MADRID (AFP) - Thymen Arensman rode away from the remains of a breakaway to win on the tough climb up the Sierra Nevada on Sunday while Remco Evenepoel lost more of his Vuelta lead.
Evenepoel, who cracked at the end of Saturday’s stage losing 52 seconds of his advantage, again could not keep up with his main rivals at the end of the final climb.
The Belgian still took heart from losing only 15 seconds to second-place Slovenian Primoz Roglic on 152.6km stage 15 which ended at 2,513m, the highest altitude of the Vuelta.
He added that Saturday had been a bad day but “today was better”.
Arensman, a 22-year-old Dutchman with DSM, was part of a large breakaway which splintered on the final climb.
Spanish veteran Marc Soler, who had climbed to victory in stage five, pulled away early on the 22-kilometre final climb but Arensman gave chase as the slope steepened and then surged away.
Down the mountain, Spaniard Enric Mas of Movistar, in third place, also had something left.
He escaped from the elite group first and pulled away to finish second 1min 32sec behind the winner. Mas gained 32 seconds, with bonuses included, on Evenepoel.
Second-placed Roglic of Jumbo sat on Evenepoel’s wheel up most of the final mountain before attacking late, quickly dropping Evenepoel and gaining 15 seconds.
Evenepoel’s lead shrunk to 1min 34sec over three-time defending champion Roglic with Mas at 2.01.