Maes continues his great season form by winning in Hamburg after a late attack paid off. Gallopin was our only rider who was capable of showing anything on the day, he finished 6th and second in the sprint behind VanMarcke.

After Stage 3 in the Vuelta I felt it necessary to calm the team with a big speech. The following were the key points I stressed:
-- Duran is still our main leader.
-- If Izagirre has the legs he is to attack.
-- We are a team and win or lose we are still Qatar Optics.

STAGE 4: Barakaldo - Estacion de Valdezcaray 155 KM's

Stage Favourites:
***van der Sande(HLE) **Pere(HLE) *Sicard(QOS)

We end on a climb that is 13 kilometres at an average of 5.2%, the latter half of the climb being easier.

Up until the final climb the race was easy enough. There was time to take in the scenery as the break would pose no danger.

We hit the final climb with no one out front. van der Sande attacks, who goes with him? Izagirre counters the race leader with 9 kilometres to go......

Nieve of Caja Rural doesn't want this move to succeed and he brings back the two attackers before van der Sande attacks again.

This time we bring the attack back with 3 kilometres to go. Sicard is laying down a great pace with Izagirre in the wheel.

1.1 kilometres to go, a Herbalife rider attacks...It is not Pere, it is not van der Sande and it is not Rowe. Who is it?

A fantastic punchy move pays off for the Spaniard and he wins by '14 seconds. Usually he would be the fifth choice for Herbalife behind de Cuevas on such a finish. After being a loyal domestique for the best he now looks to be growing into a great rider. 2 in 2 for Herbalife.

Duran surges well to finish in the top 10.

Yeray Garcia:

STAGE 5: Logrono - Logrono 172 KM's

Stage Favourites:
***Sagan(GPM) **Guardini(YTE) *Matthews(FAR)

The break succeed on stage 5. The winner is the Lopez Gomez of Caja Rural making it 2 in 2 for young Spaniards.

Towards the middle of the peloton with 1 kilometre to go there was a big crash, all Qatar Optics' riders avoided the crash. The biggest name to go down was Brambilla. All riders who crashed were given the same time as the crash occurred inside of 3 KM to the finish. Marais, a rider I tipped to make the top 10, abandons.

Stage Favourites:
***Pere(HLE) **van der Sande(HLE) *Tsatevitch(ISS)

With a decent climb summiting 13 kilometres from the finish and the final 3 kilometres being brutally steep, time gaps on the narrow roads are to be expected.

For the first time in this Vuelta we put a load of riders on the front. No team was chasing with 93 kilometres to go and the gap to the break at 9:15 so we add Rojas, Kritskiy, Sanchez and Cartillo to the front.

The red jersey attacks very early today. Van der Sande attacked with 20 kilometres to go, as a result the break were quickly caught and Thompson of Orica could only watch as the fresher man passed him with speed.

Many attacks started behind and the pace on the climb was relentless. With 12 kilometres to go, on the descent, Tsatevitch joins up with van der Sande and they have '20 over the peloton.

Fans are packed in like sardines on the side of the steep narrow roads of the final 3 kilometres. van der Sande has attacked again and left everyone in his dust on the way to enough victory. Pere and Laval would round out the podium and may have contested victory if they didn't start the climb with a deficit.......But what happens behind?.....

Qatar Optics best finisher places 5th. But is it Duran or Izagirre?.....

Neither, it is Sicard. The team dynamics are constantly changing in this very open Vuelta.....

Izagirre finishes in a large GC group @ 1'22 and Duran..... finishes @ 1'55 after suffering and being blocked. He is now over 1'00 down on Ion.

STAGE 7: Hueca - Alcaniz 159 KM's

Stage Favourites:
***Guardini(YTE) **Sagan(GPM) *Boasson Hagen(RAB)

Matthews wins with ease on this sprint stage, his second stage win of this Vuelta. A good placing for Rojas and our GC men staying upright means this is a good day for the team.

Stage favourites:
*** van der Sande(HLE) **Tsatevitch(ISS) *Pere(HLE)

We end on the Collada de la Gallina (7.3 kilometres @ 7.8%). It should suit van der Sande but with 7 days of racing in his legs the world class puncheur may be starting to suffer.

At times in the stage we put Kritskiy on the front to control things. A break got away put never posed any danger. All thoughts in the peloton and in the commentary booths quickly turned to the drama on the final climb.

Fernandez of Caja Rural would be the last to be caught with 7 kilometres to go. We are well and truly on the steep parts. Herbalife are setting the pace.......

Until we, Qatar Optics, up the pace with Romain Sicard. Many are starting to suffer including van der Sande.....

We take Sicard off the front and Izagirre attacks with 2.7 kilometres! The other teams have to do something.....

and they do......

De Vos (RIM) starts setting the pace and manages to bring back Izagirre inside 2 kilometres to go. All of the favourites remaining will battle out the final kilometre as van der Sande is dropped!

Stage win 2 for Yeray! The Spaniard wins from a group of 9 including our three suspects. the fourth stage win for team Herbalife.

What was most striking about the last kilometre was the way Sicard finished. He did the final kilometre faster than anyone else........