The combination of ascents of the Alto del Purche and Sierra Nevada was brutal, but most GC contenders have resisted well. However, not the the INEOS Grenadiers riders, as Tao Geoghegan Hart cracked out of GC contention, and Carlos Rodríguez shed a few minutes on the slopes.
"I felt good although it wasn’t my best day," the Spanish champion said in a post-race interview. "There were stronger riders today and I was lucky to have all the team supporting me. Without them I would have lost more time. I have to be happy, it’s my first Grand Tour. To be at the front I couldn’t ask for more."
Pavel Sivakov abandoned with Covid-19, Richard Carapaz lost time in the first week and Tao Geoghegan Hart shed a lot of time yesterday after attacking before the ascent to Sierra Nevada. That has left one GC card for the British team, Carlos Rodríguez who had raced a spotless race until that very climb. The youngster kept up with the strong pace seen early on in the ascent set by Jumbo-Visma, but was dropped still within the Alto de Hazallanas. From there it all went backwards however.
"Richie did a super great job. He waited for me and he helped me. Thanks to him and all the team for their support," he added. Carapaz, who had been in the day's breakaway, had an important support role for Rodríguez in the second half of the climb. However, into the altitude and wide roads, he was caught and then dropped by UAE Team Emirates duo of Juan Ayuso and João Almeida. He shed over two minutes on Enric Mas and Miguel Ángel López who were the first to arrive from the GC group, and dropped down to fifth place in the overall classification. In the final week he will look to try and keep the position, against several riders who have put on very strong performances on the 15th day of racing.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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It was a brave and battling ride from @_rccarlos to limit his losses at #LaVuelta22. He comes home 14th on the stage and now sits fifth overall. @RichardCarapazM did a great job to help after dropping back from the breakaway.
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