Understandable
Still a brave effort.

Thanks to both of you.

Damn, when that happens to me, I really get pissed. Anyway, it's a nice recap, though small, but it summarizes what happened well.

Hi today´s stage was quite interesting.



From start group of 4 get away.
Their biggest gap was 6 minutes but Garmin was in front of the pack all day.
With only one last climb to go only one rider was in front of the pack by 50 seconds.
Then Cunego attacked. I said why not? And went with him.




He was doing really good pace down the hill but then he started to slow down so I started to do the pace.



I asked him to relay with me but he wanted stage win more than good place in GC. I asked guys in my car what to do. They said to keep going that we need top 3 in GC more than Stage win.
When the sprint in pack started we were still 30 seconds in front.



I could say goodbye to victory as Cunego was the best wheel-sucker I ever met.




I ended 2nd but more importantly I created a gap. At least I thought I created.

After race I went to bus. In 5 minutes angry GM came to me and said that we can´t do nothing about it that they gave us all same time!

I could atleast fight for the stage if Cunego relayed!
What can I say?
I am angry but I will do my best to WIN here in Spain at least one stage.

Rui.

Damn Cunego! Damn him straight to hell.
A great effort by a great rider, hope he doesn't let this affect his racing in the future!

Oh, what an idiot that Cunego, shame you didn't win.

Hi I just came back from another great stage. Here is profile:



From start 4 riders got away.
They had maximum gap of 6 minutes but then BMC and Vacansoleil started the hunt.
Meanwhile I had a little chat with Cunego.



He said that he is sorry but that this is sport and he just took his chance and that my day will come.
On the second climb of the day Intauxti started to do the pace.
He split the pack in two.
Than he let others to do the work.
On penultimate climb he again came to front but this time with more power.
Only 13 riders were able to keep up with him.



After that the real race began.
In first group were only 3 favourites Rodriguez, De Gendt and Me.
In the chasing group were Shleck, Evans and their team-mates.






More and more riders couldn´t keep up.



I still had Intauxti with me.
Than I started to do the pace.
Only Rodriguez and De Gendt could follow.



Than I found a wheel of Rodriguez.
It was only between me and Joaquim as I knew De Gendt is giving everything he got.
But than he did what he do best, attack with 500m to go.



I can only dream about acceleration like that.
He created a gap of 18 seconds and easily won.



Still I am really happy because if I can hang to him in next two stages I can possibly take 18 seconds on final time-trial from him.


Stage:

1	Joaquím Rodríguez Oliver	Katusha Team	4h24'03
2	Rui Alberto Faria Costa	Movistar Team	+ 18
3	Thomas De Gendt	Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team	+ 48
4	Cadel Evans	BMC Racing Team	+ 1'11
5	Andy Schleck	RadioShack-Nissan	s.t.
6	Chris Froome	Sky ProCycling	+ 1'49
7	Tony Martin	Omega Pharma-QuickStep	s.t.
8	Amets Txurruka Ansola	Euskaltel - Euskadi	+ 2'08
9	Maxime Monfort	RadioShack-Nissan	+ 2'16
10	Nicolas Roche	Ag2r La Mondiale	s.t.

GC:

1	Joaquím Rodríguez Oliver	Katusha Team	12h39'19
2	Rui Alberto Faria Costa	Movistar Team	+ 18
3	Thomas De Gendt	Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team	+ 48
4	Cadel Evans	BMC Racing Team	+ 1'11
5	Andy Schleck	RadioShack-Nissan	s.t.
6	Tony Martin	Omega Pharma-QuickStep	+ 1'49
7	Chris Froome	Sky ProCycling	s.t.
8	Amets Txurruka Ansola	Euskaltel - Euskadi	+ 2'08
9	Nicolas Roche	Ag2r La Mondiale	+ 2'16
10	Maxim Iglinskiy	Astana Pro Team	s.t.

