Most had the feeling that there would be big upheavals in Vueltan, around Spain, on the 17th stage on Wednesday which had three tough climbs before the finish line among the fog-covered mountain peaks at Lagos de Covadonga after 186 km.
With 61 km left, Giro d'Italia winner Egan Bernal and only got Primoz Roglic, started the stage as a total of three, who won the last two editions of Vueltan.
In the last climb up to the finish line, Roglic hung by Bernal with 7.5 km left and went solo towards the victory and the overall lead.
- I just tried to go up the mountain as fast as possible.
When Egan could no longer keep up, I drove myself, says Roglic in Eurosport's broadcast.
Bernal was caught by a chasing cluster where Roglic's teammate in Jumbo Visma, Sepp Kuss, arranged a double victory 1.35 behind the Slovenian.
Roglic also met the cluster that made up for second place when he slowly turned back down the riot to the area further down where the award ceremony would take place.
"Too bad I crashed"
Eiking had to ride seven stages in the red leader jersey.
Ironically, he took the leader jersey on the tenth stage after a fall by Roglic who then led.
During the 17th stage, it was the Norwegian's turn to fall when he on the soapy rainy road in a downhill slipped out into a dike and lost power and valuable time with 47 km left.
He was there over two minutes after the leader and had in any case lost the lead but might have been able to slow down the waste of time.
Now Eiking lost over nine minutes on the stage and went out of the top 10 in total and is only in eleventh place.
- It was a bit of a shame that I overturned.
Without that lap, I might have been able to catch up with the group in front of me and at least have been a few minutes faster.
But I was completely empty before the last hill, Eiking admits for Norwegian TV2.
Today, a new islet walk turns into the mountains.
Then the so-called queen stage is decided, which is the most demanding during a Grand Tour (Giro d'Italia and Tour de France are the other stage races that have such a stage).
The three-week classic will finish in Santiago de Compostela on Sunday 5 September with a 34 km long flat individual pace stage.