Vuelta, Van Aert wins seventh stage

Wout Van Aert won the sprint in the seventh stage of the Vuelta (from Archidona to Cordoba, 180.2 kilometers), beating Vacek and Miquel in the sprint. Nothing changes in the general classification, with the Australian O’Connor (seventh on the finish line in Cordoba) still firmly in the red jersey, with Roglic at 4’45” in second place and Almeida third at 4’59”. Tiberi took back the white jersey, given the delay of Lipowitz.

DECISIVE FINALE

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The stage was run in very high temperatures, so much so that the famous “bomberos”, the Spanish firefighters, used roadside hoses to douse the riders struggling with the oppressive heat. The seventh stage heated up in the last forty kilometers, with Bardet very active in the top positions. On the last climb, the Bora men increased the pace and Roglic took the lead. Behind him, right on the top, there was a trivial mistake by Groves who slipped, losing a few seconds and remaining cut off from the fight to win the stage. About thirty riders arrived at the last kilometer, but Van Aert (with his second stage victory) clearly won the sprint. Rota came in seventh. Tomorrow is the eighth stage, from Ubeda to Cazorla, of 159 kilometers.