Points:

1	Joaquím Rodríguez Oliver	Katusha Team	25	46
2	Rui Alberto Faria Costa	Movistar Team	20	40
3	Tony Martin	Omega Pharma-QuickStep	9	32

Tommorow is D-day for me. If I can keep up with Joaqium I will be in perfect positon for the final Time-Trial.


Rui.

Great result for Rui.

A great effort.
And good that he had that chat with Cunego

Rui looking in Great shape at the moment

All: thanks, Rui is in great shape and I hope he can win this race as it would boost his and even my moral

Hi today´s stage looked harder on profile than it actually was but last 500 meters percentage was up to 21%!!! So if there is something what Rodriguez likes than it is this stage:



From start 3 riders formed BOD.



Best in GC was Stybar 7minutes behind Rodriguez.
There were a lot of falls once even car crashed to one of Vacansoleil´s riders.



Half way through the stage Evans fall, but his teammates done everything they could to bring him back. After 5kms he was back in pack.



Than with 20kms to go Sanchez, Scarponi and Horner attacked.



They soon caught 3 riders from the BOD. We knew that we can´t let them go so we went to front.



We caught them just before the final climb.



With only 2kms to go Vanendert and De Gendt attacked.



I said Quintana to wait and to keep the pace up.
We soon caught them.
With 500m to go Rodriguez attacked I was placed on Wiggins wheel.



Joaqium created nice gap I only hoped that there won´t be any time differences like in stage 2!
He took a deserved win.



They gave him 12 seconds.



I came in 6th place and thus I have two stages left to bring back 30 seconds.
Tommorow is another hilly stage.


Rui.

Is that Hoogerland with the car?

Rodriguez seems unbeatable. But great riding with Costa.

Great riding with Rui so far!

Great stage from Rui today

Love the pic of the Vacansoleil rider being hit by the car

Wild Dog: I am glad you are following.
Freitas: thanks it looks like he has daily form of plus 3 or higher
Sutty68: thanks I was really lucky that I stopped the game right when the car git him.

Good result
Hope Costa doesn't get hit by a car in his career

Some good stuff from Rui to date

nice result for Rui! Damn those time gaps!

Hi, first of all I want to thank all of you who are reading my blog. It gives me moral boost to both racing and also writing.

Here is profile:



8 guys created BOD. Best placed rider on GC was 4:30 behind Joaqium.



BMC and Katusha again done most of the work to bring them back.
With 30kms to go De Gendt attacked .



After 5km he was back in the pack.
Than again Vanendert attacked on the steepest part of the hill.



De Gendt tried to react on every attack as he needed few more seconds to have a shot on mine 2nd place or even 1st.
On downhill I sent Quintana to the front to bring back everybody who was in front.



He did one hell of a job. And with 10kms to go only Luis Leon Sanchez was out in front by 1 minute.
Can he keep the lead?



Back in the peloton Intauxti brought me to front.



I founded a wheel of Rodriguez. I never get such a great leadout from non-teammate.



But Sanchez was still in front. He deserved this one.



I tried to get in front of Joaqium but he was too strong. Even Martin and De Gendt out sprinted me.


Stage:

1	Luis León Sánchez Gil	Rabobank Cycling Team	4h39'03
2	Joaquím Rodríguez Oliver	Katusha Team	s.t.
3	Tony Martin	Omega Pharma-QuickStep	s.t.
4	Thomas De Gendt	Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
5	Rui Alberto Faria Costa	Movistar Team	s.t.

GC:

1	Joaquím Rodríguez Oliver	Katusha Team	21h12'51
2	Rui Alberto Faria Costa	Movistar Team	+ 30
3	Thomas De Gendt	Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team	+ 1'00
4	Andy Schleck	RadioShack-Nissan	+ 1'23
5	Tony Martin	Omega Pharma-QuickStep	+ 2'01

I have to be 30 seconds faster than Joaqium. On stage with this profile:



Wish me good luck!
Seeya tommorow.

Rui.