ANALYSIS: Primoz Roglic and Red Bull rule on Alto del Moncalvillo

Primoz Roglic and Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe finally executed a flawless tactical masterclass on Stage 19’s brutal ascent of Alto del Moncalvillo.

After a series of strategic missteps earlier in La Vuelta a Espana 2024, namely the surprising five-minute loss to Ben O’Connor on Stage 5, the team delivered a performance that silenced critics and reasserted their dominance.

Red Bull and Roglic Reign Supreme

The season hasn’t been kind to Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe. Their debut Tour de France under the Red Bull banner was marred by bad luck, with both Roglic and Aleksandr Vlasov suffering injuries and failing to secure a single stage win. The team’s reshaping and high-profile signing of Roglic seemed to be underwhelming, until now.

Stage 19 was different. Determined to make a statement, Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe took control from the outset, setting a relentless pace at the front of the peloton. The decisive moment came as the riders hit the foot of Alto del Moncalvillo. Dani Martínez and Aleksandr Vlasov, pivotal in this stage, laid down a punishing tempo that shredded the group, forcing even top contenders like Ben O’Connor, Enric Mas, and Richard Carapaz to struggle.

With around 6 kilometres to go, the groundwork laid by Martínez and Vlasov allowed Roglic to make his move. As they peeled off, their job done to perfection, Roglic launched a ferocious attack. This was the moment Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe had been orchestrating all season—a display of dominance from the team’s marquee signing.

Roglic has already won two stages at this year’s Vuelta a Espana, but his campaign would’ve been seen as a failure if he did not win the red jersey. The Slovenian, who won on this climb back in 2020, knew that this was his chance and powered through the final kilometres with a controlled aggression that left no doubt about who was the strongest rider in the race. The team’s tactics, which have often been questioned over the past couple of months, were impeccable. They delivered Roglic to the finish line at precisely the right moment, propelling him into the leader’s jersey with just two stages remaining.

Looking ahead, Roglic and Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe will aim to replicate this form on the penultimate stage, a 172-kilometer beast from Villarcayo to Picón Blanco. With seven categorized climbs and a punishing 4,700 meters of total elevation gain, this queen stage is where the final battle for the red jersey will be fought. The fearsome ascent of Picón Blanco, averaging 9%, looms as the ultimate test. Roglic doesn’t need to attack, but if he senses any weakness in his rivals, another decisive move could all but secure his fourth Vuelta a España title.