Vuelta a Espana 2020 Live Free: Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) will carry la roja as the race leader and be the final rider to roll down the start ramp for stage 13 of the 2020 Vuelta a España on Tuesday. This crucial 33.7km time trial in northwest Galicia begins in the coastal fishing town of Muros and culminates with an intensely steep ascent to the summit of the Mirador de Ézaro.

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Any difficulty on the opening section may come from the wind, but the imposing wall of the Ézaro dam will surely be an obstacle for many as the 1.8km climb averages 13.5 per cent, and a top section that is considered "impossible".

Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) is a favourite to win the stage and could retake la roja back from Carapaz, as he is just 10 seconds off the race lead. Though not time trial specialists, three other GC riders are looking to make a dent in Carapaz's lead: Hugh Carthy (EF Pro Cycling) at 22 seconds behind, Dan Martin (Israel Start-Up Nation) at 25 seconds back, and Enric Mas (Movistar) down 1:40.

There are 151 starters for the race of truth on stage 13. The finish times could uncomplicate the GC story, or continue to thicken the plot for the crescendo in Madrid on Sunday. The race to win the 2020 Vuelta a España enters the third and final week as a four-horse race, with Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma), Hugh Carthy (EF Pro Cycling) and Dan Martin (Israel Start-Up Nation) all separated at the top of the general classification by just 35 seconds.

Carapaz is currently in the red jersey, but Roglič is widely considered to be the race’s frontrunner given his superiority as a time triallist, and will be seen as the man to beat.

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As strong as Roglič has been throughout most of the race, though, he certainly looked vulnerable on the Angliru yesterday, and the others will be aware of the problems the Slovenian has had in the past during final weeks of Grand Tours — especially Carapaz, for it was he who exploited Roglič’s fading form towards the end of the 2019 Giro d’Italia to win the pink jersey ahead of him. And what about Britain’s Hugh Carthy? He was clearly the strongest of the GC contenders on the Angliru, suggesting that, despite his inexperience in Grand Tours, his form is on the up rather than waning.

Just like at the Tour de France, where Roglič lost the yellow jersey on the penultimate day of the race to Tadej Pogačar, and the Giro d’Italia, where the pink jersey swapped hands between three different riders on the final three days, the Vuelta looks set for a dramatic conclusion.