Remco Evenepoel powered to victory on the individual time trial on stage 10 to extend his overall lead in the Vuelta a Espana.
The Belgian finished 48 seconds ahead of Slovenia’s three-time Vuelta champion Primoz Roglic who climbs to second in the general classification.
France’s Remi Cavagna was third on the 30.9km course from Elche to Alicante.
British duo Simon Yates and Tao Geoghegan Hart were seventh and eighth.
BikeExchange-Jayco rider Yates moves up to fifth in the general classification standings almost five minutes behind Evenepoel, while 2020 Giro d’Italia winner Hart – who crashed on stage nine – is back up to 10th overall seven minutes and 37 seconds down.
Both produced fine performances in the race against the clock as did Evenepoel’s Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl team-mate Cavagna, who set the early mark and appeared to be on course for a second stage win at a Grand Tour until Roglic crossed the line.
However, it was Evenepoel’s ride that really caught the eye as he led at each checkpoint and almost caught Spain’s Enric Mas at the finish.
The 22-year-old’s average speed of over 55.6km/h saw him collect his first stage win at a Grand Tour and relegated Roglic into second in a time trial in Spain for the first time in his career, with the Jumbo-Visma rider having previously won four Vuelta time trials and four in the Itzulia Basque Country race.
“That is a big surprise,” said Evenepoel. “It is super nice to win the time trial in the red jersey.
“I am so happy to take a stage win. I have achieved my dream and now we are going to fight and try to win this Vuelta. The whole team is super confident.”
Evenepoel leads Roglic in the race for the red jersey by two minutes and 41 seconds, with Mas in third three minutes and three seconds behind.
On Wednesday the race travels 191.2km from ElPozo Alimentacion to Cabo de Gata.
Earlier on Tuesday Ineos Grenadiers announced that Ethan Hayter, had been withdrawn from the race after testing positive for Covid-19.
Ireland’s Sam Bennett, who was in contention in the green jersey race, also had to leave the race after a positive Covid test.
Thirteen of the 21 retirements since the Vuelta started in Utrecht on 19 August 19 have been related to the disease.
In July, seventeen riders had to abandon the Tour de France due to Covid, including Britain’s four-time winner Chris Froome.
Stage 10 result
1. Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Quick-Step-Alpha Vinyl) 33mins 18secs
2. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma) +48secs
3. Remi Cavagna (Fra/Quick-Step-Alpha Vinyl) +1min
4. Carlos Rodriguez (Spa/Ineos Grenadiers) +1min 22secs
5. Pavel Sivakov (Fra/Ineos Grenadiers) +1min 27secs
6. Lawson Craddock (US/BikeExchange-Jayco) +1min 37secs
7. Simon Yates (GB/BikeExchange-Jayco) +1min 42secs
8. Tao Geoghegan Hart (GB/Ineos Grenadiers) +1mins 46secs
9. Miguel Angel Lopez (Col/Astana) +1mins 47 secs
10. Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) +1min 51secs
General classification after stage 10
1. Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Quick-Step-Alpha Vinyl) 34hrs 35mins 50secs
2. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma) +2mins 41secs
3. Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) +3mins 03secs
4. Carlos Rodriguez (Spa/INEOS Grenadiers)+3mins 55secs
5. Simon Yates (GB/BikeExchange-Jayco)+4mins 50secs
6. Juan Ayuso (Spa/UAE Team Emirates) +4mins 53secs
7. Joao Almeida (Por/UAE Team Emirates) +6mins 45secs
8. Miguel Angel Lopez (Col/Astana) +6mins 50secs
9. Pavel Sivakov (Fra/Ineos Grenadiers) +7mins 06secs
10 . Tao Geoghegan Hart (GB/Ineos Grenadiers) +7mins 37secs
