The Australian rider from the Alpecin-Deceuninck Jay Vine team won the 6th stage of the Tour of Spain alone on Thursday at the top of the unprecedented Pico Jano, while the young Belgian Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step), very strong in the final climb, overall leader pass.
Vine counter-attacked on the final climb to the summit of Pico Jano, caught up with then dropped Ukrainian Mark Padun, who had been in front since the start of the day, and kept his lead by a few seconds in front of the peloton leaders for end up crossing the line first, in the fog.
He finished fifteen seconds ahead of Evenepoel (22), who imposed a frantic pace on the peloton at the start of the last climb, and ahead of the Spaniard Enric Mas, third sixteen seconds behind. The Belgian prodigy notably dropped the great favorite of this Vuelta, Primoz Roglic, on the pedal.
Overall, Evenepoel took the red jersey for the first time in his young career. Frenchman Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ), in red this Thursday, is 21 seconds behind Evenepoel, and Mas at 28 seconds.
Primoz Roglic finished the stage in 5th place with Pavel Sivakov, Simon Yates and other overall contenders, one minute and 37 seconds behind Vine. He is in fourth place overall, one minute and one second behind Evenepoel.