in particular was tireless in his attacks, but was ultimately never able to break away. The group stayed together accordingly. Van Aert once again secured the mountain classification.

Crash in the downhill run by Brandon McNuty

On the descent, McNulty then skidded off in a right-hand bend and down the embankment. However, the US American was able to continue his ride after the fall. Team-mate Vine also lost contact as a result. Schmid then launched the first attack on the final climb, with Woods on his rear wheel. However, the Canadian overtook the Swiss shortly afterwards and climbed the steep ramps of the Puerto de Ancares as a soloist, securing victory for the day.

In the group of favourites, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe took the initiative on the final climb and led to an early selection. When Roglic took the lead, only Mas, Sepp Kuss (Visma | Lease a Bike) and initially team-mate Florian Lipowitz were on his rear wheel. Leader O'Connor dropped back early on and then tried to limit the gap on Felix Gall's rear wheel.

Two kilometres before the finish, Roglic was then alone, but the gaps to many of his rivals remained manageable until the finish. Only O'Connor had to accept the first major gap in this stage race.