Not really hard, but no piece of cake either.



107km to go

The first part of the stage is quite unusual. The peleton is 1 line. Froome (who wins the mountain sprint) and Nibali are the main riders at the front.

78km to go

Same story in the next part. Nibali takes the first intermediate sprint.

51km to go

And the first puncture is here. Roche is the unlucky victim. He can return to the peleton, though.

39km to go

And Nibbles also takes the last intermediate sprint.

22km to go

Mollema is the first one to give it a go. It's still a long way, though.

16km to go

His dream is over, he gets caught. Kreuziger, Contador and Quintana are the next ones who seek the attack.

13km to go

Mollema again. This time together with Evans, Costa and Horner.

9000m to go

Nibali and Froome are next.

4000m to go

4 kilometers to go and Froome is still ahead.

1000m to go

1000 meters and Rodriguez and Quintana have joined him. But the peleton is also very close.

0m to go

But Chris Froome shows them who's the boss. Quintana is second and Rodriguez third. He keeps the red jersey.



Stage:

Rank	Name	Team	Time
1	Chris Froome	Sky Procycling	4h16'33
2	Nairo Quintana	Colombia	s.t.
3	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	s.t.
4	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana Pro Team	+ 15
5	Richie Porte	Orica - GreenEdge	s.t.

GC:

Rank	Name	Team	Time
1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	13h47'53
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 34
3	Chris Froome	Sky Procycling	+ 35
4	Richie Porte	Orica - GreenEdge	+ 55
5	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana Pro Team	+ 1'16

Points:

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Richie Porte	Orica - GreenEdge	64
2	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	57
3	Chris Froome	Sky Procycling	55

Mountains:

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	48
2	Chris Froome	Sky Procycling	34
3	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana Pro Team	31

Let's see who can win the mass sprint.



88km to go

The local laps around Logrono have caused no attacks, and no battle for the intermediate sprint. Nibali can have the points.

65km to go

Froome grabs the points at the mountain sprint.

5000m to go

Uran leads the peleton into the final kilometers, followed by Evans and Valverde.

1000m to go

Wrong banner. 1 kilometer left and Evans is leading now.

500m to go

He's still leading, but Mollema and Sanchez are coming from behind! Or could Costa still do something with an amazing punch!

0m to go

It's very, very close, but it''s Bauke Mollema who raises his arms. Costa came very close, but has to settle with second. Valverde takes third.



Stage:

Rank	Name	Team	Time
1	Bauke Mollema	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	4h36'34
2	Rui Costa	Efapel - Glassdrive	s.t.
3	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	s.t.
4	Samuel Sánchez	Euskaltel - Euskadi	s.t.
5	Carlos Betancur	AG2R La Mondiale	s.t.

GC:

Rank	Name	Team	Time
1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	18h24'27
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 26
3	Chris Froome	Sky Procycling	+ 35
4	Richie Porte	Orica - GreenEdge	+ 55
5	Rui Costa	Efapel - Glassdrive	+ 1'06

Points:

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Richie Porte	Orica - GreenEdge	73
2	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	65
3	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	65

Mountains:

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	48
2	Chris Froome	Sky Procycling	38
3	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana Pro Team	33

Another uphill finish



143km to go

Uran is seeking assistance from sombody behind the peleton. I think he has a puncture. Still, could be worse with this rain.

100km to go

No sprint again. Froome can have the points.

94km to go

The rain is getting heavier, and look, it's the first crash of the race. Scarponi is the unlucky one.

40km to go

He can safely return to the peleton, though. GC-leader Rodriguez 'wins' the intermediate sprint.

23km to go

And it's time for some attacks! Roche, Fuglsang, Sanchez and Pinot are the names.

18km to go

Sammy was the last one to withstand the pressure. Valverde is the next attacker.

13km to go

Unfortunately for the Spaniard, he was caught meters before the mountain sprint, which is won by an attacking Quintana. He can't get away, though.

4000m to go

It's time for the final climb! Roche and Rodriguez are attacking!

1000m to go

The Irishman is caught on this very steep climb, but the Spaniard continues! Will he extend his GC-lead?

0m to go

Yes he can! Joaquim Rodriguez takes the stage in the red jersey. Quintana's attack was too late, he must settle with second. Kreuziger completes the podium. A gap has been recorded in the peleton, with Contador and Sanchez being the most prominent victims.



