I cannot imagine riding a bike, at speed, in 41°C heat, on slippery tarmac, due possibly to dirt, grease or olives, for hours. But that’s what the peloton did today in Stage 12 of this year’s Vuelta. But as yesterday, the race caught fire in the last kilometre and, again, it was EF’s Magnus Cort who showed he was on the form of his life as he took to the front in the final 800m. But this time, there was no Roglic and Mas chasing him, and he took a MAJESTIC win half a wheel ahead of Andrea Bagioli (DQS), with Michael Matthews (BEX) in third. The red jersey stayed with Odd Christian Eiking (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert) and the GC hasn’t been stirred at all and all the jerseys stay put.

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It was a short, sharp, hotter-than-hot stage 11 of the 2021 Vuelta a Espana with pretty much all of the action happening in the last 2km. EF’s Magnus Cort valiantly tried to take his second stage as the last of the breakaway had a handful of seconds on the rampaging favourites under the flamme rouge. But the sizzling Roglic/Mas rivalry had so much fire it nearly melted the tarmac. And while Rog might be known as the gentleman of the peloton, on the road he is ruthless – blasting past a spent Cort then getting the best of Mas, crossing the line 3 seconds (and 10 bonus seconds) ahead of his Movistar rival. Odd Christian Eiking (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobart) lost some time on Rog but has red for another day.
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