Eddie Dunbar (Jayco AlUla) secured victory at the end of the 11th stage of the 2024 Vuelta a España in Padron. Dunbar, who was part of a breakaway group consisting of nearly 40 riders, made his move approximately 650 meters from the finish line, winning by a two-second margin over Quinten Hermans from Team Alpecin-Deceuninck and Max Poole from Team DSM-firmenich PostNL.
The riders competing for the general classification battled fiercely on the final climb of the day, the Puerto Cruxeiras, allowing them to close the gap on overall leader Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale). O’Connor lost 37 seconds to Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), who initiated the attack, but he still maintains a 3:16-minute lead over the Slovenian rider. Enric Mas (Movistar) has moved back into third place in the overall standings, having surpassed Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost).
Overview of the 11th Stage of the Vuelta a España 2024
Attacks began right from the start. However, the breakaway riders were consistently brought back. On the first categorized climb of the day, Puerto San Xusto, the peloton splintered into multiple groups. Despite this, no definitive group had established itself. Only Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Dstny) managed to pull away briefly, but he was also caught just 100 kilometers from the finish by a pursuing group.
Following numerous attacks, a substantial group of nearly 40 riders formed the primary breakaway. Notable riders included Steven Kruiswijk, Attila Valter (both Visma-Lease a Bike), Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates), Jhonatan Narváez, Brandon Rivera (both Ineos Grenadiers), James Knox (Soudal Quick-Step), Carlos Verona (Lidl-Trek), Nico Denz, Patrick Gamper, Daniel Felipe Martínez (all Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Quinten Hermans, Xandro Meurisse (both Alpecin-Deceuninck), George Bennett, Marco Frigo, Matthew Riccitello, Corbin Strong (all Israel-Premier Tech), Victor Campenarts, Arjen Livyns, Eduardo Sepúlveda (all Lotto-Dstny), Sven Erik Bystrom, Lorenzo Germani, Reuben Thompson (all Groupama-FDJ), Carlos Canal, Pelayo Sanchez (both Movistar), Fran Miholjevic (Bahrain Victorious), Eddie Dunbar, Filippo Zana (both Jayco AlUla), Mathis Le Berre (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Max Poole, Chris Hamilton, Gijs Leemreize (all Team DSM-firmenich PostNL), Guillaume Martin, Ion Izagirre, Jesus Herrada (all Cofidis), Gianmarco Garofoli (Astana-Qazaqstan), Urko Berrade, Ibon Ruiz (both Kern Pharma), and Xabier Isasa (Euskaltel-Euskadi).
Xandro Meurisse’s Attack
During the second climb of the day, Xandro Meurisse launched an attack from the group. Four kilometers before reaching the summit of Puerto Aguasantas, he managed to create a gap between himself and the other breakaway riders. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider extended his lead to more than 1:20 minutes but was caught 32 kilometers from the finish after a solo effort lasting nearly 60 kilometers.
After this, there were several continued attempts to break away, but they were consistently neutralized. It appeared that the final climb just a few kilometers from the finish would determine the outcome of the race. Zana, Verona, and Berrade broke away 1.5 kilometers from the peak, reaching the summit with a small lead. However, the others caught up with them on the descent towards the finish. Just when it seemed a small group would sprint for the win, Dunbar attacked and clinched victory.
Ben O’Connor Lost Time to Primoz Roglic
As the breakaway riders vied for the stage victory, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe ramped up their pace in the peloton. Roglic surged ahead, with Mas closely following. Other riders were forced to let the two leaders go for the moment. Shortly thereafter, additional GC riders joined Roglic and Mas, but O’Connor was not among them, losing over half a minute to the other contenders.
