Roglic's Critical Climb: Wins Stage Eight and Narrows Gap in Vuelta a Espana

Former champion Primoz Roglic secured a crucial victory in stage eight of the Vuelta a Espana, slimming down Ben O'Connor's overall lead. Roglic beat Spain's Enric Mas and Mikel Landa, significantly closing the time gap. The Slovenian cyclist's strategic climb and uphill finish proved pivotal in his quest for overall victory.

Primoz Roglic, a three-time Vuelta a Espana champion, magnificently conquered the climb to the finish in stage eight on Saturday, drastically reducing Ben O'Connor's overall lead.

In the race's critical moments, Roglic, representing Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, put forth an impressive effort to outpace the Australian leader, ultimately securing his second stage win of the competition. Spain's Enric Mas finished second, while Mikel Landa claimed third.

Ben O'Connor, donning the red jersey, finished in 17th place, arriving 46 seconds behind Roglic, who also earned a 10-second bonus. This strategic move now places Roglic 3 minutes 49 seconds behind the leader. Sunday's race from Motril to Granada poses more challenging climbs, heightening anticipation for further shifts in the leaderboard.

(With inputs from agencies.)