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martes, 28 de agosto de 2012

Vuelta a España 8: Valverde topples Contador

Valverde and Rodriguez pass Contador (AFP)

This article was originally published on Cyclingnews.com.

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) won stage 8 of the Vuelta a España atop the Collada de la Gallina in Andorra, snatching away what looked to be a sure victory for Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank). Race leader Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) finished second, as he and Valverde passed Contador within sight of the finish line. Sky's Chris Froome was unable to keep up in the last few hundred meters, finishing 15 seconds down.

Rodriguez maintained his overall lead, followed by Froome and Contador. Valverde moved up to fourth while Robert Gesink of Rabobank dropped to fifth.

The finale proved to be an exchange of blows by the top four riders, as they charged up the final climb. Froome did much of the early pace-making, as the three Spaniards were happy to let him do the bulk of the work. The Englishman attacked out of a curve inside the final kilometer, but Contador countered it with an explosive acceleration of his own. It looked as if he was going to take a comfortable win, but when he looked back with less than 100 meters to go, he saw his two countrymen rapidly approaching. They were both able to whip around him in the final meters.

Froome was the loser of the day, which seems an odd thing to say for a rider who is still in second place, but he saw his deficit to Rodriguez extend from 10 seconds to 33 seconds. More importantly, he was unable to respond when Contador attacked at the end, and could only watch the other two Spaniards take off to claim the two top spots on the day.

There were other changes in the top ten, as defending Vuelta champion Juan José Cobo (Movistar) and Sergio Henao (Sky) dropped out and Laurens Ten Dam (Rabobank) and Euskaltel's Igor Anton moved up. Rabobank now has three riders in the top ten.

An uphill day

One rider was missing at the start, as Yoann Bagot of Cofidis was out with a broken elbow. The pace was rapid from the moment the flag was dropped, as attack after attack looked to move clear of the peloton, but neither Sky nor Katusha was satisified with the make-up of the early breakaway attempts. Accordingly, the peloton covered over 52 kilometres in the first hour of racing, and a successful breakaway group didn’t stabilise until the 75km mark.

Mickael Buffaz (Cofidis), Amael Moinard (BMC), Javier Ramirez (Andalucia), Cameron Meyer (Orica-GreenEdge), Martijn Keizer (Vacansoleil), and Javier Aramendia (Caja Rural) formed the sextet which quickly built up a lead of 9:26. That was enough for Teams Sky and Katusha, who jumped to the front and picked up the speed, slowly bringing the gap down.

With 40km left on the stage, the peloton crossed the border into Andorra, by which point the field had reduced the gap to seven minutes.

Soon the first ranked climb of the day loomed, the Alto de la Comella. A category two, it featured fairly light gradients. On the ascent, Moinard kicked things up a notch, and Keizer and Aramendia fell back from the lead group.

Ramirez led Meyer and Moinard over the top, but the field had climbed up to only 2:34 down. Moinard then pulled away on the descent, but the other three caught him again.

The final climb of the day, which followed immediately, was a new one to the Vuelta, the Collada de la Gallina. The Gallina was not a long ascent, but had widely irregular gradients, with patches of up to 18% on the many switchbacks along the way.

The four leaders took about two and a half minutes with them as they started up the Gallina, with Sky still chugging away in the lead behind them. The two escapees who had earlier dropped back were caught along the way, with the leaders at only 1:24.

With about 5km still to go, Moinard finally had to drop back. Only about a minute back, Alberto Contador was holding steadily on to Chris Froome's rear wheel, with Rodriguez right behind them.

Meyer had the best legs from the remaining leaders and took off on a solo attempt.

Valverde was the first of the favourites to jump, with 3km to go, but he was soon joined by the three riders overall at the head of affairs. Froome and Contador then took off, and Valverde and Rodriguez had to scramble to stay in contact..

Froome and Contador caught Meyer on one of the steep sections, just beyond the two km to go banner. The young Australian hung on to the other two, and soon they were all joined by Valverde, Rodriguez and Daniel Moreno, as Rodriguez was the only one lucky enough to have a teammate with him.

The high-powered group of six ground its way up the Gallina, with Froome doing much of the lead work. Meyer finally dropped back, as did Moreno. Rodriguez then took over the lead, and led the four favourites under the flamme rouge.

Froome quickly attacked out of a curve, but that was to be his final flourish on the day. The other three easily caught him, and Contador then jumped into the lead on roads thronged with supporters. He pulled away easily and quickly built up a tidy lead, as the other two Spaniards did not help Froome with the chase.

Contador looked to have the win wrapped up, so he must have been shocked to peek over his shoulder in the final 100 meters to see Rodriguez and Valverde quickly approaching him. They passed him in the final meters, while Froome struggled across the finish line some 15 seconds later.

Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamBenat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar TeamIgor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiWinner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre - ISDRobert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamPrzemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISDAndrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - SharpNicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeRinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La MondialeLaurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamEros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleTomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamMaxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeMaxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-NissanSteve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing TeamCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeMarcos Garcia (Spa) Caja RuralSergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky ProcyclingBauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankAndre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralIvan Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiBart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneSergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamGorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiAmets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiJavier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaKevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana Pro TeamChristophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - SharpRémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ-Big MatJohn Gadret (Fra) AG2R La MondialeAlberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha TeamSerge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepTiago Machado (Por) Radioshack-NissanAndrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamJuan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiHernani Broco (Por) Caja RuralMikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiMikel Landa Meana (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiDaniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankLuis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneJan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-NissanJose Vicente Toribio Alcolea (Spa) AndaluciaJavier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Movistar TeamRichie Porte (Aus) Sky ProcyclingNairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar TeamJuan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Movistar TeamLaurent Didier (Lux) Radioshack-NissanJesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankArnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ-Big MatAmaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamPaolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRomain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel - EuskadiAndrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamMarco Marzano (Ita) Lampre - ISDMorris Possoni (Ita) Lampre - ISDCristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleNico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky ProcyclingJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralMartijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamChristophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeSergio Carrasco Garcia (Spa) AndaluciaMichel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - SharpAlessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing TeamSimon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeDario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-QuickstepJohannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos-ShimanoPhilippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamMauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing TeamBrent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing TeamFredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro TeamCayetano José Sarmiento Tunarrosa (Col) Liquigas-CannondaleRudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneJohan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - SharpAntonio Piedra Perez (Spa) Caja RuralBen Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La MondialeXavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha TeamJose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar TeamPablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar TeamJuan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling TeamDenis Menchov (Rus) Katusha TeamSergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankAngel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha TeamBruno Pires (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankStef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamBertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamVicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol TeamLars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamJurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamBenjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankMatti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling TeamMarkel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Radioshack-NissanImanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar TeamTony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickstepGrischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling TeamKevin De Weert (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepMauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleMatteo Tosatto (Ita) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankKoen De Kort (Ned) Argos-ShimanoBenoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big MatGrégory Rast (Swi) Radioshack-NissanRuben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiAdrian Palomares Villaplana (Spa) AndaluciaDenys Kostyuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISDKristof Vandewalle (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepMaciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-CannondaleRafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamTravis Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeMatteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La MondialeOleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISDSimon Geschke (Ger) Argos-ShimanoDaniel Teklehaymanot (Eri) Orica - GreenEdgeFlorent Barle (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneTiziano Dall'antonia (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleEgor Silin (Rus) Astana Pro TeamYannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing TeamPieter Weening (Ned) Orica - GreenEdgeXabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Sky ProcyclingKoldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin - SharpDavid De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Caja RuralKlaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing TeamJuan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky ProcyclingFrederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamGianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamDominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big MatGabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Big MatAdam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol TeamMartijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - SharpDavide Vigano (Ita) Lampre - ISDZdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepYukihiro Doi (Jpn) Argos-ShimanoGert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepDamiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISDPim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRaymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin - SharpPavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha TeamNicki Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankLinus Gerdemann (Ger) Radioshack-NissanDavid Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneJesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) AndaluciaThomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin - SharpElia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleNiki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-QuickstepIan Stannard (GBr) Sky ProcyclingGustavo Cesar Veloso (Spa) AndaluciaOlivier Kaisen (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamDavide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - ISDThomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamManuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralWesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeHayden Roulston (NZl) Radioshack-NissanAllan Davis (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeMitchell Docker (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeDanail Andonov Petrov (Bul) Caja RuralWouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamLloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La MondialeEgoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneFrantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepJonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar TeamLeonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneDanny Pate (USA) Sky ProcyclingJulian Dean (NZl) Orica - GreenEdgeStephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing TeamBen Swift (GBr) Sky ProcyclingGatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha TeamBlel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La MondialeMikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha TeamThomas Peterson (USA) Garmin - SharpJens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamAlexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamAlexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos-ShimanoThierry Hupond (Fra) Argos-ShimanoJohn Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-ShimanoWilliam Bonnet (Fra) FDJ-Big MatArnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ-Big MatMaciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-CannondalePablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) AndaluciaJuan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) AndaluciaJoost Van Leijen (Ned) Lotto Belisol TeamDaniele Ratto (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleAitor Galdos Alonso (Spa) Caja RuralDaniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-NissanAssan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamDennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamNacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big MatSprint 1 - La Seu d`Urgell, 124kmMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneMartijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralSprint 2 - Andorra la Vella, 144.9kmMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeJavier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaPoints - FinishAlejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamBenat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar TeamWinner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre - ISDRobert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamPrzemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISDAndrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - SharpNicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeRinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La MondialeLaurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamMountain 1 - Alto de la Comella (Cat. 2) km. 158Javier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeAmaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamMountain 2 - Collada de la Gallina (Cat. 1) km. 175Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamMost combative riderJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralTeamsVacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling TeamGeneral classificationJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankAlejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamRobert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamNicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeIgor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiLaurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamBauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamPrzemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISDEros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleTomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamSergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky ProcyclingWinner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre - ISDAndrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - SharpRinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La MondialeSteve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing TeamMaxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-NissanBart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamKevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana Pro TeamGorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiBenat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar TeamMarcos Garcia (Spa) Caja RuralAndre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralMaxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeJuan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Movistar TeamSerge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepAmets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky ProcyclingAndrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ-Big MatJan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-NissanMikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiAlberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha TeamSergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamTiago Machado (Por) Radioshack-NissanIvan Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiAndrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamJuan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiChristophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - SharpDaniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankRomain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel - EuskadiMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneLuis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneLaurent Didier (Lux) Radioshack-NissanRafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankJohn Gadret (Fra) AG2R La MondialeFredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro TeamHernani Broco (Por) Caja RuralCayetano José Sarmiento Tunarrosa (Col) Liquigas-CannondaleDamiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISDMarco Marzano (Ita) Lampre - ISDMauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing TeamMorris Possoni (Ita) Lampre - ISDAlessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing TeamPaolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamBrent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing TeamJuan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling TeamKevin De Weert (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepJohannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos-ShimanoDenis Menchov (Rus) Katusha TeamJurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamLinus Gerdemann (Ger) Radioshack-NissanThomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamJesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankCristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleZdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepNairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar TeamKoen De Kort (Ned) Argos-ShimanoVicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol TeamDario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-QuickstepMikel Landa Meana (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiJohan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - SharpAmaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamDenys Kostyuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISDKristof Vandewalle (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepPhilippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamAlexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamGianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamMichel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - SharpMatteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRichie Porte (Aus) Sky ProcyclingDavid De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Caja RuralSimon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeJavier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Movistar TeamAdrian Palomares Villaplana (Spa) AndaluciaSergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankTony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickstepAlexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos-ShimanoGrischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling TeamThierry Hupond (Fra) Argos-ShimanoJose Vicente Toribio Alcolea (Spa) AndaluciaCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeBruno Pires (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankPablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar TeamRuben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiJavier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaEgor Silin (Rus) Astana Pro TeamBen Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La MondialeJesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) AndaluciaJose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar TeamAntonio Piedra Perez (Spa) Caja RuralArnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneSergio Carrasco Garcia (Spa) AndaluciaMaciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-CannondaleGrégory Rast (Swi) Radioshack-NissanMarkel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Radioshack-NissanMauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleArnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ-Big MatSimon Geschke (Ger) Argos-ShimanoXabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Sky ProcyclingBenjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankGabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Big MatDaniel Teklehaymanot (Eri) Orica - GreenEdgeYukihiro Doi (Jpn) Argos-ShimanoJuan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky ProcyclingNiki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-QuickstepLeonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneNico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneYannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing TeamPieter Weening (Ned) Orica - GreenEdgeMatteo Tosatto (Ita) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankPim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamPablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) AndaluciaFlorent Barle (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LignePavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha TeamKlaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing TeamGert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepDavid Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneAngel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha TeamLars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamChristophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeAssan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamGustavo Cesar Veloso (Spa) AndaluciaThomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin - SharpMartijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamXavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha TeamGatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha TeamJohn Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-ShimanoKoldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin - SharpDominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big MatOleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISDAdam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol TeamStef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamWouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamDavide Vigano (Ita) Lampre - ISDBenoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big MatElia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleJonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar TeamTravis Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeFrederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamWilliam Bonnet (Fra) FDJ-Big MatLloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La MondialeBlel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La MondialeOlivier Kaisen (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamDaniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-NissanDanny Pate (USA) Sky ProcyclingEgoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneDaniele Ratto (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleAllan Davis (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeThomas Peterson (USA) Garmin - SharpMaciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-CannondaleIan Stannard (GBr) Sky ProcyclingBertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamDennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamFrantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepHayden Roulston (NZl) Radioshack-NissanStephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing TeamImanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar TeamDanail Andonov Petrov (Bul) Caja RuralMartijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - SharpNicki Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankMitchell Docker (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeRaymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin - SharpDavide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - ISDBen Swift (GBr) Sky ProcyclingMatti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling TeamTiziano Dall'antonia (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralJulian Dean (NZl) Orica - GreenEdgeManuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralWesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeNacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big MatJens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamAitor Galdos Alonso (Spa) Caja RuralMikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha TeamJuan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) AndaluciaJoost Van Leijen (Ned) Lotto Belisol TeamPoints classificationJohn Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-ShimanoAlejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingElia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankAllan Davis (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeDaniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-NissanGianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamSimon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeNicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeNacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big MatDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamBen Swift (GBr) Sky ProcyclingEros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleTony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRobert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamBenat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar TeamAssan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamBauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamAndrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - SharpLloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La MondialeDennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamMarcos Garcia (Spa) Caja RuralIgor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiPrzemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISDKlaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky ProcyclingManuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralLaurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamWinner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre - ISDAndrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamLinus Gerdemann (Ger) Radioshack-NissanVicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol TeamRaymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin - SharpDavide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - ISDMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneLuis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneThomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamMikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha TeamMauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing TeamJose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar TeamLeonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneGert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepKoldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin - SharpDavide Vigano (Ita) Lampre - ISDJan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-NissanPim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralPhilippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamTomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamSergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky ProcyclingRuben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiPablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) AndaluciaDominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big MatBertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamJuan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Movistar TeamFrantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepSteve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing TeamAndre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralKristof Vandewalle (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgePablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar TeamJesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) AndaluciaMarkel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Radioshack-NissanMartijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamGatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha TeamMaxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-NissanJavier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaJuan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky ProcyclingPieter Weening (Ned) Orica - GreenEdgeJuan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) AndaluciaMountains classificationAlejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamSimon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamPim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamLuis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankTony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickstepChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingPhilippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamJavier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaAssan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamJesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) AndaluciaThomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeNicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeMarcos Garcia (Spa) Caja RuralAndrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankNico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamAmaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamSergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankMikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha TeamCombination classificationJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamAlejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankNicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamMarcos Garcia (Spa) Caja RuralSimon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeAndrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamLuis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LignePhilippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeJavier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaTeams classificationVacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team

