BikeRaceInfo: Current and historical race results, plus interviews, bikes, travel, and cycling historyBikeRaceInfo: Current and historical race results, plus interviews, bikes, travel, and cycling history
Search our site:
Email Newsletter icon, E-mail Newsletter icon, Email List icon, E-mail List icon Sign up for our Email Newsletter

Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,

Friday, September 4, 2026

Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary | Our YouTube page

Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late. - Benjamin Franklin


Story of the Tour de France Volume 2

Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, Vol 2: 1976 - 2018 is available in print, Kindle eBook & Audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Current racing:

Upcoming racing:

Latest completed racing:


Vuelta a España stage 12 reports

We posted the organizer's report with the results.

Here's the Vuelta report from stage twelve winner Jakob Omrzel's Team Bahrain Victorious:

Jakob Omrzel claimed the first professional victory of his young career — and already a big one — on Stage 12 of La Vuelta a España, completing a memorable day for Bahrain Victorious with a solo win at Calar Alto.

The 166.6 kilometre mountain stage from Vera saw Omrzel, Santiago Buitrago and Pello Bilbao all make the large breakaway. With Bilbao helping to manage the group, Buitrago collected valuable points towards the mountains classification before the team turned its attention to the stage victory.

Omrzel attacked from the reduced front group with 13 kilometres remaining on the final climb and continued alone to the summit, winning by 1:56. Urko Berrade (Equipo Kern Pharma) finished second, while Buitrago secured third place to complete a double podium for Bahrain Victorious.

Jakob Omrzel takes a solo win in Vuelta stage 12. Sirotti photo

The result also moved Omrzel up to sixth overall, while Buitrago retained the KOM jersey after adding to his lead in the classification.

Jakob Omrzel said: “I felt really good today. We knew it would be a hard stage, and we put three of our strongest riders in the break with me, Santi and Pello. The guys were amazing, and the team did a perfect job.

"It was like playing PlayStation. We said that we needed to set a really hard pace so the others would suffer a bit, and I was strong. At the end, I was speechless, but I’m not surprised because I’ve worked hard with the team, with our Sports Director Borut Božič, my coach Alessio and the other people close to me. I’m just grateful to have them with me.”

Sports Director Franco Pellizotti said after the stage: “It was an amazing stage for us. I would say it was like playing PlayStation because we asked the riders to go in the break, and they did it. Then, once they were there, Pello managed the group really well, and with Santi and Jakob we produced an amazing finale.

"I’m super happy for Jakob and his stage victory, and for Santi taking more points for the mountains classification. It’s an unbelievable day. The guys have done an amazing job every day across these first 12 stages, and today’s result is also a nice reward for all of them.”

Sports Director Borut Božič added: “After the national championships, we started talking about sending Jakob to La Vuelta because there are many stages that suit his characteristics, with so many mountain finishes.

"Considering his age, we didn’t know if it might be too much for him, but he started La Vuelta in good shape and showed that from the beginning. We believed that he could achieve something and surprise on one of the stages, but we continued to take it day by day.

"I think we can be proud as a team, and especially proud of Jakob. I’m also proud of how we managed everything and how it all came together. It’s amazing. You keep believing, believing and believing, and at some point you achieve it.”

find us on Facebook See our youtube channel

The Story of the Tour de France, vol.2 South Salem Cycleworks frames Melanoma: It Started With a Freckle The Story of the Giro d’Italia, vol.2 Shade Vise sunglass holder Paris-Roubaix: The Inside Store Advertise with us!


Content continues below the ads

The Story of the Tour de France, vol.1 South Salem Cycleworks frames Melanoma: It Started With a Freckle

Here's the Vuelta report from stage twelve fourth-place Alexey Lutsenko's NSN Cycling Team:

Alexey Lutsenko produced a strong ride on Stage 12 of La Vuelta a España, spending almost the entire day at the front before battling to fourth place on the summit finish at Calar Alto.

