2024-08-27 18:26:02
GRANADA, Spain (AP) — Adam Yates traversed the iconic peaks of the Sierra Nevada to win the ninth stage of the Vuelta a España on Sunday, while Australian cyclist Ben O’Connell Ben O’Connor maintained the overall lead entering the first stage.
On a hot day in southern Spain, Yates joined the breakaway race and then prevailed on the final climb to claim his second Grand Tour stage win. The British cyclist from Emirates Team also won the first stage of the Tour de France last year.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this before. It was very hot,” Yates said. “I’ve had bad luck in majors over the years and I really didn’t know if I was going to make it. “I’m happy to win another stage in a major. “
Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz of EF Education-EasyPost finished second, behind Yates. O’Connor of the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale team finished third in the stage.
O’Connor leads the overall standings by 3 minutes and 53 seconds. Three-time Vuelta a España champion Primoz Roglič was second, with Carapaz third, more than four minutes off the overall lead.
Yates finished seventh overall, more than five minutes behind O’Connor.
Sunday’s stage is a 178.5-kilometer (110-mile) mountain route between Motril and Granada, including three world-class climbs.
After the first rest day on Monday, the Vuelta will move to northwest Spain with a 160-kilometer (99.4-mile) mountain stage between Pontrillas and Bayonne.
The 21-stage race will end in Madrid on September 8.
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