Primoz Roglic reclaimed the lead in the Vuelta a España after a powerful attack during the 19th stage on Friday. The Slovenian rider, representing Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, launched an aggressive move on the final climb to Alto de Moncalvillo, distancing his rivals and crossing the finish line 46 seconds ahead of Frenchman David Gaudu and Denmark's Mattias Skjelmose. Roglic had lost the red jersey earlier in the race to Ben O'Connor but steadily chipped away at the Australian's lead over several mountain stages.
At the start of the 173.2-kilometer stage through Rioja, O'Connor held a narrow five-second advantage over Roglic. However, on the final climb, Roglic’s team set a punishing pace, with teammates Dani Martinez and Aleksandr Vlasov driving the charge before Roglic surged ahead to take the stage win. O'Connor finished one minute and 49 seconds behind, surrendering his 13-day reign in the red jersey.
With this victory, Roglic now leads O'Connor by 1 minute and 54 seconds, with Spain’s Enric Mas trailing a further 26 seconds behind in third. This stage win marks Roglic’s 15th at the Vuelta, and he is now just two stages away from equaling Spaniard Roberto Heras’ record of four Vuelta titles.
The upcoming stages pose further challenges, starting with Saturday’s 172km mountain stage from Villarcayo to Picon Blanco, followed by a 24.6km time trial around Madrid. O'Connor, reflecting on his performance, appeared resigned, focusing on Monday’s rest day: "I'm thinking about having beers, sitting on the terrace, and relaxing," he said.
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