2022 Vuelta a Twitter
Remco Evenepoel realizing a 2022 La Vuelta win is close at hand after Stage 20.The 2022 edition of La Vuelta concludes. Young Belgian talent Remco Evenepoel is the overall winner, the man in the red jersey after twenty-one stages of hard and hot racing through the flats, hills, and mountains of Spain (and the Netherlands). Join us on our recap of the Spanish grand tour through the lens of the #humpwheels hashtag. Drill down deeper by following the links to individual stage recaps.
Prepare for the journey with the team profiles, stage previews, and FAQ.
As with all the grand tours these days, La Vuelta began with a multi-stage prelude in a host country, prior to the home start. The first three stages took place in the Netherlands, a flat country that delayed the inevitable mountain stages that La Vuelta is known for.
Jumbo-Visma started strong in the Stage 1 Team Time Trial. This increasing rare form of racing showcased a deep team that was prepared to hunt for Primoz Roglic’s (TJV) 4th overall win at La Vuelta. After just winning the Tour de France with Vingegaard, could anyone stop Jumbo-Visma?
Stage 2 and 3 were sprint stages won by Sam Bennett (BOH), who looked like an early favorite for the green jersey competition.
Back to Spanish soil for Stage 4, whose hills hinted at the mountains to come. Primoz Roglic moved into the red jersey and history seemed to be repeating itself. Who could stop a 3x winner?
Stages 5-9 took the race into the mountains. The red jersey bounced around the peloton for a few stages while the main GC rivals sized each other up. The path was cleared for big stage wins by assorted riders, like Marc Soler (UAE), Jesus Herrada (COF), and Louis Meintjes (IWG). In what could turn out to be a sneaky big story, or a flash-in-the-pan, Jay Vine (ADC) came out of nowhere to look invincible on the climbs of stages 6 and 8.
The distance between Remco Evenepoel (QST) and Primoz Roglic (TJV) started to look like a permanent fixture after the young Belgian outpaced his rivals in the individual time trial. Losing his main mountain support Sepp Kuss (TJV) in Stage 9 to fever didn’t help Roglic either. The experienced Roglic could not close the gap, never mind gain time in Stage 10.
A trio of riders was taking shape at the top of the overall standings — Evenepoel, Roglic, and Enric Mas (MOV) — but to most observers it was Remco’s race by a country mile. Surely the young rider would lose steam in the course of a three-week race?
Injuries and Covid-19 positives took their toll on this year’s Vuelta. Pavel Sivakov (IGD) and Simon Yates (BEX) did not start Stage 11. Julian Alaphilippe (QST) crashed hard and didn’t start the next stage. Aussie Kaden Groves won it at the line for Team BikeExchange.
Richard Carapaz (IGD) was the best climber for the win on Stage 12. It would be the first of his three stage wins and the start of his bid for the polka dot jersey. No one would doubt the talent, but with Jay Vine coming out of nowhere, and Roglic/Evenepoel still dueling it out, King of the Mountains seemed far away.
Speaking of hat tricks, Mads Pedersen (TSF) win the sprint on Stage 13 for the first of his three stage wins at this year’s race. He was also looking good for the green jersey, as Sam Bennett had since dropped out due to a Covid-19 positive before the time trial on Stage 10.
Carapaz follows up quickly with stage win #2 on Stage 14. Teh GC rivals were content to duel behind him.
Thymen Arensman (DSM) is a name that may get talked about more in contender conversations after he took Stage 15 and ultimately finished in the top-10 overall standings.
Mads Pedersen wins the sprint for his second stage win on Stage 16, but the day will mostly be remembered for the bloody crash at the finish involving Primoz Roglic. The crash came in the final meters after Roglic made an inspired attack off the front to separate himself from the pure sprinters. Collisions and controversy ensued with plenty of finger-pointing. What we know for sure is that the 3x-La Vuelta winner was not fit enough to race the next day. All of a sudden it was Remco’s race to lose.
Rigo! Rigo! Rigo! The beloved Colombian rider bounces back after a so-so Tour de France to ride hard in La Vuelta. He takes a nice stage win on Stage 17 and finishes at 9th in the overall standings.
With Primoz Roglic gone, Remco Evenepoel lost his main rival for the red jersey. Plenty of GC threats for other teams put pressure on the Belgian, but he fended off all attacks and showed his mettle on Stage 18.
Mads Pedersen, mad about winning. Make that three on Stage 19 for the Dane.
Stage 20 was set up to be the final showdown between the elite GC riders. The mountains were hard enough and numerous enough to whittle away the pretenders and leave the true contenders. Who knows? With a good day a strong climber can make up minutes in the mountains, or lose them. But without a main rival, Remco Evenepoel hung back and let Richard Carapaz go for stage and polka dot jersey glory.
Stage 20, a final day in the mountains at La Vuelta 2022.The jerseys were set at the conclusion of Stage 20, but here was one surprise left. Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE) trumped his own sprinter in the final dash over the line in Madrid on Stage 21.
Remco Evenepoel (QST) wins the red jersey for best in overall standings. Mads Pedersen (TSF) wins the green jersey for the points classification. Richard Carapaz (IGD) wins the polka dot jersey for King of the Mountains.
Prize jerseys at La Vuelta 2022 (left to right): Carapaz, Evenepoel, Pedersen.The top-3 overall podium finishers were:
1) Remco Evenepoel (QST)
2) Enric Mas (MOV)
3) Juan Ayuso Pesquera (UAE)
Top podium finishers (left to right): Pesquera (3rd), Evenepoel (1st), Mas (2nd).The best of the rest:
4) Miguel Angel Lopez (AST)
5) Joao Almeida (UAE)
6) Thymen Arensman (DSM)
7) Carlos Rodrigues Cano (IGD)
8) Ben O’Connor (AGC)
9) Rigoberto Uran (EFE)
10) Jai Hindley (BOH)
What comes next for Remco? More GC ambitions, or a return to the Classics so prized by his native Belgium? These days with riders like Tadej Pogacar you hardly need to pick between the two — maybe Remco wants it all?
And we haven’t heard the last of 3x-Vuelta winner Primoz Roglic. Even if his stature on Jumbo-Visma diminishes in view of rising star Jonas Vingegaard, a Roglic that only focused on prepping to win La Vuelta (and was relieved of major support duties elsewhere) would be a dangerous rider, indeed.
Hump Day News’ grand tour coverage will resume in the spring with the Giro d’Italia. Adios!
Critical Mass Boston rides in memory of John Corcoran.