Results of the 11th Stage of the Vuelta a España 2024
Daily Ranking
1. Eddie Dunbar (Jayco AlUla)
2. Quinten Hermans (Alpecin-Deceuninck) + 0:02
3. Max Poole (Team DSM-firmenich PostNL) + 0:02
Red Jersey | Overall Ranking
1. Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale)
2. Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +3:16
3. Enric Mas (Movistar) +3:58
White Jersey | Youth Ranking
1. Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers)
2. Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) + 0:06
3. Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) + 1:18
Green Jersey | Points Classification
1. Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) 243 points
2. Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 162 points
3. Pavel Bittner (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) 81 points
White and Blue Jersey | Mountain Classification
1. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) 22 points
2. Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) 22 points
3. Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) 18 points
Photos: Photonews.be
Eddie Dunbar (Jayco AlUla) claimed victory in the 11th stage of the 2024 Vuelta a España, held in Padron. Dunbar was part of an extensive breakaway group that numbered nearly 40 riders, launching a decisive attack approximately 650 meters from the finish line, winning by a slim margin of two seconds over Quinten Hermans from Team Alpecin-Deceuninck and Max Poole from Team DSM-firmenich PostNL.
The general classification contenders battled fiercely on the final ascent of the day, the Puerto Cruxeiras, managing to gain on the overall leader Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale). O’Connor relinquished 37 seconds to Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), who launched a fierce attack but remains 3:16 minutes ahead. Enric Mas (Movistar) has moved into third place in the standings, edging out Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost).
Recap of the 11th Stage of the Vuelta a España 2024
From the onset, the 11th stage witnessed aggressive maneuvers. The breakaway attempts were swiftly countered, and by the time the riders reached the initial categorized climb, Puerto San Xusto, the peloton had splintered into disparate groups without a definitive break established. Only Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Dstny) managed to carve out a brief lead, which he ultimately relinquished about 100 kilometers from the finish.
After numerous attacks and a series of accelerations, a robust group of approximately 40 riders formed the breakaway, consisting of notable cyclists such as Steven Kruiswijk and Attila Valter (both from Visma-Lease a Bike), Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates), Jhonatan Narváez and Brandon Rivera (both Ineos Grenadiers), along with many others.
Xandro Meurisse Makes a Move
On the second climb of the day, Xandro Meurisse made a significant move from the breakaway group, generating a lead of over 1:20 minutes four kilometers from the summit of Puerto Aguasantas. However, this effort proved fruitless as he was caught with 32 kilometers remaining in the stage after a remarkable solo effort that lasted nearly 60 kilometers.
The attacks continued to flow in and out of the demanding terrain, but none managed to seal the deal. As the race approached the critical final climb a few kilometers from the end, a trio, including Zana, Verona, and Berrade, broke away, reaching the summit with a slight advantage. However, they were quickly reeled back in during the descent towards the finish line. Just when it appeared as if the stage would conclude in a group sprint, Dunbar seized the moment to secure a thrilling victory.
Ben O’Connor’s Struggles Against Roglic
While the adventurous riders contended for stage glory, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe increased the pace within the main field. Roglic initiated a bold attack, closely pursued by Mas. The remaining general classification contenders scrambled to keep pace, with O’Connor losing valuable seconds, facing time gaps exceeding half a minute.
Results of the 11th Stage of the Vuelta a España 2024
| Daily Ranking | Rider | Team | Time/Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eddie Dunbar | Jayco AlUla | – |
| 2 | Quinten Hermans | Alpecin-Deceuninck | + 0:02 |
| 3 | Max Poole | Team DSM-firmenich PostNL | + 0:02 |
Updated General Classification
| Jersey Color | Rider | Team | Time/Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | Ben O’Connor | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale | – |
| – | Primoz Roglic | Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe | + 3:16 |
| – | Enric Mas | Movistar | + 3:58 |
Additional Classifications
| Classification | Rider | Team | Points/Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Jersey (Youth Ranking) | Carlos Rodriguez | Ineos Grenadiers | – |
| Green Jersey (Points Classification) | Wout van Aert | Visma-Lease a Bike | 243 points |
| White & Blue Jersey (Mountain Classification) | Adam Yates | UAE Team Emirates | 22 points |
Photos: Photonews.be
