Team Visma | Lease a Bike had set its sights on the stage victory, taking control from the very start. A large breakaway was allowed to go clear but never gained much of a gap. By the foot of the Angliru, the last remaining escapees were already within striking distance.

Sepp Kuss emerged in the finale as the perfect teammate for his Danish leader. The American, winner of the 2023 Vuelta, supported Vingegaard until just a few kilometers from the line. When Almeida launched his attack, only Vingegaard was able to follow the Portuguese rider’s wheel.

Almeida set a fierce pace on the steep slopes of the Angliru. On gradients reaching up to 23 percent, he tried to shake of the red jersey, but Vingegaard held firm. Almeida went on to take the stage win, just ahead of the Dane. Kuss crossed the line in fourth place.

“I have mixed feelings”, Vingegaard admitted afterwards. “Of course, I really wanted to win today as well. But to be fair, João was absolutely the deserved winner. This is the Angliru, a mythical climb. The team worked incredibly hard today. I would have loved to reward them with the victory.”

Vingegaard is already looking ahead to the remainder of the Spanish Grand Tour. “João was very strong today. He has once again proven himself to be a serious contender for the overall. Together we managed to put the other rivals at a significant distance. I’m already looking forward to tomorrow, another tough mountain stage. Alongside my team, I’ll give it my all again”, the Dane concluded.