Veteran Canadian climber Michael Woods powered to victory on stage 13 of the Vuelta a Espana on Friday as Primoz Roglic slashed nearly two minutes off Ben O'Connor's overall lead.
Israel–Premier Tech rider Woods cut loose from the breakaway with 4.5 kilometres to go of a testing 176km route from Lugo to Puerto de Ancares, which included four categorised climbs.
The 37-year-old made his move on the last of the climbs, with some stretches at a punishing 15 percent, and rolled across the line 45 seconds ahead of Swiss rider Mauro Schmid with Spaniard Marc Soler completing the day's podium.
It marked a fourth grand tour stage victory for Woods, his third in the Vuelta. The other victory came during last year's Tour de France.
✌️ A stage of two halves, one for the break and one for the favourites.
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 30, 2024
🫡 Woods' experience (and legs!) deliver the victory
🤪 The fight among the favourites rages behind
💙💚 Van Aert dominates in both the mountains and sprint competitions
❤️ O'Connor still leads, but Roglic is… pic.twitter.com/8pBYZTLegD
“I'm over the moon," a thrilled Woods told Eurosport at the finish.
"I've had a difficult season. I've been unlucky, I've had mechanical problems, I've crashed at the wrong times.
"It's a great achievement to win today. It was a very long four kilometres on my own.”
O'Connor, who rides for AG2R-Decathlon, started the stage with a 3min 16sec lead over the Slovenian Roglic from Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe.
But, as on Wednesday, the Australian struggled in the latter stages as Roglic turned the screw. Then he dropped 37sec to Roglic but on Friday the damage was even greater as he dropped almost two minutes.
❤️ One more day in red... but suffering! Ben O'Connor fought with everything he had today. 📽️ Enjoy La Roja's minute!
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 30, 2024
❤️ Un día más de rojo... pero sufriendo. ¡Ben O'Connor se ha defendido con todo! 📽️ ¡Disfruta del minuto de La Roja!#LaVuelta24 | @carrefourES… pic.twitter.com/ZALImhvXAk
"I was pretty cooked," said O'Connor. "I wasn't going anywhere in a hurry today, so sad times. But I guess I'm still in red so at least that's a good thing."
O'Connor will head into Saturday's 14th stage - the longest of the race at 200km between Villafranca del Bierzo and Villablino - with a lead of 1min 21sec which is now looking very vulnerable.
"Who knows what will happen the next days," he said. "Tomorrow I'll do my best to recover, try to have another day in the red jersey and see how Sunday goes."
With every passing stage it seems inconceivable that Roglic will not chalk up a fourth Vuelta victory when the race ends in Madrid on September 8.
But with another eight stages to come, the Slovenian is taking nothing for granted.
"It's nice to gain something," said Roglic.
"It's nice when it goes good but these hard efforts, I still feel it. Still have to go day by day.
"I don't feel completely confident yet so we [Red Bull] were a bit conservative.
"Just have to take it day by day and see how it goes."