Vuelta a España 9: Gilbert scores in Barcelona

Gilbert snatched the win from race-leader Rodriguez (Photopress.be)

This article was originally published on on Cyclingnews.com.

After a year of frustration, Philippe Gilbert finally opened his account as a BMC rider when he won stage 9 of the Vuelta a España in Barcelona, outsprinting red jersey Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha). The pair slipped clear on the climb of Montjuic in the finale, belatedly illuminating a stage that had taken the best part of 200 kilometres to ignite.

Rodriguez, a native of Barcelona, was eager to impress on home roads and he shut down an attack from Alessandro Ballan (BMC) before bounding clear of the main peloton with disarming ease on the day’s main strategic difficulty, the 3rd category Montjuic, which came just four kilometres from the finish.

The response from his rivals for overall victory was a sluggish one. Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank) had attempted a speculative effort on the approach to the climb but the Spaniard – who returned from suspension in early August – didn’t have the legs to follow that effort up on Montjuic. Chris Froome (Sky) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) were similarly marked absent as Rodriguez stretched out his lead.

It was left to Gilbert and Nicolas Roche (Ag2r-La Mondiale) to try and make up the deficit, with the Belgian eventually leaving Roche behind and inching his way across to Rodriguez’s rear wheel shortly before the summit of the one-kilometre climb. After a brief discussion on the pace-making duties at the beginning of the descent, the pair collaborated smoothly thereafter to carve up the spoils between them.

“The team’s plan was for Alessandro Ballan to attack on the steep climb and I was to wait for the sprint,” Gilbert explained afterwards. “But I realised that the climb was longer than it seemed in the roadbook. Ballan went a bit early and exploded a little, so when I saw Rodriguez up there, I knew I had to follow him. On the last 50 metres of the climb I went full gas and made it across.”

