Slovenian wobbles but avoids repeat of Tour de FranceHugh Carthy set to finish third after final stage in MadridAfter Primoz Roglic’s last-ditch defeat at the Tour de
France, there must have been a grimly familiar feeling for the Slovenian as his defence of his title in the Vuelta a España came down to a solo battle against Richard Carapaz of Ecuador in the final kilometres of the final climb of the race, the 13km long high Alto de la Covatilla, climbing to almost 2,000m in a chilly wind that heralded winter.
This time, however, Roglic survived by the skin of his teeth, and he will ride into Madrid on Sunday as the winner of the last race of the professional cycling season. It was a hugely suspenseful finish; like the Tour and the Giro d’Italia, the third and final Grand Tour of 2020 came down to the final set piece. All three were decided by less than a minute, and this will be the tightest margin, with Roglic retaining just a 25sec advantage.