Stage 13

The road

At the start

Los Machucos, and ramps at 25 per cent

Philippe Gilbert took the Arraiz and the twisting drop into Bilbao for his first win since Paris-Roubaix while the favourites shadow-boxed three minutes behind — Roglič still 1:52 up on Valverde, 2:11 on López. Fabio Aru does not start. The race director calls today the hardest yet: seven climbs, and then Los Machucos, 6.8 kilometres in three steps with ramps at twenty-five per cent.

How it was won

1. 150 km to go

   Sáez goes long

   With 50km to go Diego Sáez attacks alone off the break and builds two minutes, riding heroically toward the wall of Los Machucos.

2. 26 km to go

   Quintana tests the ramps

   On the brutal double-digit slopes of Los Machucos Quintana probes early and dangles ten seconds clear of an elite GC selection before being reeled back.

3. 33 km to go

   Roglič asserts his authority

   With 3km to go Roglič accelerates alongside Pogačar, shedding López and Quintana on the steepest pitches, then kicks again to drop Valverde — the red jersey imposing himself on the race.

4. 4At the line

   Pogačar wins, Roglič gains

   The Slovenian duo mop up the last survivor Latour and power to the line, Pogačar leading out for his second stage win over Roglič, who extends his overall lead.

The result