It was Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) who took out the win on Stage 16 of the Vuelta a Espana but there was plenty to attract attention after a gripping finale of racing saw Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) attack and then crash before the line.
Pedersen was one of four riders that were able to follow an explosive attack from Roglič with just under three kilometres remaining in the stage, and proved the strongest in the sprint to the line, winning ahead of Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates) and Danny van Poppel (BORA-hansgrohe).
“I didn’t like this finale at all – it was way too long and hard!” Pedersen said. “Primoz made a good attack and got a good gap. Ackermann was straight on his wheel, he played it well, and I really had to dig deep to close it. I was really on the limit when I came back on their wheels.”
The Dane took his second win of the race, also maintaining his stranglehold on the green jersey. He revealed his motivation was for teammate Alex Kirsch, who had missed the birth of his daughter to support Pedersen at the Vuelta.
“I promised Kirsch to win today,” Pedersen explained. “He missed the birth of his daughter yesterday and the whole team worked really hard to give him a second present in a few days, so I had to deliver for Alex.
“But it was a really tough final. When Primoz went it was really tough to close [the gap]. In the end it was a perfect finale with this little downhill, if we didn’t have it, it definitely would have been harder to win. I am super happy – this win is for Alex and his wife and new baby.”
Race leader Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) was out of position during Roglič’s attack, and soon after he was at the rear of the peloton with his hand up for assistance as he had suffered a puncture.
Evenepoel would only lose eight seconds on the day to Roglič under the ‘three kilometre rule’, an instance of the rule coming into play to maintain Evenepoel’s position in the main bunch and also Roglič’s time gain from the late attack as both finished slowly over the line in Tomares.
Roglič was thrown to the ground with the line in sight after a collision with Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious), sustaining injuries to the right-hand side of his body with plenty of blood streaming from his wounds. The result of the stage was that Roglič closed the gap between the top two to 1’26", but the physical toll has put into question the Slovenian’s condition.
“I wasn’t in the best position,” Evenepoel said after the finish. “We explored the finish yesterday and I knew it was a bit slippery. I was a bit anxious in the last five kilometres. I wanted to move up the steep part, but then I felt I had a puncture in the rear.”
Evenepoel tried to seek out his main rival after the race, but was waved off before catching up with the Slovenian three-time Vuelta winner behind the presentation area.
"I spoke with him in the dressing rooms and asked if he was OK,” Evenepoel added. “I think he was groggy and was going to hospital."
La Vuelta continues tonight with Stage 17 which concludes with a summit finish to Monasterio de Tentuda. Watch from 10:50pm (AEST) on SBS and SBS on Demand for all the action.
