Marc Soler Clinches Stage 16 at Vuelta a Espana Amid Thrilling Race Shifts

Marc Soler wins Stage 16 of the Vuelta a Espana with a bold late breakaway. Ben O'Connor's lead narrows, with Primoz Roglic closing the gap. Wout van Aert withdraws after a crash, affecting the points and mountains rankings.

Spain's Marc Soler secured victory in Stage 16 of the Vuelta a Espana after a strategic late breakaway, while Ben O'Connor's lead edge shrank to a mere five seconds, closely chased by Primoz Roglic. In the final moments of the race, Soler exploited an opening and created an unbeatable lead, with Filippo Zana from Italy and Max Poole from Britain finishing second and third, respectively.

Eyeing an opportunity amidst the rainy mountain conditions from Luanco to Lagos de Covadonga, Slovenian rider Roglic finished 11th, nine places ahead of O'Connor, slicing almost a minute off the Australian's overall lead. The race dynamics were further altered as Belgian competitor Wout van Aert exited the Vuelta due to injuries sustained in a crash, which involved arm and leg traumas. The incident occurred with over 50km left to the finish line.

At the time van Aert withdrew, he was commanding both the points and king of the mountains standings, signifying a major shift in the competition's landscape.

(With inputs from agencies.)