Primoz Roglic has made a decisive move in the 2024 Vuelta a España, reclaiming the red jersey after a dominant solo victory in Stage 19. The Slovenian cyclist, riding for Red Bull-BORA hansgrohe, attacked 5.8 kilometers from the finish on the Alto de Moncalvillo, a climb where he had previously triumphed in 2020.Roglic’s powerful performance saw him cross the finish line 46 seconds ahead of his nearest competitors, David Gaudu and Mattias Skjelmose. The stage win, Roglic’s third in this year’s Vuelta and 15th overall in the race, has propelled him to the top of the general classification.The new standings show Roglic leading by 1 minute and 54 seconds over Australian Ben O’Connor, who held the red jersey since Stage 6 but struggled in the final kilometer of today’s stage. Enric Mas now sits in third place, 2 minutes and 20 seconds behind Roglic.Despite his commanding lead, Roglic remains cautious about declaring victory prematurely. “The Vuelta win is far from being secured,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of the remaining two stages. Saturday’s stage features another challenging mountain finish at Picón Blanco, while Sunday concludes with a time trial in Madrid.O’Connor, reflecting on his performance, admitted, “I didn’t expect to be so bad in the last kilometer. I’m a bit disappointed, but it’s the reality. I did my best.” As the race enters its final weekend, Roglic is well-positioned to secure his fourth Vuelta title, which would equal Roberto Heras’s record set between 2000 and 2005. However, with two crucial stages remaining, the outcome of the 2024 Vuelta a España is still to be determined.
Key points
- Primoz Roglic won Stage 19 of the Vuelta a España with a solo attack, reclaiming the red jersey.
- Roglic now leads the general classification by 1 minute and 54 seconds over previous leader Ben O’Connor.
- With two stages remaining, including a mountain stage and a time trial, Roglic is in a strong position to win his fourth Vuelta title.
