![\"VALLADOLID,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iNWFK4qwWbBHMgHsf5MwtN.jpg\")
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2025-09-11T13:52:46.967Z<\/p>\n
There is again a very strong pro-Palestine presence on the roadside today. Here’s a sample of the protesters at the start of the course.<\/p>\n
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(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
2025-09-11T13:51:08.793Z<\/p>\n
A good ride also by Alec Segaert, who is the fourth fastest at the finish.<\/p>\n
2025-09-11T13:48:47.482Z<\/p>\n
Kelland O\u2019Brien finished his ride very quickly, and is third fastest at the finish. Like Oliveira, he\u2019s another to have stormed to the finish after a relatively slow start.<\/p>\n
2025-09-11T13:44:41.749Z<\/p>\n
Some in the Ineos ranks may be nervous about the prospect of Ganna\u2019s time ending up being the winning time – if it does, one will be obliged to have their head shaved. That\u2019s what the team has been doing for the previous stage wins at this Vuelta, from Ben Turner and Egan Bernal.<\/p>\n
Ineos Grenadiers riders shave their heads in celebration of Egan Bernal’s first Grand Tour win since life-threatening crash<\/a><\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:41:00.087Z<\/p>\n Pier-Andr\u00e9 C\u00f4t\u00e9 has finished, with the fourth best time.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:38:35.163Z<\/p>\n Oliveira was a whole 8 seconds faster than Hoole, but still 11 seconds down on Ganna.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:38:10.231Z<\/p>\n Ivo Oliveira has just posted the 2nd fastest time, having really sped up in the final third of the course. Whereas the likes of Hoole and Pedersen all faded away during that section, Oliveira is the only rider other than Ganna to pace himself for a negative split.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:32:10.184Z<\/p>\n Pier-Andr\u00e9 C\u00f4t\u00e9 is going well, fourth fastest at the 2nd check, just a second slower than Ganna.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:26:19.671Z<\/p>\n Mads Pedersen, setting what is now the day’s fourth fastest time.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:23:33.320Z<\/p>\n Cavagna arrives home now, and he also has lost a lot of ground to Ganna in the final third. He\u2019s third fastest, slower than Hoole but quicker than Pedersen.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:21:39.282Z<\/p>\n In fact, Pedersen also failed to beat Hoole\u2019s time, so is the 3rd fastest in the clubhouse. The Dane looked much more laboured on the bike in that final stretch than Ganna, moving his shoulders from side to side while the Italian was perfectly aero.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:20:43.041Z<\/p>\n He arrives home, 20 seconds slower than Ganna. The Italian’s time is safe.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:20:11.038Z<\/p>\n Pedersen has slowed down considerably in this second half.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:19:21.038Z<\/p>\n Cavagna’s also going well, setting the third best time at the 2nd check, 3 seconds slower than Pedersen.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:16:38.425Z<\/p>\n The final third of the course was where Ganna really sped up, so this is still going to be hard for the Dane.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:16:09.288Z<\/p>\n Pedersen’s again quickest at the 2nd check, by a fraction of a section.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:15:03.824Z<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:11:47.952Z<\/p>\n Pedersen’s up for this – he’s the fastest at the first check!<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:10:58.239Z<\/p>\n Another time trial specialist, R\u00e9mi Cavagna, is off the start ramp.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:09:05.647Z<\/p>\n Hoole explains at the post-ride interview that his hand gesture was a response to his making a mistake, at not knowing which way round a corner to go. Whatever happened, there was no way he was beating Ganna today given how fast the Italian’s time was.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:07:38.433Z<\/p>\n Another is Mads Pedersen, especially now that the stage has been shortened. He\u2019s looked so powerful throughout this race that you can\u2019t write him off.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:07:00.046Z<\/p>\n One rider who could challenge Ganna is his Italian compatriot Matteo Sobrero, who has just begun his ride.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:06:13.125Z<\/p>\n Wow! Ganna has absolutely smashed Hoole’s time, by a whole 19 seconds. That’s an enormous margin to put it into him in those final kilometres of the course. That time is going to take some beating.<\/p>\n NEW FASTEST TIME – GANNA<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:05:10.716Z<\/p>\n Hoole\u2019s time looks like it\u2019s about to be beaten, as Gana enters the finishing straight.