The picturesque descent from the Alto de Montjuic evoked images of the destructive discord between Freddy Maertens and Eddy Merckx at the 1973 world championships, but Gilbert and Rodriguez seemed to quickly understand that they both stood to gain from working together. “I knew he was riding more for the seconds than the win and I knew I would be faster than him in the sprint,” said Gilbert succinctly.

While Rodriguez may harbour some disappointment that he did not triumph on home roads, he had the considerable consolation of buttressing his overall lead still further. A disorganised pursuit behind meant that Froome and Contador both came home 12 seconds down, while the second-placed Rodriguez also picked up an 8-second time bonus for his troubles.

As the Vuelta enters its first rest day, Rodriguez has extended his advantage over Froome to 53 seconds, while he has a minute in hand on Contador, with Valverde a further 7 seconds back in 4th. Rodriguez may be set to struggle in Wednesday’s Pontevedra time trial, but he has prepared accordingly by diligently accumulating seconds over the course of the opening week.

Valkenburg calling

Sandwiched in between the Vuelta’s foray into the Pyrenees and the lengthy rest day transfer across northern Spain, stage 9 seemed destined from the outset to be decided wholly on the streets of Barcelona.

Inside the first kilometre of racing in Andorra, a four-man group featuring Mickael Buffaz (Cofidis), Bert-Jan Lindeman (Vacansoleil-DCM), Javier Chacon (Andalucia) and Martijn Maaskant (Garmin-Sharp) was allowed to go clear, and the quartet dutifully built up a maximum lead of around five minutes without ever threatening to stay clear for the duration.

The break was duly swept up inside the final 25 kilometres thanks to the efforts of a coalition of teams, including Rabobank, Argos-Shimano and BMC, before Katusha began to flex their collective muscle in support of Joaquim Rodriguez in the finale.

As was the case in Andorra on Saturday, and indeed, for much of the 2012 season, Team Sky attempted to take over as the road began to climb on the approach to Montjuic, but their rhythm was upset by Contador’s surprise attack. Although Richie Porte snuffed that move out, the scene was set for aggression on Montjuic, and it was Rodriguez and Gilbert who emerged as the strongest.

For Gilbert, the win comes as something of a liberation after a torrid campaign. Winner of 18 races last season, there has been an inexplicably large gulf between Gilbert’s levels of performance in 2011 and 2012.

“It’s been one year since I last won and I’m very happy to win with BMC,” he said. “It’s a special victory because I had a hard season and I had a lot of criticism from the Belgian press. I never answered but I kept fighting from the beginning of the season to bring the shape back.”

After finding a spark of form on Montjuic, Gilbert will hope to stoke the flames still further as he builds to the world championships in Valkenburg in four weeks’ time. He may yet find Joaquim Rodriguez among his rivals there, although for now, the Catalan has more immediately pressing matters at hand.

Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamPaolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamTomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamDaniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-NissanAlejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamNacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big MatGorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiGianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamIgor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La MondialePrzemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISDBauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamAlberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha TeamLloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La MondialeDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamRob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamEros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleAndre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralLars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamJose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar TeamAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankBart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamKevin De Weert (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepBenat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar TeamMaxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-NissanMatti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling TeamAndrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - SharpSteve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRobert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamDario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-QuickstepNicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeIvan Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiJuan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Movistar TeamSerge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepSergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamJan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-NissanLaurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamMaxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeMarcos Garcia (Spa) Caja RuralLuis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneKoen De Kort (Ned) Argos-ShimanoChristophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - SharpWinner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre - ISDBenoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big MatChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingSergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky ProcyclingPablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar TeamJurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamMichel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - SharpAlessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing TeamKevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana Pro TeamMikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiAmets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiDavid De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Caja RuralJuan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiGrégory Rast (Swi) Radioshack-NissanRémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRuben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiDamiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISDJuan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling TeamAssan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamEgoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneAllan Davis (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeZdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepFredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro TeamAndrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamPim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamJuan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky ProcyclingAndrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamJavier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Movistar TeamLeonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneTiziano Dall'antonia (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleBrent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing TeamMaciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-CannondaleMauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing TeamNairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar TeamCayetano José Sarmiento Tunarrosa (Col) Liquigas-CannondaleNico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneFlorent Barle (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneMarkel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Radioshack-NissanDenys Kostyuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISDCristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleBenjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankRafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankEgor Silin (Rus) Astana Pro TeamKlaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing TeamGustavo Cesar Veloso (Spa) AndaluciaElia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleSimon Geschke (Ger) Argos-ShimanoXabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Sky ProcyclingGabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Big MatMatteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La MondialeDaniel Teklehaymanot (Eri) Orica - GreenEdgeGert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepDavide Vigano (Ita) Lampre - ISDWilliam Bonnet (Fra) FDJ-Big MatJohn Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-ShimanoJohan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - SharpKristof Vandewalle (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepAlexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos-ShimanoRomain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel - EuskadiHernani Broco (Por) Caja RuralMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneThomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamMartijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamArnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ-Big MatNiki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-QuickstepManuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralSergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankMauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleMaciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-CannondaleLaurent Didier (Lux) Radioshack-NissanJohannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos-ShimanoAngel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha TeamDenis Menchov (Rus) Katusha TeamJulian Dean (NZl) Orica - GreenEdgeAdam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol TeamVicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol TeamWouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamArnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ-Big MatXavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha TeamBen Swift (GBr) Sky ProcyclingSimon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeChristophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeMitchell Docker (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeTony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickstepGrischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling TeamLinus Gerdemann (Ger) Radioshack-NissanHayden Roulston (NZl) Radioshack-NissanImanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar TeamAmaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamRichie Porte (Aus) Sky ProcyclingPavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha TeamGatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha TeamRafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRaymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin - SharpThomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin - SharpBen Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La MondialeThomas Peterson (USA) Garmin - SharpKoldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin - SharpAlexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamDanny Pate (USA) Sky ProcyclingThierry Hupond (Fra) Argos-ShimanoDominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big MatFrantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepBruno Pires (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankPieter Weening (Ned) Orica - GreenEdgeJens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamFrederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamMatteo Tosatto (Ita) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankWesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeIan Stannard (GBr) Sky ProcyclingTiago Machado (Por) Radioshack-NissanAitor Galdos Alonso (Spa) Caja RuralAntonio Piedra Perez (Spa) Caja RuralDennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamStef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamDavide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - ISDNicki Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankMikel Landa Meana (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiBlel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La MondialeDavid Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneMikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha TeamRigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky ProcyclingDaniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankJesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankAdrian Palomares Villaplana (Spa) AndaluciaJavier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaJose Vicente Toribio Alcolea (Spa) AndaluciaRudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneYukihiro Doi (Jpn) Argos-ShimanoJohn Gadret (Fra) AG2R La MondialeSergio Carrasco Garcia (Spa) AndaluciaStephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing TeamCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeYannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing TeamMarco Marzano (Ita) Lampre - ISDJonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar TeamJoost Van Leijen (Ned) Lotto Belisol TeamJesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) AndaluciaOlivier Kaisen (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamPablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) AndaluciaBertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamOleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISDMorris Possoni (Ita) Lampre - ISDDanail Andonov Petrov (Bul) Caja RuralJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralJuan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) AndaluciaTravis Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeMartijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - SharpDaniele Ratto (Ita) Liquigas-CannondalePoints Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamPaolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamTomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamDaniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-NissanAlejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamNacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big MatGorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiGianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamIgor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La MondialePrzemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISDBauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamAlberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha TeamSprint 1 - Cardona, km. 96Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneBertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamSprint 2 - Martorell, km. 162Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneBertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamMountain 1 - Alto de la Collada de Clarà (Cat. 3) km. 71 Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneMountain 2 - Alto de Montjuic (Cat. 3) km. 193Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamNicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeTeamsVacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling TeamGeneral classification after stage 9Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankAlejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamRobert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamNicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeIgor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiLaurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamBauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamPrzemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISDEros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleTomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamSergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky ProcyclingWinner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre - ISDAndrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - SharpRinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La MondialeSteve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing TeamMaxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-NissanBart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamKevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana Pro TeamGorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiBenat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar TeamMarcos Garcia (Spa) Caja RuralAndre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralMaxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeJuan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Movistar TeamSerge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamAmets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiAndrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamJan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-NissanRémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ-Big MatMikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiAlberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha TeamSergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamIvan Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiChristophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - SharpJuan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiAndrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky ProcyclingLuis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRomain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel - EuskadiTiago Machado (Por) Radioshack-NissanMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankLaurent Didier (Lux) Radioshack-NissanDaniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankFredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro TeamDamiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISDCayetano José Sarmiento Tunarrosa (Col) Liquigas-CannondaleHernani Broco (Por) Caja RuralJohn Gadret (Fra) AG2R La MondialeMauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing TeamAlessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing TeamPaolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamBrent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing TeamJuan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling TeamKevin De Weert (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepJurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamMarco Marzano (Ita) Lampre - ISDZdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepJohannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos-ShimanoDenis Menchov (Rus) Katusha TeamKoen De Kort (Ned) Argos-ShimanoCristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleNairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar TeamDario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-QuickstepMorris Possoni (Ita) Lampre - ISDThomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamPhilippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamLinus Gerdemann (Ger) Radioshack-NissanDenys Kostyuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISDGianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamVicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol TeamMichel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - SharpJohan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - SharpDavid De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Caja RuralKristof Vandewalle (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepJavier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Movistar TeamAmaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamMatteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La MondialeJesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankAlexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamSimon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeRichie Porte (Aus) Sky ProcyclingMikel Landa Meana (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiSergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankPablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar TeamAlexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos-ShimanoRuben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiTony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickstepGrischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling TeamJose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar TeamEgor Silin (Rus) Astana Pro TeamThierry Hupond (Fra) Argos-ShimanoAdrian Palomares Villaplana (Spa) AndaluciaBruno Pires (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankGrégory Rast (Swi) Radioshack-NissanMaciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-CannondaleArnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ-Big MatBen Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La MondialeMarkel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Radioshack-NissanJose Vicente Toribio Alcolea (Spa) AndaluciaRafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeJavier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaArnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ-Big MatMauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleJuan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky ProcyclingBenjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankSimon Geschke (Ger) Argos-ShimanoAntonio Piedra Perez (Spa) Caja RuralXabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Sky ProcyclingGabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Big MatDaniel Teklehaymanot (Eri) Orica - GreenEdgeLeonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneNico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneSergio Carrasco Garcia (Spa) AndaluciaJesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) AndaluciaNiki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-QuickstepPim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamFlorent Barle (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneLars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamKlaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing TeamPieter Weening (Ned) Orica - GreenEdgeAssan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamGert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepMatteo Tosatto (Ita) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankYukihiro Doi (Jpn) Argos-ShimanoGustavo Cesar Veloso (Spa) AndaluciaAngel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha TeamPavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha TeamChristophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeYannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing TeamMartijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamXavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha TeamJohn Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-ShimanoThomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin - SharpGatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha TeamDavid Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneBenoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big MatKoldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin - SharpDominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big MatPablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) AndaluciaLloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La MondialeAdam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol TeamDaniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-NissanElia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleDavide Vigano (Ita) Lampre - ISDEgoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneWouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamWilliam Bonnet (Fra) FDJ-Big MatAllan Davis (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeOleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISDDanny Pate (USA) Sky ProcyclingStef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamMaciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-CannondaleFrederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamThomas Peterson (USA) Garmin - SharpFrantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepHayden Roulston (NZl) Radioshack-NissanBlel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La MondialeIan Stannard (GBr) Sky ProcyclingJonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar TeamImanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar TeamTravis Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeMatti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling TeamOlivier Kaisen (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamDennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamTiziano Dall'antonia (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleMitchell Docker (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeStephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing TeamBertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamNacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRaymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin - SharpBen Swift (GBr) Sky ProcyclingJulian Dean (NZl) Orica - GreenEdgeNicki Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankDaniele Ratto (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleManuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralDanail Andonov Petrov (Bul) Caja RuralMartijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - SharpDavide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - ISDWesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeJens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralAitor Galdos Alonso (Spa) Caja RuralMikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha TeamJuan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) AndaluciaJoost Van Leijen (Ned) Lotto Belisol TeamPoints classificationJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamJohn Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-ShimanoAlejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingDaniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-NissanElia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankAllan Davis (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeGianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamNacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big MatPhilippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamSimon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeNicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamBen Swift (GBr) Sky ProcyclingEros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleBauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamTony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRobert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamIgor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiTomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamBenat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar TeamAssan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamPrzemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISDRinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La MondialeMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LignePaolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamLloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La MondialeAndrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - SharpDennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamMarcos Garcia (Spa) Caja RuralKlaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky ProcyclingManuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralLaurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamWinner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre - ISDAndrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamLinus Gerdemann (Ger) Radioshack-NissanVicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol TeamRaymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin - SharpDavide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - ISDLuis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneThomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamMikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha TeamBertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamGorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiMauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing TeamJose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar TeamLeonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneGert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepKoldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin - SharpDavide Vigano (Ita) Lampre - ISDJan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-NissanPim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralSergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky ProcyclingRuben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiDominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big MatPablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) AndaluciaJuan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Movistar TeamFrantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepSteve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing TeamAndre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralAlberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha TeamKristof Vandewalle (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepPablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar TeamMarkel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Radioshack-NissanCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeJesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) AndaluciaMartijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamGatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha TeamMaxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-NissanJavier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaJuan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky ProcyclingPieter Weening (Ned) Orica - GreenEdgeJuan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) AndaluciaMountains classificationAlejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamSimon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgePim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamLuis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LignePhilippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankTony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickstepChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingJavier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaAssan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamJesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) AndaluciaThomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamBertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamNicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeMarcos Garcia (Spa) Caja RuralAndrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankNico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamAmaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamSergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankMikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha TeamCombination classificationJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamAlejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankNicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamMarcos Garcia (Spa) Caja RuralPhilippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamLuis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneAndrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamSimon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeTony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickstepThomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamAssan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamPim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamJavier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeJesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) AndaluciaBertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamMikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha TeamJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralTeams classificationVacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team

