Pablo Castrillo Triumphs in Vuelta a Espana Stage 15

Spain's Pablo Castrillo secured his second stage win in the Vuelta a Espana, energetically conquering the Cuitu Negru climb. Primoz Roglic gained time on race leader Ben O'Connor, who now leads by only 43 seconds. The race intensifies as it heads into its final week, with riders gearing up for stage 16.

Spain's Pablo Castrillo overcame intense pressure to claim stage 15 of the Vuelta a Espana, marking his second stage win. Castrillo, representing Kern-Pharma, showcased remarkable grit on the punishing Cuitu Negru climb, completing the 143-km journey from Infiesto to Valgrande-Pajares.

With three kilometers left, Castrillo broke away from the leading trio, managing to fend off a late challenge from Aleksandr Vlasov of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. Pavel Sivakov of UAE Team Emirates finished third. Castrillo's decisive move came despite the formidable presence of Vlasov and the chasing peloton.

Primoz Roglic finished fifth, gaining 38 crucial seconds on race leader Ben O'Connor of Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale, who retains a narrow 43-second advantage. The Vuelta now enters its final week, with stage 16 set to cover 181.5 km from Luanco to Lagos de Covadonga.

(With inputs from agencies.)