UAE Team Emirates’ Jasper Philipsen earned biggest career win on the 15th stage of the Vuelta a España ahead of Pascal Ackermann (Bora – Hansgrohe) and Jannik Steimle (Deceuninck – Quick Step).
The longest stage of this Vuelta, 230.8 km from Mos to Puebla de Sanabria, saw UAE Team Emirates up in the action from the outset. Rui Costa fought his way into the group of riders who animated the day.
In the final, the UAE squad pushed to bring back the lone leader and allow Philipsen to compete for the stage and take his first victory in a Grand Tour.
Philipsen said: “It’s an incredible emotion that I can’t describe. This victory is very important to me, I have been waiting for the right moment throughout the Vuelta, and it has finally arrived. At the beginning of the stage I didn’t think it could be my day but in the end I was ready for a final that turned out to be ideal for me. “
The Belgian’s victory marks the first success of UAE Team Emirates in this Vuelta a Espana and tops off the excellent season by the team who have been victorious in all three Grand Tours.
The 16th stage tomorrow goes from Salamanca to Ciudad Rodrigo (162km).
Stage 15 results: 1. Jasper Philipsen (UAE Team Emirates) 6h22’36 “
2. Pascal Ackermann (BORA – Hansgrohe) s.t.
3. Jannik Steimle (Deceuninck – Quick Step) s.t.
General classification after the 15th stage: 1. Primoz Roglic (Team Jumbo-Visma) 60h19’41 “
2. Richard Carapaz (INEOS Grenadiers) +39 “
3. Hugh Carthy (EF Pro Cycling) +47 “
10. David De La Cruz (UAE Team Emirates) + 9’23 “