Vuelta a España 8: Valverde topples Contador

Valverde and Rodriguez pass Contador (AFP)

This article was originally published on Cyclingnews.com.

Rodriguez maintained his overall lead, followed by Froome and Contador. Valverde moved up to fourth while Robert Gesink of Rabobank dropped to fifth.

An uphill day

With 40km left on the stage, the peloton crossed the border into Andorra, by which point the field had reduced the gap to seven minutes.

Ramirez led Meyer and Moinard over the top, but the field had climbed up to only 2:34 down. Moinard then pulled away on the descent, but the other three caught him again.

With about 5km still to go, Moinard finally had to drop back. Only about a minute back, Alberto Contador was holding steadily on to Chris Froome's rear wheel, with Rodriguez right behind them.

Meyer had the best legs from the remaining leaders and took off on a solo attempt.

Vuelta a España 10: Degenkolb makes it four

John Degenkolb now has four stage wins to his credit in this year's Vuelta (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)

This article was originally published on Cyclingnews.com.

John Degenkolb of Argos-Shimano continued his domination of the sprints in Spain as he dashed to his fourth victory in the mass sprint finish of the tenth stage of the Vuelta a España in Sanxenxo. He went into the wind early and was nearly caught by Nacer Bouhanni of FDJ-BigMat, but the French champion had to settle for second, with RadioShack-Nissan's Daniele Bennati third.

Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) easily retained his leader's jersey going into tomorrow's time trial.

Degenkolb launched his effort early in the finale, coming off Bennati's rear wheel. It looked as if he had gone too early and that Bouhanni, with a huge effort, would catch him. But the Frenchman couldn't maintain his pressure and Degenkolb eventually pulled away to celebrate his fourth sprint win.

"The sprint was really hard and the final was really just fighting," Degenkolb said afterwards, before paying tribute to his teammates. "The stage itself was not that hard because we controlled the race all day. The team did a really good job. I say it every time but it's true - I must thank the boys.”

The stage was an animated by a two-man break featuring Adrian Palomares (Andalucia) and Javier Aramendia (Caja RuraL). They built up a lead of nearly seven minutes at one point, but the sprinters' teams made sure they were caught again in time.

Along the coastline

One rider called it quits on the first rest day, John Gadret of AG2R, who had to give in to his gastro-intestinal problems. The remaining 193 riders took off on a day whose only obstacle came within the first 15 kilometers.

And no sooner did the same start than there came an attack from the two Spanish wildcard teams, as has become almost routine. Today's duo proved to be Adrian Palomares of Andalucia, who was named most aggressive rider of the 2011 Vuelta, and Javier Aramendia of Caja Rural, in his third breakaway of the race.

The two took off early and various riders attempted to catch them, but unsuccessfully. They took a 2:09 lead on the peloton over the top of the day's only climb, the category 3 Alto de San Cosme at km. 14.5. From there they rapidly built up the gap, topping out at 6:42.

They took the first intermediate sprint, but behind them in the field, John Degenkolb made a point of jumping to grab the remaining one point and one bonus second. The Argos-Shimano sprinter recently had to surrender the points jersey to race leader Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and was willing to fight for every point to gain it back. Degenkolb repeated his feat at the second sprint later on.

The race had changed switched from the east coast to the west during the rest day, a lengthy haul from Catalonia to Galicia, and much of the day the field trekked around the coastline, rarely far from the water. The temperatures were comfortable in the mid-20s, and the wind played little to no role.

As the gap went over the six and a half minute mark, Argos-Shimano started worrying about Degenkolb's shot at his fourth stage win, and went to work. The gap correspondingly started coming down.

Sky moved in to help with the chase and the gap came down to just over a minute with 75 km to go, but it was too soon to catch the pair. The field cut back its speed and let the gap go back up to around the three minute mark.

