Caruso wins on Vuelta mountain as Roglic tightens grip
Caruso wins on Vuelta mountain as Roglic tightens grip
ALTO DE VELIFIQUE, Spain (AFP) - Bahrain Victorious rider Damiano Caruso won Sunday s mountainous ninth stage of the Vuelta a Espana as Primoz Roglic strengthened his grip on the overall lead, coming second ahead of Enric Mas.
Colombian hope Egan Bernal was unable to follow Jumbo-Visma s Roglic and Movistar s Mas as the competition stiffened on the upper reaches of a 13.2km ascent to Alto de Velefique.
The 33-year-old Italian Caruso came runner up on the Giro d Italia in May and on Sunday promised to attack from distance before his 60km effort.
He was able to pace himself up the final 13km ascent due to a lead of around five minutes over the red jersey group at the foot of the climb, with Slovenian Roglic just 1 minute 05 seconds off his pace by the finish line.
Ineos Colombian leader Bernal came in 2min 10 sec down on Caruso, leaving question marks over the 24-year-old s Vuelta challenge after winning the Tour de France in 2019 and the Giro in May.
Monday is the Vuelta s first rest day ahead of four hilly, one flat and two mountain stages in the week ahead, after another rest day.
The final week holds three tough mountain stages and a final day individual time-trial at the pilgrim city of Santiago de Compostella.
