Pablo Castrillo made history with a victory in Apple, during stage 12 of the Vuelta a España 2024. At 23, the Kern Pharma rider gave his all in the final kilometres of the stage to win at the finish line, ahead of Max Poole and Marc Soler. The Aragonese won alone, thanks to 10 kilometres from the end that ended up being definitive. Although he had to fight until the end, since in the last metres they pushed him to the end. Behind, the peloton reached more than six minutes, with Ben O’Connor entering with the rest of the rivals in the general classification.
The race entered its second half, after a new bite in the general classification of the leader O’Connor. On this occasion, the peloton faced a mountain stage, with only one climb, but with a tough route throughout the 137 kilometers that it lasted. It started in Orense, ending with a first-class 15.4 kilometer climb to the station Apple.
The stage started with multiple attacks in the peloton and one of those who wanted to liven up the race was of course, Wout van AertThe Belgian, winner of three stages, is synonymous with guaranteed spectacle and tried to set off alone, even if he was quickly caught. It was then that a breakaway of 10 riders formed, which would be the one to triumph.
In this document, several Spanish options appeared, such as those of Marc Soler, Carlos Verona, Oscar Rodriguez either Pablo Castrillo. They also appeared Harold Tejada, Jhonatan Narvaez either Louis Meintjes as the main threats to victory. They managed to take an advantage of more than 10 minutes, thus ensuring the fight for victory in Manzaneda.
Castrillo wins the Vuelta
The climb began and with it the attacks on the leading group of the race. And the one who prospered was Carlos Verona, who went off alone. The Madrilenian was looking for his first victory in a major event and went straight for it, opening up a considerable gap that seemed difficult to close, but he managed it 10 kilometres from the finish.
That’s when the attacks started again and it was Pablo Castrillo who launched the attack, managing to leave again. Mauro Schmid followed him, but he could not find him. They caught up with the Swiss Narváez, Poole and, later, Soler, which gave greater returns to the Spaniards of Kern Pharma to impose themselves at the top of the Manzaneda station.
