La Vuelta 2022: Mads Pedersen beats Bryan Coquard and Pascal Ackermann in punchy Stage 13 finish

There’s something about Stage 13 on Fridays in Grand Tours that makes Mads Pedersen click. Just as he did on the Tour de France this July, the Dane blasted clear to take a maiden triumph on La Vuelta with a perfect finish from the Trek-Segafredo star.

Very much the pre-race favourite for the 168.4km Stage 13, Pedersen kept to the script by launching out of the slipstream of Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates) after the German launched early on the ramped finish at Montilla. Ad Pedersen powered past Ackermann and was able to coast to the line and celebrate in style as the road flattened out ahead of the finish.

Frenchman Bryan Coquard (Codifis) took a distant second while Ackermann – banging his handlebars in frustration – had to settle for third place ahead of Britain’s Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious). Vuelta a España‘No consistency’ – Lloyd and Blythe on ‘frustrating’ coronavirus rules after Ayuso saga2 HOURS AGO Denmark’s Danny van Poppel (Bora-Hansgrohe) completed the top five while Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) put in a good showing for ninth.

There was no change in the general classification as Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) finished safely in the pack to retain the red jersey for an eighth day. The 22-year-old enters a crucial weekend in the mountains with a 2’41” lead over the triple reigning champion Roglic, with Spain’s Enric Mas (Movistar) still in third at 3’03”.

Pedersen’s win sees the Danish powerhouse move well ahead of his nearest rivals in the green jersey points classification, the Trek-Segafredo rider now on 247pts compared to the 96pts held by both Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) and Wright. ‘No consistency’ – Lloyd and Blythe on ‘frustrating’ coronavirus rules after Ayuso