Remco Evenepoel shreds Primoz Roglic and GC rivals on Stage 9 as Louis Meintjes wins from breakaway at Vuelta

Any question marks over Remco Evenepoel’s ability to perform on steep double-digit gradients went out of the window on Sunday’s finale when the Belgian superstar rode clear of his rivals for the red jersey on the final climb to Les Praeres to strengthen his lead in La Vuelta going into the second rest day. Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) jettisoned his rivals one by one, with defending champion Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) and Spanish debutant Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) fading before the Belgian despatched Enric Mas (Movistar) on the 25% ramp to the finish.

Ad The man in red managed to reel in the lion’s share of the day’s breakaway but even his zippy pace was not enough to deny a maiden Grand Tour stage win for South Africa’s Louis Meintjes (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert Materiaux). Meintjes proved himself the strongest of a nine-man move and took the win ahead of Italian duo Samuele Battistella (Astana-Qazaqstan) and Edoardo Zambanini (Bahrain Victorious).

Vuelta a España'Big loss' for Roglic as Kuss abandons, Evenepoel also man down4 HOURS AGO Evenepoel crossed the line for fourth place at 1’34” before his rivals Ayuso (sixth), Mas (eighth) and Roglic (tenth) came home in dribs and drabs. The gaps were not staggering but the Belgian will now enter Tuesday’s time trial – for which he is the overwhelming favourite – after Monday’s rest day with a margin of 1’12” over Mas and 1’53” over Roglic.

The top five is completed by Spanish youngsters Carlos Rodriguez, who took an impressive seventh for Ineos Grenadiers, and 19-year-old Ayuso, both riders just over 2’30” in arrears. Simon Yates, the last winner at Les Praeres in 2018, rose one place to sixth place, the British rider from BikeExchange-Jayco 3’08” behind the