Stage 17: Rigo! Rigo! Rigo!
Veteran rider Rigoberto Uran (EFE) earned a long-awaited stage win on Stage 17 of La Vuelta 2022. The up-and-down course favored a breakaway, and Uran was able to stay within striking distance of the leaders all day. He proved himself strongest on the final kick to the finish. It’s his first stage win on a Grand Tour since the 2017 Tour de France. With the strong ride today, the Colombian rides himself into the top-10 overall at 9th.
Stage 17
Lawson CraddockStage 17 only had one categorized climb, the category-2 uphill finish. But the course was littered with uphills and downhills, primed to release a strong breakaway with a chance to win. The peloton was doubly-incentivized to hang back, given the exit by GC super contender Primoz Roglic (TJV). Team Quickstep was concerned above all with keeping its man in red Remco Evenepoel (QST) safe and upright.
American Lawson Craddock (BEX) made a bold move off the front of the breakaway group at 1.8km to try for the win, but ran out of steam before the finish. He remains the highest-ranked American at 44th overall.
No changes in the green and polka dot prize jerseys, held by Mads Pedersen (TSF) and Jay Vine (ADC), respectively.
Notable exits: the big news of the day was Primoz Roglic's untimely exit. He did not start Stage 17, unable to overcome the hard fall he suffered at the finish line of Stage 16. The 3x La Vuelta winner will not make it a fourth this year.
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