Today is the last mountain stage for a few days. We end up in Andorra after a 7.3 kilometre averaging 7.8% final climb to the finish.

STAGE 8: Lleida - Andorra 175 KM

Mazzanti showed himself for the first time in this Vuelta. He would be joined by Calcagni, Podgornik, Menzies, Hayman, Kuschynski, Miholjevic, Palumbo, Escobar and McCann to from the 10 man break of the day.

With 85 kilometres to go and the gap to the break @ 4:00 Blanco (@ 5'44) and Fedrigo (@ 5'37) attack out of the peloton.

With 61 kilometres to go and the now 12 man break @ 4'30 the peloton lead by Aer Lingus, Kas and Liberia begin to shut down the gap as Charteau attacks for Standard Chartered.

With 21 kilometres to go we are on the penultimate climb with the 12 man break out front @ 2'35 when Zubeldia attacks out of the peloton. Danielson tries to go with him. But the likes of Perez of Aer Lingus up the pace and the riders are brought back.

Blanco, Fedrigo and Miholjevic have 1'45 as they hit the tough final 7 kilometres.

The peloton hit the final climb and Sami Sanchez is the first to attack. Evans, Voeckler and Horner are poorly positioned. Rogers and Kloden try and counter Sanchez.

Rogers goes bang as he looses the wheel and will have to work together with Kloden to try and gain time on the men behind.

Up the front Blanco gives one last dig as the three escapees and almost caught by a rampaging Sanchez.

Big News in the GC

Zubeldia falls off his bike and will lose some time to his podium rivals.

It is a hat trick. Sami Sanchez wins his third stage at a cantor and will surely win this Vuelta barring an accident. Blanco and Fedrigo do well to hold onto the day podium places.

Tiralongo looked good today whilst Evans pulls '20 over Voeckler. Ballan finally hands over his jersey which he has worn with pride.

Today we have a sprinters stage on paper with more terrain downhill than up. However, a short steep hill with 9 kilometres to go and the last kilometre averaging 5% uphill the win may go to a puncheur.

STAGE 9: Andorra - Barcelona 195 KM

As Aer Lingus defend the leader's jersey for the first time in the race a breakaway has formed, including: Poos, Hammond, Engoulvent, Vanlaandschoot, Palumbo, Parra, Rice, Soeiro, Lancaster and Fukushima.

The rear of the peloton grind their way over the hardest climb of the day, Collada de Clara, with 130 kilometres to go.

The sprinter's teams of Cilo, Faema and Garin up the pace from 80 kilometres to go with the gap to the break at 6:20. It will be a long way to the finish for Estrada of Iberia who is at the rear by himself after falling.

With 30 kilometres to go and the break @ 2:00 Chavanel attacks. He quickly catches the break and makes his way to the front.

Fearful of being caught by the peloton Engoulvent attacks again with 15 kilometres to go with Chavanel in the wheel. With 10 kilometres to go the gap to the break grows out to 1:30, the same teams are riding on the front of the peloton and they look spent.......

THEY ARE! The gaps grows out to Chavanel who has now managed to drop all of the original break. We hit the short steep climb with 9 kilometres to go and Evans attacks, Sami Sanchez counters before distancing the peloton at 75 km/h plus on the technical descent.

Chavanel solos to a victory. Another late attack paying off for Alcyon. Great racing there. Behind Sanchez has been caught as....

A huge crash 1 kilometre from the finish causes carnage. All the big names/ favourites finish in a 67 man group @ 3'27 apart from: Kloden, Ballan, Charteau, Basso, Mancebo, Verdugo and Fedrigo who finish @ 5'48.

Kudentsov, Szymd, Antogna, Giacinti, Davis, Millar, Olhesier all retire.