Stage 9 of the Vuelta a Espana finds the riders hitting another finish on the climb on a relatively short day in the saddle. Join The Roar from 11pm (AEST) for all the live race highlights and updates.
Darwin Atapuma struggled on the brutal finish of yesterday’s Stage 8, leaving the lead open for Colombian Nairo Quintana to take the red jersey into the second week of the tour.
Alejandre Valverde and Chris Froome are both hot on the wheels of Quintana though in second and third respectively, with the ever-cool Brit pacing himself well to make a charge for the lead later in the race.
Today’s run starts off with a little kicker for the riders, an uncategorised 10 kilometre climb, before flattening out on a table top.
The first categorised climb of the day comes 50km into the stage (Puerto de San Isidro) and runs for about 11 kilometres, including a short descent, averaging out at 3 per cent.
It’s all pace from the peak of San Isidro, with a long, long descent down the other side of the mountain for 50 kilometres of pure downhill speed.
There’s no fun for the lycra lovers after that though, with four category climbs rolling and rollercoasting through the final 54km of the day, including the final ascent to the finish.
The undulating begins with a 6.2km climb at 4.7 per cent, followed with another category three rise at 3.9 per cent, finished off with 3.6km at 6.9 per cent.
The stage finally finishes off with another climb, a category two finishing off at Alto del Naranco to end the stage on the 6.1 per cent rise.
Join The Roar from 11pm (AEST) for all the live race highlights and updates.
Connor Bennett
Editor
General Classification Standings after Stage 9:
Connor Bennett
Editor
David De la Cruz is the new GC leader!! The Spaniard will be wearing red tomorrow after taking it off the back of Nairo Quintana today. He holds a 22 second lead over Quintana now, with fellow countryman Alejandro Valverde 41 seconds behind the lead.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Stage 9 Top Ten RESULTS:
Connor Bennett
Editor
The rest of the pack all come in around ten seconds of each other, taking into account a few jumpers off the front trying to save some seconds at the end.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Quintana, Froome, Contador and co are all right up the front of the peleton as they head into final kilometre towards the finish. Brambilla is up making a jump as well.
Connor Bennett
Editor
David De la Cruz WINS STAGE 9!! He timed his jump. Poor Devenyns just didn't have the fuel in the tank to follow suit, but he comes through for a thoroughly deserved second place in the stage. Moreno Moser comes through to round out the podium after a late charge off the front of the chasing pack. We wait now to see the time gap back to the peleton. Will Quintana lose the red to De la Cruz??
Connor Bennett
Editor
De la Cruz breaks off from Devenyns... and he doesn't respond!! He looks absolutely spent and the leader from Ettix-Quick Step has the gap and the lead coming into the finish.
Connor Bennett
Editor
1km to go!! De la Cruz with a huge chance to finish strong here, win or not, to take the leaders red jersey.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Movistar spreading across the narrow roads, really taking control and blocking a little bit. SKY have numbers towards the front but they're staying relatively quiet.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Leon Sanchez has been brought back into the chase group. De Gendt is still hanging around towards the front of the eight-man pack, but doesn't look to be making a move after putting in so much effort throughout the day. The peleton are 3 minutes 34 seconds back from De la Cruz and Devenyns out front.
Connor Bennett
Editor
There we go!! A bit of fire in the chase group. Leon Sanchez makes a move off the front for Astana, trying to bridge the gap to the leaders who are onto the final climb now with 2.5km to go
Connor Bennett
Editor
The eight-man chase have fallen right back to nearly one minute. No one looking interested in trying to keep up with tired legs. The peleton are pulling them in.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Under four kilometres to go now. Just as I said the peleton are looking disinterested in the chase, they've just begun to close the gap leading into the finish. Surely they won't catch them, but they could reign in enough time to keep the red jersey away from De la Cruz.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Devenyns and De la Cruz are up over 30 seconds now out front. The peleton simply aren't making an effort here four minutes back. Movistar may just be fine to let this one go and have Quintana fight for his red jersey back in later stages.
Connor Bennett
Editor
6km to go now!! Guess who's back in the main chase pack?? Thomas De Gendt. The man that just refuses to lay down has caught right back up and actually taken control at the front of the 8 main chasing group.
Connor Bennett
Editor
De la Cruz is one of the two new leaders of the stage. He's just over 2 and a half minutes behind Quintana in the GC standings, so if he can hold onto this he'll be wearing the red jersey at days end. These two now have 20 seconds on the chase with the peleton still over four minutes back.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Devenyns goes again off the front!! This time joined by David De la Cruz from Ettix.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Well, that three man lead didn't last too long as the chasers realised that riders falling off wasn't good, so they caught up and joined the leaders. The front runners are now nine strong with De Gendt falling further and further back. The peleton are 4 minutes 30 seconds behind with 13.7km to go
Connor Bennett
Editor
Three leaders. Dries Devenyns, Jan Bakelants and Dylan Tuens.
Connor Bennett
Editor
The chasing pack continues to break up all over the place. Dylan Teuns has jumped off and caught up to the two leaders, turning it into a three-man lead group. Simon Clarke is beginning to fall off the back once again, surely done now. De Gendt is also struggling as the 12 man strong initial breakaway has split up and parted into half a dozen different sections.