Vuelta a Espana stage 8: Live updates, blog
Roar Guru Join us for live coverage of Stage 8 of the Vuelta a Espana from 8:25pm AEST, with comments added regularly throughout the stage.
After what was a spectacular Stage 7 where German young gun John Degenkolb held on for his third stage win in the space of 6 days, we are all set for what is sure to be another spectacular stage of the Vuelta a Espana.
Stage 8 is set be a captivating and race defining stage, with the 3rd Mountain stage of the Vuelta a Espana set to shake up the general classification.
This is because of what should be a remarkable finish to the stage where the riders have to negotiate a tough 4km category 2 climb only 16km out from the finish, before tackling a heart pounding 7km category 1 climb up to the finish line, which is sure to separate the pretenders from the contenders.
These climbs will give the riders plenty of opportunities to attack, with the last 7km Category 1 climb to the finish giving the riders the best chances to gain time on their rivals as it includes a scary, 4km of the climb that have a gradient of over 9%.
The tough climb to the finish is sure to give us another indication of Froome, Contador, Valverde and Red Jersey holder, Joaquim Rodriguez’s form with shots certain to be fired all the way to the top of the climb.
After what’s been a terrible last two days for cycling because of the latest development’s in the heart breaking Lance Armstrong doping allegations, we should as cycling fans focus on the positives, and Stage 8 of the Vuelta a Espana is sure to remind us of why we all love cycling.
To ensure you don’t miss a beat of what will be an exhilarating stage, please join us from around 8:25pm AEST for all the action. All comments, questions, and opinions are very welcome.
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The Crowd Says (53) | Page 1 of Comments
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1:22am
zacbrygel said | 1:22am | Report comment
In summary, what a great performance by stage winner Alejandro Valverde of Team Movistar. Kudos must also be given to Alberto Contador, who dropped Chris Froome in what was a great attack in the last kilometre of the stage. Let’s also not forget Aussie Orica GreenEdge rider, Cameron Meyer who survived in the breakaway until the last 2km of the stage and still managed to hold onto 20th place in the stage. Has Contador proven that he is stronger than Froome? Or is Rodriguez or Valverde the real deal? We’ll find out in the rest of the Vuelta a Espana in what is shaping up as without a doubt the best grand tour of the year thus far. Thank you for joining me, in what has been a superb stage.
1:16am
zacbrygel said | 1:16am | Report comment
So, to sum it all up here are the main changes to the general classification after today’s stage.
- Joaquim Rodriguez has extended his lead into 33 seconds over Team Sky’s Chris Froome who is still in 2nd place overall.
- Alberto Contador is a further 7 seconds back, at 40 seconds off the pace.
- Alejandro Valverde has reduced the gap between himself and Rodriquez to only 50 seconds after his stage win. The Movistar team leader is still in 4th position.
- Robert Gesink of Dutch team Rabobank is still in 5th position overall, However the dutch rider is now 1:41 behind Katusha rider, Joaquim Rodriguez who holds the overall lead by 33 seconds over Chris Froome.
1:10am
zacbrygel said | 1:10am | Report comment
Elsewhere, Australian Orica GreenEdge rider Cameron Meyer produced a remarkable effort in the breakaway only being caught with less than 2km to go in the lunch burning stage. The Australian still managed to hold onto 20th position in the stage, an incredble effort considering the extra energy required in a breakaway group.
1:07am
zacbrygel said | 1:07am | Report comment
So what does everyone think of the extroadinary stage? Contador’s impressive attack with less than 1km from the finish showed his true class, alongside red Jersey holder Joaquim Rodriguez and Alejandro Valverde who closed down Contador moments from the finish line, before Valverde took a memorable stage win. Whilst Froome only lost 15 seconds to the trio, it may prove to be very significant with Rodriguez, Contador and Valverde now knowing of Froome’s definite weakness in the mountains and his fatigue after a fantastic Tour de France and Olympic campaign that was sure to exhaust not only his legs, but also his mind. So, now we know for sure that the Vuelta is a four horse race, with Rodriguez, Froome, Contador amd Valverde the only remaining realistic contenders.
1:00am
zacbrygel said | 1:00am | Report comment
So what an incredible finish to what was a remarkable stage! Contador looked as if he had it, but in the last 100m Rodriguez and Valverede overtook the Spaniard with Valverde taking the important stage win. Chris Froome of Team Sky finished a further 15 seconds behind the trio, exposing some possible weaknesses in the mountains. What a GREAT stage we have just witnessed.
12:57am
zacbrygel said | 12:57am | Report comment
Froome has come in 14 seconds behind Contador, Valverde and Rodriguez.
12:56am
zacbrygel said | 12:56am | Report comment
Valverde and Rodriguez have caught up! And Valverde has taken the stage win! INCREDIBLE SCENES! WOWEEEEEE!
