Jay VINE. 10 and praise. He may come from a "virtual" world, but the 29-year-old is a beautiful reality. Team player, point of reference, occasionally transforming from assist man to bomber. If he starts, you'll see him on the podium. Rarely makes a mistake when he's "under the net", and if he knows the roads like the back of his hand, there's no contest (he lives in Andorra). Third stage win on the Vuelta roads, fourth seasonal victory, tenth in his career, the 75th for UAE Team Emirates XRG. He returns to the hotel with the blue polka dot jersey of best climber of the race: he is a beautiful reality.

Torstein TRAEEN. 10. One second from becoming first. A stage second place to dress in red and look down on everyone, with a bewildered face and the wonder of someone not used to such things. From a Dane to a Norwegian: the Northern wind blows on the Vuelta, which today is boundless and struggles to contain itself on home roads. More than a deserved placement, like the red jersey.

Lorenzo FORTUNATO. 8. Enters the day's breakaway and pulls out an absolutely top-level avant-garde race. Third place in the stage, third place in the overall classification. We see little Italy looking better and better.

Bruno ARMIRAIL. 7. The 30-year-old transalpine we all know well: he's a fantastic "rouleur" and on a climb like today's he feels right at home. Speed climb, gear climb, certainly not gradient climb. He does what's in his DNA.

Joao ALMEIDA. 7. Controls the situation with great clarity. Regulates the group of best riders with great ease.

Giulio CICCONE. 7.5. He tries, guided by instinct, but Vingegaard is there, as is logical. He tries to test himself on a highway-like road that doesn't favor climbers, but in any case tells us that Giulio is feeling very good.

Antonio TIBERI. 6.5. After much suffering, today the rider from Ciociaria is where he needs to be, where he must remain and ultimately stays. A good sign.

Giulio PELLIZZARI. 7. Always remains in the thick of the contest, alongside his captain Hindley. Tonight he is the best young rider: he has the white jersey.

Juan AYUSO. 5.5. First mountain stage and the Spaniard goes off the rails. Verona accelerates in a group of about forty riders and Ayuso immediately struggles before being dropped. His face is serene, as is that of his team. A "detachment" to try to win at least one stage.

Andrea BAGIOLI. 7. Sets himself in ski-lift mode and pulls the group for several kilometers, before the day's only attack by Ciccone.

Marco FRIGO. 7. The passer works hard to keep Riccitello in the high zones.

Gianmarco GAROFOLI. 8. The Soudal Quick-Step rider enters the day's breakaway, which essentially decides the stage. With the 22-year-old from Marche are Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates - XRG), Pablo Castrillo (Movistar Team), Louis Vervaeke (Soudal Quick-Step), Ramses Debruyne (Alpecin - Deceuninck), Archie Ryan (EF Education - EasyPost), James Shaw (EF Education - EasyPost), Bruno Armirail (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team), Torstein Træen (Bahrain - Victorious) and Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana Team). They are the day's heroes, they are the ones who show something more in a stage that showed the bare minimum.

Koen BOUWMAN. 17. The Jayco AlUla rider is forced to raise the white flag: he was suffering. End of suffering.