Stage 15

The road

At the start

Four first-category climbs, Acebo twice

Sam Bennett threaded a pile-up at 900 metres to win in Oviedo; up front nothing moved, and Roglič still leads Valverde by 2:25, Pogačar by 3:01, López by 3:18. Today is new ground: four first-category climbs in 154 kilometres, the Puerto del Acebo early, the Connio at 1,315 metres in the middle, and then the Acebo again — this time carrying on past the pass and 200 metres higher to the monastery above it.

How it was won

1. 188 km to go

   Soler ignites the break

   Movistar set a furious pace on the Puerto del Acebo and Marc Soler jumps clear; the moves coalesce into a seventeen-man break with Sepp Kuss riding shotgun for Roglič.

2. 27 km to go

   Kuss gets the nod

   Given the green light from the team car, Kuss attacks on the final climb with 6.6km to go, dropping breakaway survivor Samitier and quickly riding solo.

3. 35 km to go

   Movistar test Roglič

   Further down the climb Movistar launch Valverde with Roglič instantly on his wheel; the Movistar pair link with Soler but the red jersey matches them pedal for pedal.

4. 4At the line

   Kuss survives for a maiden win

   Sepp Kuss holds off the late charge of Guerreiro and Geoghegan Hart for the biggest win of his career, while Roglič gives up nothing at Santuario del Acebo.

The result