Saturday 04, September, 2021:  Rui Oliveira took one of the biggest results of his young career with a close second place on stage 19 of the Vuelta España. The 24 year-old went away in a large group on the first climb of the day, before it reduced to a group of seven as the heavy legs of the third week took its toll on the riders.

 

The group worked tirelessly to hold off the chasing peloton but the collaboration meant they held the gap well throughout the lumpy stage which went from Tapia to Monforte de Lemos (191.2km).

 

Stage honours went to Magnus Cort (EF-Nippo) who won the sprint after a leadout from his teammate Lawson Craddock (EF-Nippo).

  

Oliveira was glued to the wheel of Cort in the final kilometre, just unable to come around the Dane in the closing metres.

 

Oliveira: “I almost got dropped on the first climb with the high pace but I hung on, and in the last 50km I started to feel stronger again. We didn’t think we could make it to the line because we were hanging on by 30 seconds for a long time but our group was collaborating really well and we stayed away. Second place is disappointing now but I’m sure tomorrow I’ll wake up and feel better about it.”

 

In the GC, David De La Cruz moves up a place to 10th overall, 9’24’’ behind race leader Primoz Roglic.

 

On stage 20 the riders will head from Sanxenxo to Mos. Castro de Herville (202.2km),

stage marked by many short climbs and the last road stage of this years Vuelta.

 

1. Magnus Cort (EF-Nippo) 4:24:54

2. Rui Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates) s.t

3. Quinn Simmons (Trek-Segafredo) s.t

 

1. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) 77h49’37 ”

2. Enric Mas (Movistar) + 2’30 ”

3. Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) + 2’53 ”

10. David De La Cruz (UAE Team Emirates) + 9’24 “