Rookie Evenepoel soars through fog into Vuelta lead

PICO JANO, SPAIN: Belgian tyro Remco Evenepoel left his Vuelta a Espana title rivals trailing on a foggy climb in the Cantabrian mountains on Thursday on a stage won by Australian Jay Vine of Alpecin.

Stage six of 21 left Bilbao for a 181.2km run through the Picos de Europa where rain and fog curtailed any daredevil descending after a downhill pile up within an escape group gave the peloton a stark safety reminder.

The visibly thrilled Vine was an unexpected winner, and revealed his team had carefully planned the attack.