No big surprises in Thursday’s race: Stage 12 ended with Jonas Vingegaard in red, Jay Vine in the polka dots, Mads Pedersen in green, and Giulio Pellizzari in white (with Matthew Riccitello just 27 seconds behind.) Wouldn’t that be something – an American as the best overall rider under 25!

So, yeah, Juan Ayuso took the stage victory in a hard-fought battle with Movistar’s Javier Romo. If you’ve followed my coverage of the Vuelta, you’ll know that I was rooting fiercely for Romo. I’m not a fan of Ayuso’s “me-first” strategy of racing. But nor am I fond of UAE’s seemingly feckless approach to grand tour races.

UAE’s so-called “protected leader” João Almeida sits just 50 seconds behind Jonas Vingegaard in the overall classification. Yet he was left to ride without the support of two of the team’s strongest members (Ayuso, Soler.) Almeida has managed well to this point, obviously, but Stage 13 presents a major challenge in the mountains. Thus far in the Vuelta, Ayuso has lingered at the back of the peloton on such challenging days – or perhaps I should say, the days where he’s not jockeying for a stage win. And how much gas does Soler have in the tank after today’s race?

Vamos a ver . . .

Climbing the Angliru on Stage 13: 202 kms of Torture

Anyone who with aspirations for a podium placement in Madrid will need to be on guard today: it’s a long stage with three categorized climbs stacked toward the end. Teammates will be essential to success: grabbing water bottles and gels; returning from nature breaks; and chasing down attacks. Vingegaard needn’t worry, as Team Visma is a well-oiled machine with clear marching orders. Almeida? We’ll see if his team rallies around him . . .

Vuelta Vaso de Vino Recommendation: 2024 Rekalde “RK” Getariako Txakolina ($20; 11.5% abv)

This wine hails from the same region as the last two I featured: Getariako Txakolina in the Basque Country. It’s a blend of Hondarrabi Beltza (55%) and Hondarrabi Zuri (45%). Like the others, it is slightly spritzy with tangy acidity and makes a natural match with fresh seafood.

Tasting Note and Pairing

A beautiful, sunny coral shade with tiny effervescent pearls streaming to the top. On the nose it’s quite complex, with a mélange of citrus aromas, red apple skin, melon, and raspberry, all riding on a ribbon of salty sea breeze. The palate is lovely: orange peel, cranberry, raspberry; then grapefruit pith, Marcona almond, and freshly cut herbs. It’s juicy yet fresh. A bit more body than the previous two wines, this could pair well with grilled squid, fresh fish dressed with olive oil, or clam chowder. We enjoyed it with a pesto-laced farro salad topped with a mix of fresh peppers, red onion, and simply grilled chicken and drizzled with red wine vinaigrette. Scrumptious!

Enjoy the slog up the Angliru; see you tomorrow with a preview of Stage 14 and a new wine to taste!