The 167-kilometer stage from Vera featured more than 4,500 meters of climbing and developed into a major day for the breakaway. Lutsenko was part of the action from the opening kilometers, initially going clear in a small group of three before more riders bridged across and the move eventually grew to around 30 riders.

The race became increasingly selective on the penultimate climb, where a hard pace split the breakaway apart. Lutsenko remained among the strongest riders at the front and continued to fight all the way up the final ascent to Calar Alto, crossing the line in fourth.

Alexey Lutsenko finishes fourth in stage 12. Sirotti photo

“At first, I wanted to help Jan Hirt get into a good position for the breakaway. After the first KOM, I accelerated and got a gap of around 15 or 20 seconds. I was riding at the front for around 15 or 20 kilometers before I started waiting for the bigger group behind.

“From there, I tried to save my legs as much as possible, and in the end I just did my best,” said Lutsenko.

The result gives Lutsenko another strong showing from the breakaway at this year’s Vuelta, following his seventh place on Stage 7.


Content continues below the ads

The Story of the Giro d’Italia, vol.1 Shade Vise sunglass holder Paris-Roubaix: The Inside Store

Here's the Vuelta report from GC fifth-place Oscar Onley's Team Netcompany INEOS:

Oscar Onley battled hard to limit his losses on stage 12 of the Vuelta a Espana following a crash earlier in the stage.

The Netcompany INEOS rider set his own tempo up the final climb of Calar Alto after becoming distanced from his immediate GC contenders.

Despite that the Scot was able to dig deep and finish 12th on the stage as a breakaway contested the top positions.

Onley now sits fifth overall, 4:29 back on continued leader Enric Mas (Movistar), whilst retaining his white Young Rider's jersey.

Oscar Onley just after the stage twelve finish. Sirotti photo.

Jack Haig and Axel Laurance formed part of a large 30-man break which went on to contest the stage win. In the end it was Jakob Omrzel (Bahrain Victorious) who pulled off an impressive solo victory, elevating himself to sixth overall.

Earlier, with 131km to go, Onley was among a handful of riders who slid out on a roundabout following the opening climb.

Reaction:
Oscar Onley - "For now I’m ok, I just slid out on a roundabout.

"It was pretty hot today, I had to ride my own pace on the last climb. Jack was really good when I caught him on the last climb and he really saved me a lot of energy, so a big thanks to him."

Thursday also saw stage two of the Tour of Britain, which played out in a sprint finish into Skegness. A tough day saw Filippo Ganna lose time following a bike change at an inopportune moment with 62km to go as the race began to split.

The team worked hard with a collective chase effort but were unable to shut the gap to the lead group in tricky conditions. Sam Welsford led the team home in the sprint just outside the top 10. Ganna now sits 10th overall, 1:53 back on leader Lewis Askey (NSN Cycling Team).


Content continues below the ads

Advertise with us!

And here’s the Vuelta stage 12 report from Mauri Vansevenant’s Team Soudal Quick-Step:

Mauri Vansevenant took fifth place on Stage 12 of La Vuelta.

The first big climbing stage after the rest day covered 166 kilometers between Alto de Velefique and Calar Alto. It was La Vuelta’s first visit to Calar Alto in almost a decade, and it came as no surprise that many riders were determined to fight for the stage win on the climb, which took the peloton to more than 2100 meters above sea level.

Mauri was part of the day’s main breakaway, a 30-rider move that would stay clear all the way to the finish. While several riders launched attacks from the group, Vansevenant rode at a steady tempo and paced his effort well on the final climb to secure a top-five finish on the stage won by Jakob Omrzel.

Mauri Vansevenant finishes stage twelve. Sirotti photo

After the stage, Mauri explained “At first I had to collect myself for a moment. But I was able to get into my rhythm, and towards the end of the climb, I felt really good. It was about choosing my own pace and holding on for as long as possible.”