Carapaz wins his third stage and Evenepoel sentences the Vuelta

All honors to the latest Belgian phenomenon, the heir to

.

, 22 years old, small, tough, stocky, withstood the harassment of

and

in the last mountain stage, ending in Navacerrada, and this Sunday, barring a catastrophe, he will be crowned the winner of the Vuelta in Madrid .

It took 45 years for a Belgian to win this round, the last one being

(winner of 13 stages and leader from start to finish) in 1977. Merckx won the 1973 edition.

A finish in the Sierra Norte de Madrid with a prize for Carapaz (third stage victory) and with tears of joy for Evenepoel.

An unforgettable test for the Belgian and for Juan Ayuso.

The Jávea kid, who turns 20 on September 16, will finish third and will become the youngest rookie cyclist on a podium in a grand round since 1904. The record belongs to Frenchman Henri Cornet, who in the Tour at the beginning of the last century was four days less than the Spanish.

Fantastic race of the UAE runner.

Remco Evenepoel was aware of the ambushes suffered by

(1985 edition) and

(2015) in the Sierra de Madrid and that caused resounding defeats against

and

, respectively.

The Belgian, in his penultimate assault for the conquest of the Vuelta, took the exit from Moralzarzal with his ears pricked, escorted by his Quick Step squires.

Not a second for matters unrelated to the race.

From the starting signal, Movistar, Ineos and UEA looked for the weak points of the Belgian and his squad.

and

went ahead .

,

,

,

,

,

and

accelerated from behind, dropping the pack from the leader.

At that time,

suffered the consequences of the fall on the day of the ascent to Piornal.

The Quick Step controlled the situation with the help of the Bora, who defended

, who feared losing tenth place to Meintjes.

Up to about five minutes of advantage were obtained by the escapees after the halfway point of the stage.

In the Sierra Norte de Madrid there were no rest sections.

A sawtooth route with five ports that had Movistar as a great entertainer.

With 41 kilometers to go, Verona took command of the group.

His momentum left

and

r (Evenepoel's domestique) cut off.

Offensive by the Mas group, answered by Evenepoel and Ayuso.

Carapaz, Meintjes and

lead the race, with an advantage of 1.48 at the top of Morcuera.

So, Carapaz secured the classification of the Mountain

The leader marked an intense and constant rhythm and prevented the culmination of the attacks of the Spaniards before the ascent to Cotos.

A break that served for Carlos Rodríguez and Hindley to rejoin the squad of the best.

Miguel Ángel López exhausted his last cartridges for the assault on the podium, hunting for Carapaz and Higuita.

Almeida, working for Ayuso and to snatch fifth place from Carlos Rodríguez.

The kid from the UAE always commanded the group of good guys, with more ambition than anyone else, and presented a couple of attacks of pride, chasing the partial victory.

Huge return of the new banner of Spanish cycling.

Carapaz, in another lesson in courage, clinging to the lower part of the handlebar, crowned Cotos with 16 seconds ahead of Higuita and 22 with the group of the best.

A fast descent towards Navacerrada in which

jumped to neutralize the Ecuadorian.

Mission Impossible.

Triumph, the third of this Vuelta, by Carapaz, with only eight seconds ahead of the Dutchman and five more over Ayuso, the fastest of the first in the general classification.

This Sunday, final and tribute for Evenepoel, and also for Alejandro Valverde, who says goodbye to the Vuelta.

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