With a profile like saws teeth & more than 3000 vertical meters as well as a tricky 4km-long gravel road sector; Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s James Knox responded brilliantly, surviving the peloton’s early tussle and chaos that ensued, climbing with a select group on the emblematic mountains of Andorra and putting in a brilliant ride, one of his most impressive of the season.
![]() |
News: Knox moves up GC in Vuelta
A profile like saw teeth, more than 3000 vertical meters, and a tricky 4km-long gravel roads sector – Sunday’s 94.4km leg in Andorra had plenty to offer; as if these ingredients weren’t enough, driving rain and hail summoned in the last hour by the mysterious and fantastic creatures populating the Pyrenean folklore flipped the stage on its head and turned it into a hard man’s race.
Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s James Knox responded present, surviving the peloton’s early tussle and chaos that ensued, climbing with a select group on the emblematic mountains of Andorra and putting in a brilliant ride, one of his most impressive of the season. On a dantesque day that took its toll on the bunch as few other races did this season, the 24-year-old Cumbrian showed consistency and huge determination and stayed with the best until the torturous Alto de Engolasters, where he lost contact.
In the last kilometers of the stage, Knox – a top 10 finisher this season at the UAE Tour and the Tour de Pologne – climbed at his own pace, overcoming the inclement weather and muddy dirt roads, and making sure he wouldn’t go into the red on the ferocious Alto els Cortals d’Encamp, a first-category climb topping out at 2095 meters. This brave effort vaulted him seven places in the general classification, which is due to suffer new changes in two days’ time, when an ITT is scheduled in Pau.
“It was a tough day. I felt awful at the start, a bit stiff from the crash I had the other day, but then on the second climb I was surprised to see there weren’t many guys left over the top and we were picking riders from the breakaway. I followed for as long as I could and gave it my best”, James explained at the team bus. “The accelerations of the top climbers were a bit too much and I lost ground, but I came back once or twice, but then I lost contact for good. It wasn’t fun with that conditions and it goes down easily as one of my toughest ever days on the bike. On the plus side, I’m happy with the legs and I’m hoping for more in the next two weeks.”
Cycle Division’s Shop
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Result: Hillingdon Circuit Races (Nov 30)
- Result: Cyclopark Chill Factor 3
- Result: Team LDN Womens Crit Series 3
- Result: London/SE & Sussex CX League
- Result: South West CX League 8
- Result: CXNE Round 9 (Richmond)
- Result: Scottish CX Championships
- Result: Parentini Wessex CX League Rd 11
- Result: Yorkshire Points Round 6
- Result: Lincolnshire CX League
- Result: Western CX League
- Result: Eastern CX Region Round 9
- Results: World CX Masters (Belgium)
- Result: Central CX League 11
- Result: Notts & Derby CX League 9
- Result: Premier Manchester Track League
- National Trophy Cyclo-Cross – The Series Standings
- Result: First Division Manchester Track League
- Result: Full Gas Winter Series 6
- Result: Cyclopark Chill Factor 2
- Result: Team LDN Womens Crit Series 2
- Result: South West (Scotland) CX Winter Series 2
- Result: London & SE & Sussex CX League
- Result: WMCCL Round 10
- Result: CXNE Round 8
- Result: Central CX League Round 10
- Result: Scottish CX League 5
- Result: Parentini Wessex League Round 10
- Result: Lincolnshire CX League 8
- Result: Eastern Cyclo-Cross League Round 8
- National Trophy Round 5
- Result: North West Cyclo-Cross League
- Result: East Kent CX League 3
- Result: Premier Manchester Track League
- Result: Full Gas Winter Circuit Series 5
- Result: Cyclopark Chill Factor 1
- Result: First Division Manchester Track League
- Result: Team LDN Womens Crit Series 1
- Result: South West CX League 7
- Result: Scottish Cyclo Cross Series Rd 4
Other News on VeloUK
- Big News! Canyon DBH for 2020
- News: Canyon DHB Sponsor News
- Transfer News: Sam Bennett to Quickstep
- Report: Day 3 Paracycling International
- News: New look for Saint Piran in 2020
- Transfer News: Lampier Signs for Ribble Weldtite
- News: Bursary’s for CX Riders
- News: Worlds Coming to Ipswich
- Team News: Hayter Signs for Ineos
- News: Tour de Yorkshire 2020
- Startlist: National Trophy Round 5
- News: Saint Piran Stay an Elite Team
- News: Steven Burke Retires from GB
- News: Brother UK Sponsors Richardson
- News: Team Dimension Data rebrands
- News: Tour of Britain Finishes in Aberdeen
- Team News: Trek-Segafredo 2020 Womens Team
- News: Trek-Segafredo’s 2020 Men’s Team
- This weekend: The National Trophy CX heads for Crawley
- News: New Sponsor for Ribble Pro Cycling
- News: Tour of Britain returns to Devon
- News: Ed Clancy & the Team Pursuit
- News: New sponsors for Verulam Team
- News: Shaw Signs for Riwal Readynez
- News: GB for European CX Champs
- News: 55th Perfs Pedal Race
- News: Brother UK to Sponsor Onform
- News: Success for Liam Holohan in Majorca
- News: GB Paracyclists for Glasgow
- New Junior Team for 2020
- News: GB for Glasgow World Cup
- News: Henderson signs for Sunweb
- News: British Omnium Championships
- News: Brother UK-Fusion RT To Stop Racing
- News: Madison Championships (Men & Women)
- Team News: Carthy Re-Signs at EF Education
- News: HMT Hospitals – Giant Junior Team
- Startlist: National Trophy Round 3 (Irvine)
- Team News: Five wins for Adam Yates in 2019
- Top Men’s team in 2019: Deceuninck – Quick-Step