Picked up almost 20 minutes from the red jersey, the leader of the Ineos team placed a decisive attack two kilometers from the finish in the leading group to win alone with nine seconds ahead of the Dutchman Wilco Kelderman (Bora) and 24 on the Spaniard Marc Soler (UAE).

Overall, Evenepoel (Quick-Step) maintains his 2 minutes and 41 lead over his runner-up, the Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Jumbo).

Enric Mas (Movistar) still completes the podium, at 3:03.

"There is a lot of joy. We came here with goals. Circumstances meant that we couldn't get them and I wanted to have the opportunity to win a stage", savored, revengefully, the winner of the day, the angry point at the time of cutting the line.

Olympic champion in Tokyo and winner of the Giro 2019, Carapaz took advantage of a final climb (19 km at 6.4% on average) favorable to "pure climbers", as Thibaut Pinot noted in the morning from Salobreña, to raise his arms for the first time in his career on the Spanish loop.

At the foot of the last difficulty, the leading group, made up of 32 riders, had a lead of nearly eleven minutes over the peloton where Remco Evenepoel "hoped (had)" that the breakaway would go to the end to control its lead more easily. over his main rivals overall.

Note the fine race of Elie Gesbert (Arkéa), who proved to be enterprising in the Andalusian climb to finish in sixth place in the stage, 56 seconds from Carapaz.

"I was offensive in the last climb. But in front, I was in the middle of champions", analyzed, lucid, the Breton.

Evenepoel shows flaws

Untouchable since the start of the Vuelta, Remco Evenepoel showed the first signs of weakness.

The day after the abandonment of his teammate Julian Alaphilippe due to a fall which caused him to dislocate his right shoulder, the red jersey slipped in turn 45 kilometers from the finish Thursday in a descent.

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“Motorcycles braked in the bend,” he explained to his training car after the incident.

"The Little Cannibal" appeared with scratches to his thigh, elbow and right knee, but managed to control the leading group on the final climb of the day.

The 22-year-old Belgian crossed the line 7 minutes and 39 seconds after Carapaz, leading the group of leaders made up of Enric Mas (Movistar), Juan Ayuso (UAE) and Primoz Roglic (Jumbo).

"It's fine, it's fine. It's only a superficial injury, there's nothing serious inside. I've had much worse in recent years," reassured Evenepoel about his physical condition.

Drop-outs are on the rise

Thursday, three new riders threw in the towel, namely Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) and Boy van Poppel (Intermarché), positive for Covid, in addition to Callum Scotson (BikeExchange) "unable to start", despite a test to Covid negative.

A total of 36 runners have given up since the departure of the Vuelta on August 19 from Utrecht, in the Netherlands, including 23 proven positive cases for Covid.

On Thursday, the organization of the Tour of Spain and the International Cycling Union (UCI) reinforced the anti-Covid protocol to protect the riders, as on the Tour de France this summer.

In particular, access to the paddock for media representatives and guests of the various teams has been restricted.

Friday's stage will honor the punchers with a flat but winding stage between Ronda and Montilla before tackling a terrible weekend in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

© 2022 AFP