Colombian cyclist Egan Bernal has won stage 16 of La Vuelta a España. The Ineos Grenadiers rider launched a breakaway with 25 kilometers to go by using a short, steep scond-category climb to outrun his rivals.
The medium-mountain stage of La Vuelta a España was shortened by 8 km due to protests, which made the finale even more decisive. In the final stretch, Bernal met Spaniard Mikel Landa and beat him in the sprint to claim the victory.
Egan Bernal’s wins stage 16 of La Vuelta a España in a historic triumph for Colombian cycling
With a time of 03:35:10, Bernal crossed the line first, followed by Landa (same time) and Frenchman B. Rolland, who arrived 7 seconds back. The top five was completed by N. Denz and C. Braz Afonso, both at +1:02.
The win comes at a crucial time as Bernal did not have a good second week in the Spanish race, so he set aside any bid for the overall top spots and focused on winning a stage, which he achieved today, Sept. 9. Bernal’s victory is not only a sporting win but also a message of resilience after a year full of challenges. The Colombian hopes to return to the top 10 after Tuesday’s stage.
Stage 16’s classification:
- Egan Bernal — 03:35:10
- Mikel Landa — s.t. (same time)
- B. Rolland — +7 seconds
- N. Denz — +1:02
- C. Braz Afonso — +1:02
- D. Jungles — +1:10
- K. Vermaerke — +1:12
- F. Pickering — +1:12
- S. Quinn — +2:48
- R. Molard — +2:48
Danish Jonas Vingegaard leads the general ranking of La Vuelta a España, followed by Portuguese João Almeida, and British cyclist Tom Pidcock. Colombians Egan Bernal and Harold Tejada, who races for XDS Astana, stand 12th and 13th, respectively, in the general standings. Santiago Buitrago, another Colombian cyclist for team Bahrain Victorious is currently in position 19.
Despite accomplishing wins in other races, including two stages at the Giro d’Italia in 2021, this is the first time Bernal has won a stage in the Spanish Grand Tour.