Stage 15

The road

At the start

Cuitu Negru, and ramps over 25%

Kaden Groves outdragged Wout van Aert in Villablino and the classification stood still: O'Connor 1:21 up on Roglič, Mas at 3:01, Carapaz at 3:13. Today is the second day O'Connor marked — 141 Asturian kilometres ending on Cuitu Negru, where the road rises for the best part of forty and the final 2.5, on tarmac laid above the old Brañillín finish in 2012, touch gradients over twenty-five per cent.

How it was won

1. 181 km to go

   A 21-man break forms

   After a long fight — even the GC leaders briefly up the road — a 21-rider move with Castrillo and Vlasov finally escapes on the Alto de Santo Emiliano.

2. 26 km to go

   Landa attacks the GC group

   On the fog-shrouded lower slopes of Cuitu Negru, Mikel Landa lights the GC battle 6km from the top after a long turn from his team.

3. 33 km to go

   Castrillo goes solo

   Up front Castrillo jumps clear of his breakaway companions with 3km left, hunting a second stage win of the week on the unbearably steep ramps.

4. 42 km to go

   Roglič drops O'Connor again

   Two kilometres from the line Roglič attacks the red-jersey group; only Mas can respond as O'Connor cracks once more, his lead shrinking to 1:03.

5. 5At the line

   Castrillo holds off Vlasov

   Vlasov claws back across but Castrillo digs in on the 20% final pitch to take a stunning second win, as O'Connor's grip on red grows ever weaker.

The result