In a few years’ time, when we look back at the 2019 Vuelta a España, a few key storylines will stand out in memory. Primoz Roglic becoming the first Slovenian to win a Grand Tour will be one of them. So too Sergio Higuita’s first WorldTour win, in his first Grand Tour, just four months after joining the big leagues. But for many, the story of the 2019 Vuelta was Tadej Pogacar.
We already knew the young Slovenian was freakishly talented — winning the Tour of California as a 20-year-old just doesn’t happen that often. Likewise the Volta ao Algarve. But Pogacar took it to another level at the Vuelta, winning three stages and finishing third overall. Not bad in your first season at WorldTour level, in your first Grand Tour, before you’ve even turned 21.
The final of his three stage wins was particularly memorable. After dropping from third to fifth a few days earlier, Pogacar attacked solo with roughly 40km to go on stage 20, trying to get back onto the podium. He won the stage by more than 90 seconds and moved back up to third overall. It was a remarkable performance from a rider with seemingly limitless potential.
You’ll see a couple moments from that stage immortalised in the photo gallery below. It’s a gallery of the key moments of the final ‘week’ of the 2019 Vuelta, as told through the faces of those in and around the race. We hope you enjoy.
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- On stage 17, the first stage after the final rest day, crosswinds split the bunch. Philippe Gilbert made the front group and won the sprint, just ahead of pre-stage favourite Sam Bennett.
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- “That’s one win for you, two for me. Your move, Fabio.”
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- Stage 18 saw the pint-sized Sergio Higuita solo away to victory – his first win since joining EF Education First in May.
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- When the team wins, everyone on the team celebrates, not just the riders.
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- “Breathe in, now breathe out, hands up, now hands down. Back up, back up, tell me what you’re gonna do now …”
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- A big crash took out a bunch of riders on stage 19, including Marco Marcato.
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- Tony Martin was one of the worst affected and had to abandon the race.
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- Remi Cavagna attacked from the break with about 25km to race …
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- … and managed to hold off the chase to take his first Grand Tour stage win.
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- Max Richeze was involved in the big crash earlier in the day but managed to complete the stage and the Vuelta.
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- That look when you need to pee for doping control, but you can’t.
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- Jelle Wallays had to dig deep on stage 20 — the final day in the mountains — just to make the time cut. He finished nearly 40 minutes down on the stage winner.
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- Fans await the arrival of the riders at the finish of stage 20.
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- Pogacar set sail on the penultimate climb of the day and built a handy lead.
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- Overall leader Roglic did enough to limit his losses …
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- … as his compatriot took his third stage win in his debut Grand Tour. Extraordinary.
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- Sir Bradley Wiggins has been at the Vuelta for Eurosport.
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- Can’t fake that smile. That’s the look of a man who’s about to ride to his first Grand Tour victory.
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- This would have been a tense encounter. Miguel Angel Lopez (right) was very critical of Alejandro Valverde and his Movistar team’s decision to ride on after race leader Roglic was caught up in the big crash on stage 19. “These really stupid actions are what the world champion’s team does – that’s what we’re dealing with,” said Lopez. “What a world champion we have!” Movistar later apologised for riding on when Roglic crashed, and Lopez apologised to Valverde.
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- The final-stage precession gave Jesus Ezquerra time to propose to his girlfriend, Soraya, mid-stage.
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- She said yes.
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- The eventual GC podium finishers – Valverde (second), Roglic (first) and Pogacar (third) — had time to celebrate in front of the cameras en route to the sprint finish in Madrid.
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- Some young fans were celebrating, too, after snagging souvenirs.
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- Fabio Jakobsen, with glasses falling off his nose, beat Bennett in the final sprint …
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- … as Roglic and his Jumbo-Visma celebrated behind.
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- Two wins for Jakobsen in his debut Grand Tour.
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- “It turns out finishing a Grand Tour is easier if you don’t break your scapula on stage 1!”
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- “Yeah, but you only finished 59th? Try harder, daddy.”
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- “Stop right now, thank you very much, I need somebody with a human touch. Hey you, always on the run, gotta slow it down baby, gotta have some fun.”
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- Primoz Roglic, the first Slovenian to win a Grand Tour. The 29-year-old also won the points classification, the individual time trial, and went top-10 on 10 occasions. Did you know he used to be a ski jumper?
Please excuse the interruption.
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