12:55am
zacbrygel said | 12:55am | Report comment
Contador is going hard giving it all he has!
12:54am
zacbrygel said | 12:54am | Report comment
Contador is increasing a massive gap! What a move from the Saxo Bank superstar!
12:54am
zacbrygel said | 12:54am | Report comment
1km to go! Froome attacks hard, and all go with bar Valverde. Now Contador goes!
12:53am
zacbrygel said | 12:53am | Report comment
Rodriguez attacks! Contador is on his wheel in a second, while Froome and Valverde managed to also close the gap.
12:52am
zacbrygel said | 12:52am | Report comment
Rodriguez and Valverde amongst a few others have caught Froome and Contador, however they look as if they are struggling.
12:50am
zacbrygel said | 12:50am | Report comment
Meyer is now sticking with Froome and Contador. UNBELEIVABLE!
12:49am
zacbrygel said | 12:49am | Report comment
FROOME HAS ATTACKED! Contador goes with him but Valverde and Rodriguez have been dropped! This is not good for Cameron Meyer who is being caught as I type. Great effort Meyer, you are destined for future greatness.
12:48am
zacbrygel said | 12:48am | Report comment
Froome, Contador and Rodriguez have caught Valverde however the quartet is now riding by themselves in a battle of the main contenders.
12:47am
zacbrygel said | 12:47am | Report comment
ATTACK: Alejandro Valverde of Movistar has attacked leaving fellow rivals Froome, Contador and Rodriguez in his wake. This is action!
12:46am
zacbrygel said | 12:46am | Report comment
Meyer is now only 45 seconds in front of the main field with only 3km to go. Can he make it? It would be an incredible effort by the Australian who is destined for future greatness.
12:45am
zacbrygel said | 12:45am | Report comment
Meyer has roughly a 1 minute advantage over Team Sky and the peloton, with Sky looking to spoil the Australian’s party so Froome can grab the stage win and a 20 second time bonus.
12:44am
zacbrygel said | 12:44am | Report comment
Cameron Meyer you superstar! He has attacked the breakaway dropping both other breakaway survivors. He is steaming ahead, and now the only ones that can stop him is the peloton. GO MEYER!
12:42am
zacbrygel said | 12:42am | Report comment
Contador is sitting on Froome’s wheel? Will he attack soon?
12:41am
zacbrygel said | 12:41am | Report comment
The peloton is slimming down all the time, with the main field now consisting of less than 30 riders, a small portion of the race field. Amoel Monair has lost contact of the breakaway group and is set to be swept up by the peloton very shortly.
12:39am
zacbrygel said | 12:39am | Report comment
Team Sky is still driving the peloton, with scenes looking very similar to this year’s Tour de France.
12:38am
zacbrygel said | 12:38am | Report comment
The breakaway group’s lead is closing rapidly with their lead over the main field now only 1:20. Things are starting to look desperate for Meyer and co.
12:37am
zacbrygel said | 12:37am | Report comment
Cameron Meyer is still driving the breakaway group, as they go under the 6km to go banner for the stage. JUAN JOSE COBO, LAST YEAR’S CHAMPION HAS BEEN DROPPED FROM THE PELOTON. Not good news, for the Movistar rider.
12:36am
zacbrygel said | 12:36am | Report comment
The peloton has begun the final climb to the finish with riders falling off the main group left right and centre. The real action is about to begin, so dont go anywhere!
12:35am
zacbrygel said | 12:35am | Report comment
Cameron Meyer is driving the breakaway group to the finish, hoping to record his 1st stage win and Orica GreenEdge’s second of the Vuelta thus far.
12:34am
zacbrygel said | 12:34am | Report comment
The breakaway group is now at the bottom of the Category 1 climb to the finish with a 2:20 gap over the main field. Will they hold on? Strap yourselves for what could be the most exciting moments of the Vuelta thus far.
12:32am
zacbrygel said | 12:32am | Report comment
There is less than 10km to go with the breakaway now holding a 2:17 lead over the main field. Things are starting to heat up with not long to go in the Stage!
12:30am
zacbrygel said | 12:30am | Report comment
The breakaway group are now all back together, including Ramirez who previously fell off the pace, and Moinard who attacked.
12:29am
zacbrygel said | 12:29am | Report comment
ATTACK: Amael Moinard, the Frenchman of BMC has attacked the breakaway group looking to grab the stage win. The Frenchman can certainly climb, as was proven by his win in the mountains classification at the 2011 Paris Nice.
12:27am
zacbrygel said | 12:27am | Report comment
The breakaway is now only 2:30 ahead of the peloton, with less than 20km to go.
12:25am
zacbrygel said | 12:25am | Report comment
Those 3 riders are: Javier Ramirez, Cameron Meyer and Amael Moinard, with Moinard recognised as the best climber of the trio.
