Very fast descending ride of the breakaway which mostly stayed together to the finish, easy sprint win for Sunweb’s Nikias Arndt, the peloton, being cautious in the rain and the GC men saving their strength for tomorrow’s brutal mountain stage, follow in over 9 minutes later. For the 3rd time López has to swop the red jersey [ for the white one ] and the red jersey going to frenchman Nicolas Edet (Cofidis).
Results of stage eight: Valls to Igualada (166.9km)
Nikias Arndt (Ger) Sunweb, in 3-50-48
Alex Aranburu (Esp) Caja Rural -Seguros RGA
Tosh Van der Sande (Bel) Lotto-Soudal
Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Katusha-Alpecin
Jonas Koch (Ger) CCC
Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain-Merida
Jonathan Lastra (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Groupama-FDJ
Fernando Barceló (Esp) Euskadi Basque Country – Murias
Segio Henao (Col) UAE Team Emirates, all at same time
The race leaves Spain and heads into Andorra on stage nine, with a 94 km [ 58 miles ] brutal mountain stage that should have a major impact on the GC. The race finish to Cortals d’Encamp at 2,095m.
Yes i was looking at the live tracking on La Vuelta site, competitors were seemingly jumping around all over the place or disappearing… and reappearing LOL!
I wish they’d show it live on freeview ITV4 : /
Anyway, the highlights are just about to start - ITV4: 22:00 - 23:05
The Tour of Britain starts on Saturday [ 8 stages 7th Sept to 14 Sept 2019 ]
Team Ineos are on the start list, but we don’t know for sure who’s riding yet. Perhaps G will be there?
Dimension Data is also listed, but no team names yet, perhaps we’ll see Cav?
Hope the weather is kind to them.
We should be able to watch these 8 stages live on ITV4,
it maybe quite a cool contrast alongside the sunny Spanish sunshine highlights of la Vuelta : )
Results of stage 10: Jurançon to Pau (36.2km, ITT)
Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma, in 47-05 + combative award
Patrick Bevin (NZl) CCC Team, at 25s
Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Deceuninck-Quick-Step, at 27s
Lawson Craddock (USA) EF Education First, at 48s
Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar, at 1-02
Pierre Latour (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale, at 1-14
Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, at 1-21
Marc Soler (Esp) Movistar, at 1-22
Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain-Merida, 1-27
Daniel Martínez (Col) EF Education First, at 1-28
General classification after stage 10
Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma, in 36-05-29
Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar, at 1-52
Miguel Ángel López (Col) Astana, at 2-11
Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar, at 3-00
Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates, at 3-05
Carl Fredrik Hagen (Nor) Lotto-Soudal, at 4-59
Rafał Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 5-42
Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, at 5-49
Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain-Merida, 6-07
Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Sunweb, at 6-25
Very dominant ride from Roglič who gains a commanding lead.
I felt sorry for Quintana, can’t be easy for a pure climber to time trial against the best, his GC position tumbles 3 minutes down to 4th place as he looks over his shoulder to see young 20 year old Tadej Pogačar just 5 seconds behind and looking hungry for a Vuelta podium.
But there is still a long way to go, anything can happen and it usually does, next three days in the mountains!
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Wednesday 4th September / Stage 11: Saint Palais to Urdax-Dantxarinea (180km)
Beginning in France, the race finishes back in its home country after an up and down day in the Basque Country. It looks ideal for a breakaway to stay away with GC teams likely to try and help their leaders recover from the time trial ahead of the mountains to come.
Stage 12 stays in the Basque Country and takes on three short but tough category three climbs in the last 40km before a fast run-in to the port city of Bilbao.
Those final hills looked remarkably steep today, and produced a breakaway that was determined, scrappy and fractious. The experience of 37 year old Gilbert succeeding at the finish, his 10th grand tour win to date.
La Roja peloton wasn’t far behind today, and once again Roglič will be relieved the result gave no change in the top ten GC.
Results of stage 12: Circuito de Navarra to Bilbao (171.4km)
Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Deceuninck – Quick-Step, in 3-48-18
Alex Aranburu (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA, at three seconds
Fernando Barceló (Esp) Euskadi Basque Country – Murias, at same time
José Joaquín Rojas (Esp) Movistar, at 22s
Nikias Arndt (Ger) Sunweb, at 26s
Tosh Van der Sande (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, at 29s
Cyril Barthe (Fra) Euskadi Basque Country – Murias
Manuele Boaro (Ita) Astana
Tim Declerq (Bel) Deceuninck – Quick-Step, all at same time
Valerio Conti (Ita) UAE Team Emirates, at 31s
General classification after stage 12
Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma, in 44-52-08
Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar, at 1-52
Miguel Ángel López (Col) Astana, at 2-11
Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar, at 3-00
Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates, at 3-05
Carl Frederik Hagen (Nor) Lotto-Soudal, at 4-59
Rafał Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 5-42
Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, at 5-49
Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain-Merida, at 6-07
Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Sunweb, at 6-25
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Friday 6th / Stage 13 Bilbao to Los Machucos. Monumento Vaca Pasiega (166.4km)
Todays tough mountainous stage will provide every opportunity for attacks, the stage starts in Athletic Club’s San Mames stadium before heading out of Bilbao and taking on six climbs before the wicked final summit finish climb to Las Machucos which includes hideous stretches of eye-bulging 25% gradients.
