Pablo Castrillo Triumphs in Vuelta a Espana Stage 15 Amid Intense Competition

Spain's Pablo Castrillo clinched victory in stage 15 of the Vuelta a Espana with a powerful finish on the Cuitu Negru climb, overcoming Russian rival Aleksandr Vlasov. Primoz Roglic gained time on red jersey holder Ben O'Connor, but incurred a time penalty, leaving O'Connor with a one-minute lead overall.

Spain's Pablo Castrillo won stage 15 of the Vuelta a Espana on Sunday, his second stage victory, in a dramatic showdown that saw Primoz Roglic reducing the gap to race leader Ben O'Connor, despite receiving a time penalty.

Castrillo (Kern-Pharma) made a decisive move on the arduous Cuitu Negru climb, three kilometers from the end of the 143-km stage from Infiesto to Valgrane-Pajares. In the foggy final kilometer, he managed to fend off Aleksandr Vlasov (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Pavel Sivakov of France to secure the win.

Former champion Roglic, who finished fifth, was later penalized for taking advantage of his team car's slipstream. Despite this setback, Ben O'Connor maintains a one-minute, three-second lead going into the Vuelta's final week.

(With inputs from agencies.)