Pablo Castrillo Triumphs in Stage 15 of Vuelta a Espana

Spain's Pablo Castrillo claimed victory in stage 15 of the Vuelta a Espana, his second stage win in the race. He overcame a challenging climb and fierce competition from Aleksandr Vlasov and Pavel Sivakov. Primoz Roglic gained time on race leader Ben O'Connor, narrowing the gap to 43 seconds.

Spain's Pablo Castrillo overcame excruciating pain to secure his second stage victory in the Vuelta a Espana on Sunday. Castrillo, representing Kern-Pharma, was one of the three frontrunners on the taxing Cuitu Negru climb and broke away with three kilometers left in the 143-kilometer ride from Infiesto to Valgrane-Pajares.

As he approached the final kilometer, Castrillo glanced back to find Aleksandr Vlasov of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe emerging through the mist. Despite the pressure, Castrillo tapped into an extra reserve of energy to fend off the Russian challenger, with French rider Pavel Sivakov capturing third place. Three-time former champion Primoz Roglic finished fifth, gaining 38 seconds on Australia's Ben O'Connor, who retains a slim 43-second lead as they head into the final week of the race.