Watch: Vuelta a España stage 12 highlights

While the Vuelta a España is entering the meat of its second week with the Tourmalet and Angrilu on tap over the next few days, Thursday's stage 12 was the last chance for the sprinters before stage 19.

With the sprint nearly guaranteed, only two riders forged clear. The two were Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH) and Abel Balderstone (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) and they went off the front as soon as the flag dropped.

While the two forged a neat little gap, Alpecin-Deceuninck were intent on keeping the break well within reach.

With 39km to go, the two riders were back in the peloton before the intermediate sprint. Since time bonuses were available, Jumbo-Visma, Alpecin-Deceuninck and Soudal-Quick Step took a stab at the sprint, with Primož Roglič crucially taking second behind Kaden Groves.

With that, and with Remco Evenepoel not contesting the finish, Roglič decreased his deficit to 23 seconds.

Nevertheless, the day was all about the final sprint Zaragoza which was set to be frantic.

In the end, Sebastian Molano took his second Vuelta win after his stage victory last year, with a perfectly timed leadout from his teammate Rui Oliviera, who hit the front with 300 metres to go. While the odds on favourite Groves suffered a mechanical in the final, Molano was able to hit the front after Oliviera’s late leadout brought him around the final slight corner at great pace. While Groves was able to regain his composure and finish second, it was a commanding victory for UAE and the Colombian sprinter.

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