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:04:35.114Z<\/p>\n Dan Hoole, setting the fast time.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:03:38.976Z<\/p>\n Ganna\u2019s flying, storming past his minute man Timo Roosen.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T13:01:00.424Z<\/p>\n Ganna’s speeding up – he’s 4 seconds up on Hoole at the 3nd check.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:57:56.911Z<\/p>\n Ganna\u2019s through the first check, and he\u2019s a second slower than Hoole.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:57:26.894Z<\/p>\n Vernon arrives…and he’s short of Hoole. The Dutchman retains the lead by two seconds.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:55:48.817Z<\/p>\n Ganna is looking as smooth as ever, resplendent in the tricolore of the Italian national champion’s jersey.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:54:49.491Z<\/p>\n Vernon’s still flying, and is a fraction of a second up on Hoole at the first time check. This could come down to the wire.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:54:07.441Z<\/p>\n Hoole’s finished the course in 13:19, 28 seconds quicker than Eddy. He’ll go to the hotseat – for now.<\/p>\n NEW FASTEST TIME – HOOLE<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:53:16.181Z<\/p>\n A big moment now in today\u2019s stage as Filippo Ganna begins his ride. He\u2019s the favourite for the win today.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:52:04.195Z<\/p>\n Whatever ails him, he\u2019s still gone through the second time check with comfortably the fastest time so far – though Vernon will be posting is time soon.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:51:09.300Z<\/p>\n Hoole doesn\u2019t look happy about something. He\u2019s thrown his hands up in frustration with something, although it\u2019s unclear what.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:49:53.505Z<\/p>\n As a powerful sprinter, Vernon is one of the riders who could benefit from the shortening of the course.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:49:23.682Z<\/p>\n Hoole has a nearly rival, however – Ethan Vernon, who’s just gone through the check a second faster.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:46:34.598Z<\/p>\n Unsurprisingly, Hoole is quickest through the first time check, 4 seconds quicker than Patrick Eddy.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:44:56.701Z<\/p>\n Here was Oscar Riesebeek getting the stage started.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:43:54.101Z<\/p>\n Jasper Philipsen begins his ride. He\u2019s been quietly in survival mode for the past stages having picked up two wins earlier, and will be wanting to add to that tally in the coming flat stages on stages 19 and 21 – but not today, where he\u2019ll want to take it as easy as possible.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:39:48.606Z<\/p>\n Daan Hoole has just become the fifth rider to start, and the first who stands a real chance of winning this stage. The Dutch national champion won a Grand Tour stage as recently as last May, at the Giro d\u2019Italia stage in Pisa.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:37:58.928Z<\/p>\n It’s a sunny day in Valladolid, with no sign of any wind shaping the day’s times.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:36:38.648Z<\/p>\n The riders will be setting off at one minute intervals.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:35:50.828Z<\/p>\n And we’re off! Oscar Riesebeek roll off the start ramp to get stage 18 underway.<\/p>\n OFFICIAL START<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:32:38.701Z<\/p>\n Vingagaard and Almeida were inseparable on the final summit finish yesterday, both showing signs of fatigue. The fate of the red jersey could depend on which of them tires the least in these final days.<\/p>\n ‘Jonas wasn’t super, but neither was I’ – stalemate on Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a summit finish as neither Jo\u00e3o Almeida nor leader Vingegaard attack<\/a><\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:30:12.395Z<\/p>\n In terms of the GC fight, this is a crucial day in Jonas Vingegaard and Jo\u00e3o Almeida\u2019s battle for the red jersey. Vingegaard currently leads the latter by the slender margin of 50 seconds; depending on how today\u2019s stage goes, that could look a lot more comfortable by the end of the day, or be brought back to within touching distance.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:25:09.602Z<\/p>\n The first rider to set off today will be Alpecin-Deceuninck\u2019s Oscar Riesebeek, in about ten minute\u2019s time.<\/p>\n 2025-09-11T12:23:14.168Z<\/p>\n The protesters continue to protest against the presence of Israel Premier Tech at the Vuelta, in the contest of the ongoing destruction of Gaza. Spain’s Minister of Sport and Education has called for the team to be removed from the race.<\/p>\n![\"VALLADOLID,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ZbRQKDPkvoS7kbHG9FtfSi.jpg\")
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