Vuelta a Espana: Pablo Castrillo claims second stage win as Primoz Roglic closes in on leader Ben O’Connor

Pablo Castrillo claimed his second victory in the mountains on stage 15 of the Vuelta a Espana, as Primoz Roglic closed on overall leader Ben O’Connor in the race for the red jersey.

The Spaniard broke clear towards the end of the last climb and held off Russian rider Aleksandr Vlasov in a thrilling finale on the punishing slopes of the Cuitu Negru.

Meanwhile, Roglic crossed the line alongside fellow general classification hopeful Enric Mas 38 seconds ahead of O’Connor, who was distanced as the gradient ramped up to 24% about three kilometres from the finish.

Australia’s O’Connor now holds a slender 43-second advantage over three-time champion Roglic going into the final week, which concludes with an individual time trial in Madrid next Sunday.

Mas is third in the GC standings two minutes and 23 seconds down, with Adam Yates the highest-placed British rider in 11th, more than five minutes adrift.

Speaking about his second win in four days, 23-year-old Castrillo, who has been linked with a move to Ineos Grenadiers, said: “The truth is I didn’t expect it. This morning I came with the intention to make the break and see how it would go, but I didn’t expect to get there in a position to win.

“The first victory was unbelievable but to get a second one is a dream.”