An excellent day for Slovenians, with the remaining breakaway riders caught on the monster climb to summit finish at Los Machucos, Primož Roglič proved to be the strongest rider despite any colluding tactics from strong rival climber teams Astana and Movistar.
Tadej Pogačar’s fine win was a few bike lengths ahead and looked maybe non-contested by following Roglič who was obviously happy enough to gain more GC time over his Columbian rivals; Quintana loosing 27 seconds and ‘Superman’ López over a minute.
Results of stage 13: Bilbao to Los Machucos. Monumento Vaca Pasiega (166.4km)
Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates, in 4-28-26
Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma, at same time
Pierre Latour (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale, at 27s
Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar
Nairo Quintana (Col) Colombia
Rafał Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe, all at same time
Miguel Ángel López (Col) Astana, at 1-01
Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Trek-Segafredo, 1-08
Marc Soler (Esp) Movistar
Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Sunweb, all at same time
One of the flattest stages of Vuelta 19, and odds on for a bunch sprint finish. A long recovery ride for the climbers before the back to back mountain stages on Sunday and Monday.
Thanks Debs, I watched yesterdays stage this morning and they were interviewing Roglic, he said he was using 36X32 for that stage ! I don’t think I had that gearing on my old touring bike, but 25% gradients do need some serious gearing to get up. Amazing for a grand tour and I don’t want to this of the pain they were in…
My bike has 34 front - 32 rear lowest, and there’s no way i’d manage to get up a 25% climb… even if i didn’t ride up the previous 6 climbs over 160 km
Goes to show how super-fit and strong these guys are!
However, if i had a 32 front and 36 rear i may just stand a snail pace chance of getting up the final 7 km to Los Machucos
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Do you think Roglič let Pogačar take the stage?
It didn’t quite look like a fought out finish somehow, but still has to be said Pogačar did really well yesterday, not only gained the ‘white jersey’ from López but now up to 3rd on GC position… and i think he could well get 2nd GC in Madrid next week ; )
Hi Debs, yes 36 front, 32 rear, my old race bike was 42X19 lowest ! but I do live in flat Essex … Yes I do think he let Pogacar take the stage for working with him, Roglic has the overall and a stage win is not on his radar but means much more to Pogacar. Bit of an unwritten rule to do that sort of thing. Shows a bit of class I think.
That was one heck of a crash with 900 metres left to complete Saturday’s stage. Didn’t affect the stage winner outcome, but some riders must have taken quite a hit
You’d be pleasently suprised by how strong and fit you can get by consistent tough cycling.
My escape gear used to be 36 - 28 and thats on a steel mountain bike with a pannier and tools. I could get up any hill in W. Yorks in that gear but it does take some physical training and you have to be able to suffer a bit. But that was 10 years ago and as i don’t even ride my bike now due to illness i wouldn’t have a chance now!
A horrible thing to happen, must be really galling to race a 188 km stage only to get pancaked and battered on the road just a few hundred meters before the finish line. Bunch sprint finish crashes happen too often and are potentially very dangerous which IMO is a major issue with the sport.
There maybe a number of non-starters for tomorrows stage 15.
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Results of stage 14: San Vicente de la Barquer to Oviedo (188km)
Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe, in 4-28-46
Max Richeze (Arg) Deceuninck – Quick-Step, at same time
Tosh Van der Sande (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, at two seconds
Marc Sarreau (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, at 5s
Clément Venturini (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale
Marc Soler (Esp) Movistar
Jonas Koch (Ger) CCC
John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
Max Walscheid (Ger) Sunweb
Szymon Sajnok (Pol) CCC, all at same time
( No change in General classification after stage 14 )
A tough summit finish to Puerto del Acebo after three category one climbs in the northwest of Spain.
The hardest climb is the summit finish (image below) no where near as steep as Los Machucos but still plenty more gradient potential there to jostle up the top ten GC : )
Luka Mezgec (Mitchelton-Scott) suffered “a fracture to the iliac crest of his right hip” in yesterday’s crash, his team reported overnight. “Thankfully, Mezgec has avoided any damage near the joint and therefore doesn’t need surgery. He will be required to lay down for a period to be determined by recovery.” Patrick Becin (CCC Team), “he looks ahead to recover and prepare for the World Championships”, according to his team.
