Cycling - Vuelta a Espana - Stage 18 - Vitoria-Gasteiz to Maeztu - Spain - September 5, 2024 Equipo Kern Pharma's Urko Berrade celebrates after winning stage 18 REUTERS/Vincent West
(Reuters) - Spain's Urko Berrade won the 18th stage of the Vuelta a Espana on Thursday with a late breakaway in the Basque hills as Australian Ben O'Connor kept the leader's red jersey.
The northern Spanish terrain proved challenging, with a leading group of 13 riders still together up the final serious ascent before the last 40km to the finish line just outside the village of Maeztu.
