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With the first rest day behind them the riders face Stage 10‘s individual time trial. Join The Roar from 12:00am (AEST) for live coverage of the Vuelta a Espana.
Similar to 2013, the profile of the individual time trial is dominated by the Alto del Moncayo, with a long descent to the finish after the summit.
Although different roads are being used for the 2014 time trial, the stage should play out similarly to the 2013 edition.
While a relatively straightforward descent for a normal road bike, skilled descenders or bold riders could gain an advantage by taking risks through the snaking descent. Not only does a time trial bike handle differently to a normal road bike, thanks to seeking every aerodynamic advantage legally possible, some riders might dare to hold an aerodynamic position through the softer bends.
Tony Martin of Omega Pharma-Quick Step is the reigning individual time trial world champion, giving him favourite status. However the parcours does not entirely suit the German, so Team Sky’s Chris Froome could also take the stage. While the British rider faltered during the finale of Stage 9, he is expected to bounce back with a dominant time trial.
Fabian Cancellara of Trek Factory Racing may have once been a hot favourite, however he has turned his focus away from the time trial discipline to focus on the one day classics and winning the coveted world champion’s rainbow jersey. However, the Swiss rider can still perform well in the discipline when on form and motivated, as shown when he won last year’s similar time trial.
Two other riders outside general classification contention worth keeping an eye on are Adriano Malori of Team Movistar and Aussie Rohan Dennis of BMC Racing Team. The duo should be attempting to set a benchmark for their team leaders to follow later, as well as pass on information about any danger spots.
Unfortunately, the result could be influenced by the weather with the route exposed to the elements and the wind forecast to increase in speed later in the day.
The tenth stage of the 2014 Vuelta a Espana is sure to see some changes in the fight for the red jersey, so remember to join The Roar from midnight (AEST).
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