Stage:

Rank	Name	Team	Time
1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	4h42'18
2	Nairo Quintana	Colombia	+ 16
3	Roman Kreuziger	Team Saxo - Tinkoff	+ 26
4	Chris Horner	RadioShack - Leopard	s.t.
5	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	s.t.

GC:

Rank	Name	Team	Time
1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	23h06'19
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 1'14
3	Chris Froome	Sky Procycling	+ 1'21
4	Richie Porte	Orica - GreenEdge	+ 1'47
5	Rui Costa	Efapel - Glassdrive	+ 1'58

Points:

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	94
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	79
3	Richie Porte	Orica - GreenEdge	74

Mountains:

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	54
2	Chris Froome	Sky Procycling	38
3	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana Pro Team	33

99% chance of a sprint.



114km to go

Quintana takes the first intermediate sprint.

74km to go

Froome takes the second intermediate sprint.

21km to go

There is a small hill with around 20 kilometers to go. Costa and Hesjedal seek the opportunity to attack.

19km to go

They can't get away. Betancur, Fuglsang and Mollema are taking over.

12km to go

They Dutchman is the last one to get caught. It seems like we are heading towards a mass sprint again.

10km to go

But then, with 10 kilometers to go, Scarponi attacks. Wiggins, Nibali, Contador and Mollema follow. It seems like the entire peleton is following!

3000m to go

3 kilometers and Wiggins is trying it once more.

2000m to go

But he can't finish it. Everybody is sprinting to the line right now.

1000m to go

1 kilometer to go and Horner is leading. But can he hold on? Porte is looking for the overtake as well are Fuglsang and Uran.

500m to go

It looks like Uran versus Porte. Or could Hesjedal get out of the Colombian's wheel. Others are also looking for a way out.

0m to go

The Canadian pulls it off. Ryder Hesjedal wins here in Alcaniz. Betancur and Valverde complete the top-3.



Stage:

Rank	Name	Team	Time
1	Ryder Hesjedal	Garmin - Sharp	3h55'46
2	Carlos Betancur	AG2R La Mondiale	s.t.
3	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	s.t.
4	Cadel Evans	Drapac Cycling	s.t.
5	Rigoberto Urán	Omega Pharma - Quick•Step Cycling Team	s.t.

GC:

Rank	Name	Team	Time
1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	27h02'05
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 1'06
3	Chris Froome	Sky Procycling	+ 1'11
4	Richie Porte	Orica - GreenEdge	+ 1'47
5	Ryder Hesjedal	Garmin - Sharp	+ 1'51

Points:

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	100
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	95
3	Richie Porte	Orica - GreenEdge	83

Mountains:

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	54
2	Chris Froome	Sky Procycling	38
3	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana Pro Team	33

The first real mountain stage.



138km to go

Quintana takes another intermediate sprint without doing anything.

49km to go

The next intermediate goes to Valverde.

33km to go

Van den Broeck attacks for the first time this Vuelta. Some riders are countering him, but everything is regrouped eventually.

22km to go

Yesterday's stage winner Hesjedal attacks! Evans and Nibali are following him, soon followed by Contador and Rodriguez.

17km to go

Rodriguez takes the mountain sprint when everybody is back together again. And we haven't even reached the final mountain yet!

6000m to go

Nibali is the first one to give it a go when thing are going uphill again.

4000m to go

Froome is rocketing up the mountain! He has already passed Nibbles! Hesjedal tries to follow him.

2000m to go

2 kilometers to go and Contador attacks, followed by Porte! They catch Froome, but they can't get away from the peleton.

1000m to go

Valverde attacks in the final kilometers! Nibali is countering!

500m to go

But here comes the red jersey! Purito is flying!

0m to go

Joaquim Rodriguez takes another victory! Nibali takes second and Valverde third 10 seconds behind him. Contador, Froome and Porte are in the same group as them, who wins 28 seconds on other favourites.




Stage:

Rank	Name	Team	Time
1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	4h51'46
2	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana Pro Team	+ 10
3	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	s.t.
4	Alberto Contador	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	s.t.
5	Chris Froome	Sky Procycling	s.t.

GC:

Rank	Name	Team	Time
1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	31h53'31
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 1'22
3	Chris Froome	Sky Procycling	+ 1'37
4	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana Pro Team	+ 2'16
5	Richie Porte	Orica - GreenEdge	+ 2'17

Points:

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	125
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	115
3	Richie Porte	Orica - GreenEdge	93

Mountains:

Rank	Name	Team	Points
1	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	94
2	Vincenzo Nibali	Astana Pro Team	65
3	Chris Froome	Sky Procycling	52