Vuelta a España stage 18: Filippo Ganna prevails over Jay Vine for victory in Valladolid time trial

With the time trial course reduced in length from 27.2km to a more simple out and back 12.2km distance, the stage and perhaps changes in the general classification were going to be decided by seconds.

There were some pro-Palestime protests near the start and finish area, waving flags over the barriers and forcing riders to go a little wide, but the stage went ahead without incident.

With almost three weeks of racing done, the time trialists and sprinters set off early and set the initial fast times.

Ethan Veron (Israel-Premier Tech) set a time of 13:20 but he was soon bettered by Daan Hoole (Lidl-Trek). The Dutchman won the Giro d’Italia time trial around Pisa in May and set 13:18. However he was not happy with his ride, later admitting that he made mistakes at two points, including totally mis-judging a corner.

Hoole’s Lidl-Trek teammate Mads Pedersen also started fast perhaps as a test of his health after concerns of illness and to test his time trial form before he targets the European time trial Championships. The big Dane eventually slowed and set a time of 13:20.

Mads Pedersen of Lidl – Trek rides in the Green Points Jersey (Image credit: Getty Images)

Ganna was off soon after Hoole and Pedersen. He was slightly down at the first time split after 4km but was then able to up the power on the long out and back sector of the course, riding at over 60 kph. He pulled back second after second on Hoole and stopped the clock at 13:00. He was happy but knew he faced a long spell in the hot seat as the fastest rider.

Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) set an impressive time of 13:10 as he enjoyed a rare day of freedom to ride for himself instead of team leader João Almeida. His teammate Juan Ayuso was also on a mission and started fast. However he also slowed a little to set 13:21.

Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) (Image credit: Getty Images)

Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) could have potentially challenged Ganna due to his equal stature and power. The big Swiss rider was two seconds faster than Ganna after 4km and three seconds faster after 8km. However, like so many others, he faded on the rise to the finish line and stopped the clock in 13:11, good enough for a final sixth place on the day.

Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) was distanced early on the final climb of stage 17 and seemed fresher than most when he began his time trial in the stunning blue polka-dot mountains jersey. Vine is a former Australian national time trial champion and showed it by riding at speed and soon catching his minute man Finlay Pickering (Bahrain Victorious).

Vine took a risk by taking the slipstream of the race vehicles ahead of him and especially by diving for the inside line on a curve as he passed Pickering. However he proved worthwhile and he was timed as six seconds faster than Kung after 8km.

However the final 4km proved decisive and was Vine’s downfall, due to Ganna’s strong finish and balanced ride.

Vine went deep and threw his bike at the line but the stopped clocked some 0.90th of a second slower than Ganna. He was given a time of 13:01 when times were rounded up to the nearest second. He was gutted when he heard he had lost by so little.

Bruno Armirail (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) (Image credit: Getty Images)

Bruno Armirail (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) was the last of the pure time trialists to race before the GC contenders went down the start ramp. He was fast but not fast enough to dislodge Ganna and was slower than Vine, setting a time of 13:09.

Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) went all during his ride as a future Grand Tour time trial test and set 13:20.

Matthew Riccitello (Israel-Premier Tech) is locked in a battle for the best young rider white jersey with Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). The US climber set a time of 13:36, better than Pellizzari 13:45 but is still 58 seconds down on his Italian rival for the white jersey.

Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) (Image credit: Getty Images)

Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) was trying to take Tom Pidcock’s third place overall but the Briton put up a fight in the time trial. The Q36.5 rider stayed focused and aerodynamic despite almost crashing into the barriers with 8km to go. He set 13:28, while Hindley was just one place but three seconds slower in 13:31. Pidcock now leads Hindley by 59 seconds.

Almeida and Vingegaard are locked in the battle for overall victory and were almost equal again in the time trial.

João Almeida of UAE Team Emirates – XRG competes on the ITT course in Valladolid (Image credit: Getty Images)

Like his teammates, Almeida was fast and impressive and finished third on the stage, incredibly only seven seconds slower than Ganna, despite their difference in stature and raw power.

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) started last as race leader, two minutes later than Almeida. He appeared nervous on the start ramp and took some final breaths before rolling away.

He was soon into his aero tuck and raced aggressively through the early corners and the high speed lines through the later roundabouts. The Dane was two seconds slower than Almedia after four kilometres and then gapped stayed the same after eight kilometres.

Jonas Vingegaard of Visma-Lease a Bike put in a strong effort with a top 10 but gave up 10 seconds to Almeida in the overall (Image credit: Getty Images)

As Ganna proved, the final four kilometres and the ability to hold speed all the way to the line were vital. Almeida was fast as Vingegaard faded and stopped the lock 10 seconds slower than his rival.

Vingegaard tried to sound upbeat about his ten-second time loss and can be confident as Almeida has only Saturday’s mountain finish to try to crack him and take the race leader’s red jersey for Sunday’s ride into Madrid.