After the race crashed 2 times within the last 15 / 20 kms, i decided to simulate it.. not a bad result for us after all..

Before Pais Vasco kicks off, U23 just started their season with the young Danish N.Bergmann winning the sprint against his breakaway mates D.Kocevar and P.Silva Gomes, all 3 good punchers.. Bergmann´s acceleration made the difference and he leads with 140pts now.. South African & Portuguese Cycling Federations might have here some great future champions... there were no young french riders at this race..

Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Basco starts.

.. and there isn´t a better way to start as with an attack, this is already the 2nd try from P.Fédrigo and this time seems it will work out.. still 150kms to go..

Fédrigo is halfway in the 1st climb, all by himself, he managed to gain 7´00" already..

At the top, Fédrigo raises the gap to 8´14"... 110kms.

When the peloton reach the top, T.Voeckler and
J.Arredondo attack for kom pts... the colombian rider will make 2nd as the 1st rain drops start to fall from the sky..

After the 2nd kom sprint, peloton speeds downhill with the road already weat, T.Pinot (awfull downhill rider) crashes with violence and stays down for a couple of minutes..

He gets on his bike again... A.Geslin and
A.Jeannesson wait for him.. we might have lucky as there are about 35 riders here, they might help with the pace...

Pinot is brought back to peloton when the 3rd climb starts but we can see he´s not feeling good.. Fédrigo is with 5´06"gap now..

Still before the top, Pinot looses the contact again.. Geslin and Jeannesson work hard again to close the gap..

At the 2nd Int.Sprint, Jeannesson must wait for Pinot.. he just doesn´t want to give up.. yet. Even with all this pain and extrem hard work from our guys, nobody reach a hand to help.. shame on you.

The reduced peloton (56 riders) reach the final 20kms with the brave P.Fédrigo insight..

3,5kms to the top of the last climb, K.Elissonde (-4) attacks..

It was short lived.. on the descent, A.Contador attacked and joins up with Fédrigo.. 6,5kms to go.. peloton comes 24" sec behind..

P.Fédrigo is caught by the rest with 2kms to go.. brave ride from him.. Contador raised his gap to 1´07"..

Contador reach the last km mark.. he´s tired now but has a nice gap..

We don´t have the best finishers here but we are happy to have 3 riders at the front..

There are others who are better then us to fight for the podium..

A.Contador wins the stage and takes yellow..

T.Pinot looses 13´06" today.. team´s Doctor will check him up today..

No time bonuses so A.Contador leads with 33"seconds..

We have some good news for the fans... T.Pinot will keep racing as FDJ´s doctor couldn´t find any major injury.. that said, it´s Pinot himself who decided to go in the break.... psychologically, this is great for him.. M.Hayman and J.Pineau are with him.. J.Arredondo (2nd in kom ranking) follows them.. this is the 2nd kom sprint..

Knowing this, P.Fédrigo joins up with Arredondo still before the top.. M.Iglinskiy follows.. Pinot is struggling at the front...

After the top, Pinot is caught by Fédrigo/Arredondo/Iglinskiy group, now with S.Spilak(KAT) GC +33" and J.Vanendert(LTB) GC +33". With 2´28"gap, Contador´s team needs to wake up..

The breakaway reach the top of the last climb, Arredondo takes the points, Fédrigo shows no reaction.. just like Contador´s team as the gap raised to 3´08" with 36kms to ride.. Pinot gave a precious help to Fédrigo in this climb.. he waits for the pack now..

Movistar steps up ahead and helps Tinkoff with the chase.. they manage to drop the gap to 2´34".. 22kms to go, nobody is sure if the break will make it..

Fédrigo saw that the gap to the peloton would allow him to jump to the top10, he made lots of work downhill, now with the final sprint getting started, he´s too tired to fight for stage win..

M.Iglinskiy wins the stage..

Important moment in the race... F.Mourey GC 16th +1´29", manages to get away from the peloton.. he chases the 3 men breakaway... closing in to the 1st Int.Sprint..

Here they are.. strong group, all good climbers.. A.Txurruka(CJR) GC +8´00", D.Malacarne(EUC) GC +21´51" and W.Anacona(LAM) GC +8´44"..

1st climb, 7´27"gap but starting to drop..

Alto del Sollube( 2nd kom sprint) is already behind them, their gap keeps falling down.. 5´07" with 68kms to go.. Mourey raises his effort levels..

The peloton is chasing fast and when they are descending the 2nd climb, A.Valverde GC 6th +1´29" looses his balance and falls down..

Only N.Quintana (last year´s winner) stays in the pack.. the rest will work for their captain..

J.Rojas is completly empty but they managed to bring Valverde back in peloton in time for the 3rd climb.. 42kms, 3´22"gap to Mourey´s group..

Damn wheel suckers.. F.Mourey isn´t happy with his breakaway mates and accelerates.. Anacona keeps sucking..

This could work but Anacona stays all the time behind, so Mourey waits for the other 2.. all this action raised their gap to 4´14" with 16kms to go.

11kms, when Mourey was picking his last bottle, Malacarne attacks..

In peloton, A.Valverde, S.Spilak and
B.Mollema try to get away..

.. but they don´t go far.. P.Fédrigo and A.Jeannesson accelerate while J.Vanendert(LTB) GC 3rd +0" attacks.

They too don´t go far.. peloton reach the final kms.. Mourey´s group is caught.. only Malacarne in front..

D.Malacarne starts to celebrate without knowing how close the others are..

He just realises that in time.. close one..

Our young future star is doing great in U23 ranking.