Emotional victory for Vingegaard in La Vuelta Stage 16 as he closes in on red jersey
Posted : 13 September 2023
Jonas Vingegaard secured an emotional solo victory in Stage 16 of La Vuelta, moving within 29 seconds of the red jersey currently held by his teammate Sepp Kuss. The Dane dedicated his second stage win to his best friend and teammate Nathan van Hooydonck, who had been hospitalized earlier in the day due to a car crash.
Vingegaard's victory was fueled by emotions as he learned about Van Hooydonck's condition. The Belgian rider had been in an induced coma but had woken up just before the final climb of the stage.
During the stage, Vingegaard attacked on the final climb, and despite some chasing from New Zealander Finn Fisher-Black, he maintained his lead and crossed the line first.
This stage's win pushed Vingegaard into second place in the general classification, just 29 seconds behind Kuss. Roglic, also from Jumbo-Visma, dropped to third in the standings.
The stage featured an early breakaway of 10 riders, but the peloton, led by Ineos Grenadiers, never allowed them a significant advantage. Another group of six riders formed later, but they were also caught before the final climb.
The Vuelta continues with Stage 17, which culminates on the challenging slopes of the Alto de l'Angliru. Vingegaard's performance has made him a strong contender to take the red jersey into Madrid, but the dynamics within Jumbo-Visma's team will be crucial in the final week of the race.
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