The field waited patiently and then brought the gap back down, so that it was under 50 seconds with 40km to go.

The pair crossed the finish line in Sanxenxo for the first time and set off on the 37km finishing circuit with only a minimal lead. The pair did their best but were soon caught, and Argos Shimano and Katusha then led the way around the closing loop.

RadioShack-Nissan led the way under the flamme rouge, but Degenkolb was right behind them. He grabbed Bennati's rear wheel and went early into the lead. Bouhanni made a huge effort and nearly caught the speedy German, but had to settle for second place.

1 John Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-Shimano 2 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 3 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-Nissan 4 Gianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 5 Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Caja Rural 6 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 7 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 8 Davide Vigano (Ita) Lampre - ISD 9 Ben Swift (GBr) Sky Procycling 10 Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 11 Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team 12 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team 13 Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 14 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team 15 Allan Davis (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 16 Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 17 Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin - Sharp 18 Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin - Sharp 19 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - Sharp 20 Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 21 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 22 Leonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 23 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team 24 Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 25 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar Team 26 Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 27 Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 28 Marcos Garcia (Spa) Caja Rural 29 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Sharp 30 Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 31 Andre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Caja Rural 32 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 33 Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 34 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 35 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 36 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan 37 Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 38 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 39 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha Team 40 Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - Sharp 41 Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - Sharp 42 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 43 Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - ISD 44 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team 45 Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 46 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team 47 Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 48 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 49 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team 50 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 51 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 52 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 53 Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISD 54 Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 55 Gustavo Cesar Veloso (Spa) Andalucia 56 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 57 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 58 Winner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre - ISD 59 Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel - Euskadi 60 Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 61 Cayetano José Sarmiento Tunarrosa (Col) Liquigas-Cannondale 62 Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team 63 Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar Team 64 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD 65 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 66 Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 67 Tiziano Dall'antonia (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 68 Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 69 Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 70 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - Sharp 71 Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 72 Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha Team 73 Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 74 Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 75 Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha Team 76 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 77 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 78 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 79 Koen De Kort (Ned) Argos-Shimano 80 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team 81 Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 82 Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 83 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team 84 Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha Team 85 Matti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling Team 86 Ivan Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 87 Hernani Broco (Por) Caja Rural 88 Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 89 Jan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan 90 Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team 91 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 92 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana Pro Team 93 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Caja Rural 94 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 95 Aitor Galdos Alonso (Spa) Caja Rural 96 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos-Shimano 97 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 98 Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 99 Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale 100 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 101 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Big Mat 102 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Radioshack-Nissan 103 Benjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 104 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 105 Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol Team 106 Grégory Rast (Swi) Radioshack-Nissan 107 Daniel Teklehaymanot (Eri) Orica - GreenEdge 108 William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 109 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 110 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Radioshack-Nissan 111 Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 112 Laurent Didier (Lux) Radioshack-Nissan 113 Antonio Piedra Perez (Spa) Caja Rural 114 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Sky Procycling 115 Hayden Roulston (NZl) Radioshack-Nissan 116 Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 117 Julian Dean (NZl) Orica - GreenEdge 118 Nicki Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 119 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 120 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 121 Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team 122 Fredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro Team 123 Travis Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 124 Joost Van Leijen (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team 125 Stephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing Team 126 Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 127 Simon Geschke (Ger) Argos-Shimano 128 Frederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 129 Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big Mat 130 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling 131 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 132 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling 133 Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Procycling 134 Alexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos-Shimano 135 Thierry Hupond (Fra) Argos-Shimano 136 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling 137 Javier Chacon (Spa) Andalucia 138 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling 139 Javier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Movistar Team 140 Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol Team 141 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Movistar Team 142 Danail Andonov Petrov (Bul) Caja Rural 143 Tiago Machado (Por) Radioshack-Nissan 144 Martijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 145 Denys Kostyuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISD 146 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 147 Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team 148 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin - Sharp 149 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team 150 Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Andalucia 151 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 152 Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 153 Egor Silin (Rus) Astana Pro Team 154 Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica - GreenEdge 155 Morris Possoni (Ita) Lampre - ISD 156 Oleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISD 157 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre - ISD 158 Yukihiro Doi (Jpn) Argos-Shimano 159 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 160 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha Team 161 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 162 Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha Team 163 Jose Vicente Toribio Alcolea (Spa) Andalucia 164 Jesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) Andalucia 165 Adrian Palomares Villaplana (Spa) Andalucia 166 Javier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) Andalucia 167 Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 168 David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 169 Cheng Ji (Chn) Argos-Shimano 170 Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 171 Rafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 172 Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 173 Bruno Pires (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 174 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 175 Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 176 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 177 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team 178 Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 179 Denis Menchov (Rus) Katusha Team 180 Florent Barle (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 181 Rafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 182 Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar Team 183 Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 184 Danny Pate (USA) Sky Procycling 185 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 186 Javier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja Rural DNS John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1 John Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-Shimano 2 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 3 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-Nissan 4 Gianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 5 Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Caja Rural 6 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 7 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 8 Davide Vigano (Ita) Lampre - ISD 9 Ben Swift (GBr) Sky Procycling 10 Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 11 Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team 12 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team 13 Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 14 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team 1 Adrian Palomares Villaplana (Spa) Andalucia 2 Javier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja Rural 3 John Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-Shimano 1 Adrian Palomares Villaplana (Spa) Andalucia 2 Javier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja Rural 3 John Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-Shimano Mountain 1 - Alto de San Cosme (Cat. 3) km. 141 Javier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja Rural 2 Adrian Palomares Villaplana (Spa) Andalucia 3 Nico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 1 Javier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja Rural 8 Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team 20 Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank General classification after stage 101 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team 2 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 3 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 4 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 5 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 6 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team 7 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 8 Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 9 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 10 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 11 Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISD 12 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 13 Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 14 Winner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre - ISD 15 Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - Sharp 16 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 17 Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team 18 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan 19 Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 20 Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana Pro Team 21 Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 22 Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team 23 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling 24 Marcos Garcia (Spa) Caja Rural 25 Andre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Caja Rural 26 Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 27 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 28 Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 29 Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 30 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 31 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Movistar Team 32 Jan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan 33 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 34 Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 35 Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha Team 36 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 37 Ivan Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 38 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Sharp 39 Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 40 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 41 Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 42 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling 43 Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel - Euskadi 44 Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 45 Tiago Machado (Por) Radioshack-Nissan 46 Laurent Didier (Lux) Radioshack-Nissan 47 Fredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro Team 48 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD 49 Cayetano José Sarmiento Tunarrosa (Col) Liquigas-Cannondale 50 Rafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 51 Hernani Broco (Por) Caja Rural 52 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 53 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team 54 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team 55 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 56 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 57 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team 58 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team 59 Koen De Kort (Ned) Argos-Shimano 60 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 61 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos-Shimano 62 Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 63 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team 64 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 65 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team 66 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre - ISD 67 Gianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 68 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Radioshack-Nissan 69 Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - Sharp 70 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - Sharp 71 Morris Possoni (Ita) Lampre - ISD 72 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Caja Rural 73 Denis Menchov (Rus) Katusha Team 74 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 75 Denys Kostyuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISD 76 Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 77 Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol Team 78 Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 79 Javier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Movistar Team 80 Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 81 Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team 82 Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 83 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar Team 84 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling 85 Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 86 Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 87 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team 88 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team 89 Alexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos-Shimano 90 Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 91 Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 92 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 93 Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 94 Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 95 Egor Silin (Rus) Astana Pro Team 96 Grégory Rast (Swi) Radioshack-Nissan 97 Thierry Hupond (Fra) Argos-Shimano 98 Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale 99 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Radioshack-Nissan 100 Adrian Palomares Villaplana (Spa) Andalucia 101 Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 102 Bruno Pires (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 103 Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 104 Benjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 105 Antonio Piedra Perez (Spa) Caja Rural 106 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Big Mat 107 Leonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 108 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Sky Procycling 109 Simon Geschke (Ger) Argos-Shimano 110 Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 111 Daniel Teklehaymanot (Eri) Orica - GreenEdge 112 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling 113 Jose Vicente Toribio Alcolea (Spa) Andalucia 114 Rafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 115 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 116 Javier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) Andalucia 117 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 118 Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 119 Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team 120 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 121 Jesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) Andalucia 122 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 123 Gustavo Cesar Veloso (Spa) Andalucia 124 Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha Team 125 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 126 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha Team 127 Florent Barle (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 128 Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica - GreenEdge 129 Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha Team 130 Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team 131 John Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-Shimano 132 Yukihiro Doi (Jpn) Argos-Shimano 133 Martijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 134 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 135 Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin - Sharp 136 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin - Sharp 137 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 138 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-Nissan 139 Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol Team 140 Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big Mat 141 Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 142 Davide Vigano (Ita) Lampre - ISD 143 Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 144 Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 145 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha Team 146 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 147 Allan Davis (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 148 William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 149 David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 150 Frederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 151 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 152 Oleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISD 153 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 154 Hayden Roulston (NZl) Radioshack-Nissan 155 Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar Team 156 Danny Pate (USA) Sky Procycling 157 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 158 Matti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling Team 159 Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Procycling 160 Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 161 Travis Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 162 Tiziano Dall'antonia (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 163 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 164 Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 165 Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 166 Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin - Sharp 167 Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 168 Stephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing Team 169 Ben Swift (GBr) Sky Procycling 170 Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar Team 171 Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 172 Javier Chacon (Spa) Andalucia 173 Julian Dean (NZl) Orica - GreenEdge 174 Nicki Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 175 Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Caja Rural 176 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - Sharp 177 Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - ISD 178 Danail Andonov Petrov (Bul) Caja Rural 179 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 180 Aitor Galdos Alonso (Spa) Caja Rural 181 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 182 Javier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja Rural 183 Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha Team 184 Cheng Ji (Chn) Argos-Shimano 185 Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Andalucia 186 Joost Van Leijen (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team 1 John Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-Shimano 2 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team 3 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 4 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-Nissan 5 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat 6 Gianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 7 Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 8 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 9 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 10 Allan Davis (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 11 Ben Swift (GBr) Sky Procycling 12 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team 13 Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 14 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 15 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 16 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team 17 Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Caja Rural 18 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 19 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 20 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 21 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 22 Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 23 Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 24 Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team 25 Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team 26 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 27 Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISD 28 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 29 Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 30 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team 31 Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - Sharp 32 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 33 Davide Vigano (Ita) Lampre - ISD 34 Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 35 Marcos Garcia (Spa) Caja Rural 36 Javier Chacon (Spa) Andalucia 37 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling 38 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 39 Winner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre - ISD 40 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 41 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Radioshack-Nissan 42 Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol Team 43 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team 44 Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin - Sharp 45 Javier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja Rural 46 Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - ISD 47 Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 48 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 49 Adrian Palomares Villaplana (Spa) Andalucia 50 Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha Team 51 Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 52 Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 53 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team 54 Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 55 Leonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 56 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 57 Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin - Sharp 58 Jan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan 59 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling 60 Pablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) Andalucia 61 Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big Mat 62 Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Movistar Team 63 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team 64 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 65 Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team 66 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 67 Andre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Caja Rural 68 Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha Team 69 Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 70 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar Team 71 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Radioshack-Nissan 72 Jesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) Andalucia 73 Martijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 74 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha Team 75 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan 76 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling 77 Javier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) Andalucia 78 Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica - GreenEdge 79 Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Andalucia 1 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 2 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team 3 Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 4 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 5 Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 6 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team 7 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 8 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep 9 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 10 Javier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) Andalucia 11 Javier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja Rural 12 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 13 Javier Chacon (Spa) Andalucia 14 Jesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) Andalucia 15 Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 16 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 17 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 18 Nico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 19 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 20 Marcos Garcia (Spa) Caja Rural 21 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 22 Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 23 Adrian Palomares Villaplana (Spa) Andalucia 24 Rafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 25 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team 26 Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team 27 Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 28 Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha Team 1 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team 2 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 3 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 4 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 5 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 6 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team 7 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team 8 Marcos Garcia (Spa) Caja Rural 9 Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdge 10 Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 11 Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 12 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 13 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 14 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 15 Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 10 Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team 12 Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank 14 Cofidis, le credit en ligne

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