12:24am
zacbrygel said | 12:24am | Report comment
Javier Ramirez of Andalucia has fallen off the hot pace set by the breakaway group, with only 3 riders now remaining in the group.
12:20am
zacbrygel said | 12:20am | Report comment
Martikin Keizer of Cofidis and Javier Aramendia of Spain have fallen off the breakaway group, with it only being a matter of time before they are swept up by a steaming peloton.
12:18am
zacbrygel said | 12:18am | Report comment
Led by Team Sky, the peloton is closing in on the breakaway group with the breakaway only 2:56 ahead of the main field with 19km to go. The gap is dropping, and in order to hold onto their lead the breakaway group are going to have to pul out something very special.
12:17am
zacbrygel said | 12:17am | Report comment
Team Sky is completely controlling the peloton as they have been for most of the stage, with all 9 riders from the dominant British team at the head of the peloton.
12:16am
zacbrygel said | 12:16am | Report comment
Please share your thoughts, feelings and ask any questions on this year’s stage. All comments are greatly welcomed.
12:14am
zacbrygel said | 12:14am | Report comment
The breakaway group has started the Alta de la Comella, the 4km Category 2 climb with just over 20 km from the finish line.
12:11am
zacbrygel said | 12:11am | Report comment
The average speed of the stage so far is a remarkable 47 km/h. Whilst the expected average speed for the stage was only expected to be 38 km/h, the jump in speed seems to be because of a tailwind that is helping the riders all the way down the road to Andorra, the Spanish city that hosts today’s finish.
12:08am
zacbrygel said | 12:08am | Report comment
With only 25km to go, the breakaway is getting closer and closer towards the main field with the peloton now only 3:56 behind thanks to the fantastic efforts of Team Sky.
11:54pm
zacbrygel said | 11:54pm | Report comment
The breakaway’s lead is parachuting, after leading by 9 minutes only 15 minutes ago to now only leading by 7 minutes! This is because of the great work of the domestiques of Team Sky, who are working extremely hard to bring back the breakaway into the peloton.
11:40pm
zacbrygel said | 11:40pm | Report comment
The peloton is slowly bringing back the breakaway led by Team Sky and Katusha the breakaway has lost 30 seconds and is now 9 minutes ahead of the main field.
11:37pm
zacbrygel said | 11:37pm | Report comment
Mickael Buffaz of Cofidis has won the first intermediate sprint, with Dutch rider Martijn Keizer in second.
11:18pm
zacbrygel said | 11:18pm | Report comment
The temperature has risen to a sticky 33 degrees celcius, a temperature that is sure to test the riders that one bit extra.
11:17pm
zacbrygel said | 11:17pm | Report comment
The breakaway group of 6 riders now have a huge advantage of 9 and a half minutes over the main field with 60km to go.
10:59pm
zacbrygel said | 10:59pm | Report comment
I extend my apologies to all. The breakaway group actually comprises of SIX riders, not five.
10:57pm
zacbrygel said | 10:57pm | Report comment
Also amongst the breakaway group is 25 year old Caja Rural rider, Javier Aramendia. The Spaniard is part of his third breakaway group at this year’s stage, a feat that is sure to not go down well with his legs.
10:53pm
zacbrygel said | 10:53pm | Report comment
The group includes Aussie young gun and Orica GreenEdge rider, Cameron Meyer who is only 24 years old. The West Australian has a strong background in track cycling and won the 2012 points race at the World Championships in Melbourne, one of only his many world track titles. He is a strong time trialist and if the breakaway group can hold off the main field, the 2011 Tour Down Under winner is a strong chance to clinch the stage victory.
10:48pm
zacbrygel said | 10:48pm | Report comment
After several failed breakaway attempts, it seems as if the break of the day has finally formed consisting of 5 riders.
9:52pm
zacbrygel said | 9:52pm | Report comment
Earlier in the stage a five man breakaway was formed which included Australian young gun and Orica GreenEdge rider, Cameron Myer. However the group was later caught by the peloton and currently they are all riding through the streets of France as one.
9:49pm
zacbrygel said | 9:49pm | Report comment
Welcome to live coverage of Stage 8 of the Vuelta a Espana. The stage is a 175km journey from Leida to Collada de Galina. It is the 3rd mountain stage of the Vuelta a Espana, and it comprises of a tough Category 2 climb of length 4km inside the last 20km, before what should be a race defining 7km category 1 climb to the finish that has an average gradient of just under 9%. I sincerely apologize for not getting the coverage underway earlier, we were experiencing large technical difficulties and couldnt get the blog underway. All comments, opinions and questions are greatly welcomed for what should be a fantastic stage!
10:02pm
Darryl Kotyk said | 10:02pm | Report comment
Looking forward to your coverage, Zac. Thanks for providing a great preview of what’s to come.
10:19pm
zacbrygel said | 10:19pm | Report comment
Pleasure Darryl. I hope to provide great coverage of what should be an exhilerating stage.