Philipsen Claims Stage 20 Victory as Vuelta a España Nears Conclusion
Guadalajara, Spain – September 14, 2023 – Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin-deceuninck secured his third stage win of the 2023 Vuelta a España today, triumphing in a thrilling sprint finish on Stage 20, a 164.8-kilometer course from Manzanares El Real to Guadalajara. the victory solidifies Philipsen’s position as a dominant sprinter throughout the race, though the overall general classification remains unchanged heading into the final stage.
The penultimate stage of the 78th Vuelta a España saw a largely uneventful day for the general classification contenders, with no significant time changes among the top riders. jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) continues to lead the race with a time of 68:57:44, holding a 44-second advantage over João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates). Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) remains in third place, 2:43 behind Vingegaard.
The stage unfolded as expected, with a breakaway group attempting to establish a lead, but ultimately being reeled in by the peloton in the final kilometers. Philipsen expertly navigated the chaotic sprint, demonstrating his power and tactical acumen to take the stage win.
several Austrian riders also featured in the overall standings. Felix Gall currently sits in 7th place with a time of 5:24, Felix Großschartner is 26th at 1:02:17, Patrick Gamper is 103rd at 3:00:38, and Tobias bayer is 128th with a time of 3:32:59.
The 2023 Vuelta a España will conclude tomorrow, September 15, with a largely ceremonial stage into madrid, where Jonas Vingegaard is expected to be officially crowned the overall champion. The final stage typically provides an opportunity for the sprinters to compete for one last stage victory.
