Puebla de Sanabria (Spain) (AFP)
The young Belgian Jasper Philipsen (UAE Emirates) won the sprint in the 15th stage of the Vuelta, the longest of the event with 230 kilometers.
The leader's red jersey remained on the shoulders of Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Jumbo), three days before the finish in Madrid.
In Puebla de Sanabria (Castille-et-Leon), Philipsen beat the Germans Pascal Ackermann and Jannik Steimle in an uphill sprint in which the Irishman Sam Bennett, left behind in the last climb, did not take part.
The 22-year-old Belgian, who will race next year for the Alpecin team, claimed the fifth success of his career, the first in a grand tour.
The longest stage of the Vuelta since 2005, very lively in its initial part, was opened for a long time by a breakaway of a dozen riders, among whom the French Guillaume Martin who reinforced his jersey of best climber.
In the fifth and last ascent of the day, the Italian Mattia Cattaneo left behind his eleven companions (Aranburu, LL Sanchez, Costa, Donovan, Power, Rojas, Schultz, Stannard, G. Martin, Simon, Lastra) 32 kilometers from the 'arrival.
But Cattaneo, who was aiming for the 100th victory in a grand tour for Patrick Lefevere's team (Deceuninck Quick-Step), stumbled on the strong headwind in the final.
He was joined as the last three kilometers approached by the peloton often led by the Bora team working for the German Pascal Ackermann.
Friday, the 16th stage, 162 kilometers long between Salamanca and Ciudad Rodrigo, displays a hilly profile with a first category pass 35 kilometers from the finish.
© 2020 AFP