“Primoz was in a lot of pain last night”, sports director Addy Engels said about the crash’s consequences. “That is also why he did not appear at the start today. His medical scans this morning showed no fractures but did show several bruises and abrasions. Pain and his injuries prevented him from racing. It is tough for him and the team. Yesterday Primoz showed he was not yet done in this Vuelta. It's also psychologically taxing. His world has fallen apart, but we know he'll fight back. Fighting for the general classification is over, so we'll aim to win stages.”

Immediately after the start signal, a fierce battle ensued for a place in the leading group. Chris Harper and Rohan Dennis were active at the front but lacked the fortune to be in the right breakaway. In the end, thirteen riders formed the leading group of the day and eventually battled for the stage win.

Harper was disappointed with Roglic’s abandonment. “We came to the Vuelta to ride in support of Primoz. We were convinced we had a good chance to win. Primoz was extremely motivated to fight in the final stages. Unfortunately, crashes are a part of this sport. We must regroup and make the best of the coming days.”