Yesterday’s big Time Trial seems to swing things Van Den Broecks way in terms of the GC battle over Koldo Gil. There are now three stages left to make the difference, todays stage is one of them with yet another long climb awaiting the riders. The Plaza de Tores which is toward the end of todays stage will offer the spectators yet another battleground.
Early breakaways come with individual attacks, the first launched by Red Bull’s Chinese star Jianhua Ji. Later Hofland (Bimbo Nutella) and Bragazzi(Unicredit) make their move from the peleton.
Three attackers animate the early section of the stage
On the early KOM prime then, Ji takes it over Bragazzi and Hofland. The latter two riders have been in breakaways before, but have not really been able to stack up huge amounts in the KOM or the Points competition to effect the top places. They roll over the first of the sprint points in the same order, they are not together though. With 75km to go Ji has a 2.47 lead on Bragazzi and 4.28 on Hofland, the peleton are at 8.19. We get another attack around this point from the peleton.
Zaugg (Youtube) and Parra Pinto(Yamaha) make a move
This race has been tough for Youtube, who once again have left their best stage racers out of this one. Yamaha have been more successful with a couple of stage wins to their name, but 34 year old Parra Pinto has found this years Vuelta perhaps one too far in terms of GC. With 50km to go they catch Hofland but are still some two minutes behind Bragazzi and the best part of five minutes behind Ji. The peleton have sped up as well, they are now six minutes down on Ji, who takes the second mountain prime ahead of Bragazzi and Zaugg.
Ji has shown himself here
On the descent and as we approach the final section of climbing the pace is really ramped up in the main pack. They reel in all the escapes and with 25km to go the gap is only two minutes to fading Ji, Yamaha seeing their first attack fail send their best man up the road.
Montenegro goes on the attack
It is tough for the Yamaha man to get much distance as the Benfica team have the bit firmly between their teeth and they are being helped out by Yas Martinez’s Quiksilver team. Martinez is just five seconds behind Hesjedal who is perhaps under pressure now in the final podium place.
Contender teanms control
Trying to break up the rhythm of the main group, Paulo Tiralongo tries a speculative dig at the bottom of the final climb.
Pirelli try to distract the chasers
With Ji now caught we are seeing a lot of GC men at the front of a reducing peleton the next man to go is Yasmiri Martinez. His Quiksilver team have been on the front with Benfica all day and the Cuban is beginning to eye up a possible podium place.
Up goes Yas
He goes past Tiralongo quickly and he his dragging the GC leader Van den Broeck with him. After yesterdays slightly disappointing Time Trial LEGO’s Koldo Gil has to try and respond now. He does with some authority and bridges to the dangerous duo.
Gil moves across
The challenge is there now to get across to these riders, Benfica now announce another rider with GC ambition Mikhail Krasneperov. He also bridges across nicely bringing Sergio Ortega and Edwin Parra Bustamante with him.
Is this a wise or Krass move by Benfica
On this long climb Koldo Gil begins to find his feet and as others are trying to scramble across, including Bimbo Nutella’s Vitor Rodrigues and Benfica’s Saldarriaga the Spaniard cranks up the pressure again.
Gil has a Kold hearted killer instinct
Best young rider Martinez tries to bridge and Van den Broeck who seems to be on the defensive here also comes across with several riders.
Quiksilvers Cuban youngster negates Gil
Coming over the top of the big climb and on the descent a big regrouping seems to be in order.
Attacks all for nothing?
However the front seven (Gil, Martinez, Saldarriaga, Krasnoperov, Van den Broeck, Rodrigues and Parra Busta) open a gap on the eight riders behind (Mayo, Hesjedal, Laverde, Chacon, Orozco, Bereud, Ortega and Montenegro). It is Bimbo Nutella man Vitor Rodrigues who is suddenly pushing hard perhaps with some confidence after surviving todays climb.
Nutella man spreading the misery
He keeps pushing and is in a good position with 800m to go. Van den Broeck is showing he is not on his best day currently towards the back of this lead seven group.
Rodrigues is going to be difficult to come around
The Belgian GC leader however launches a great final sprint, but cannot quite get up to Vitor Rodrigues who takes a excellent victory.
Back to his best Victory for Vitor
Benfica sweep second through to fourth, Hesjedal drops off the podium losing time today. Vitor Rodrigues meanwhile moves into the top ten and if he keeps riding as he did today he will continue to move up.
