Vuelta: Stage 8

Julian Alaphilippe won the stage from the day’s breakway whilst Froome put time into most of his rivals with an attacking ride

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Vuelta: Stage 8

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Julian Alaphilippe sprinted to victory on Stage 8 of the Vuelta a España as Chris Froome dropped all of his closest rivals to extend his overall lead.

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Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) formed part of the day’s 21-man escape and went on to beat Jan Polanc (UAE Team Emirates) into second place and Rafal Majka (BORA-hansgrohe) into third after the trio had distanced their companions on the day’s steep final climb, the Alto Xorret de Catí.

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Froome attacked close to the summit of the 5km-long ascent, which hit a maximum gradient of 18 per cent, and only Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) could follow. Following a short descent to the finish line, the duo stopped the clock 1’27” down on Alaphillipe but 17 seconds ahead of a group of contenders containing the likes of Esteban Chaves (ORICA-SCOTT), Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain Merida) and Fabio Aru (Astana Pro Team).

The result means Froome stretches his lead to 28 seconds over second-placed Chaves and 41 seconds over third-placed Nicolas Roche (BMC Racing Team). Alaphilippe, who resisted a flurry of attacks from Majka on the final climb in the knowledge he was the superior sprinter, said: “It’s incredible. I didn’t expect that I would win the stage today. I was thinking tomorrow might be a good final for me. It’s unbelievable.”

Chris Froome: “I’m going to take advantage while my legs are feeling good and it makes sense for me to keep pushing”.

Explaining the strategy for the stage, and how he felt on the final climb, Froome was understandably a happy man after the finish, he said: “I wasn’t chasing the stage victory today. It was all about the general classification. But I’m going to take advantage of it while my legs are feeling good and it makes sense for me to keep pushing.”

“I think most importantly for me was to keep trying to open up the time gaps. We’ll see where we’re at after the first rest day. I know I keep saying it every day but really a massive thank you to my team-mates – in particular today Ian Stannard, Christian Knees and David Lopez.”

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“They did pretty much the whole stage again to control the breakaway and keep me in red. If I’d been on any other team I think they would have said we’ll let the red jersey go today because the guys need a break. The guys have been so strong and it’s thanks to them I’m still in the red jersey.”

“I’m just really happy to increase my lead to most of my rivals, and to be feeling the way I am at the moment after a tough Tour de France. It’s a fantastic feeling to be feeling like this.”

Rafal Majka (BORA-hansgrohe) – “I tried to win. In the end I am third because I am a little bit tired, but after coming back from my stomach problem, I think it is OK. This is cycling. He [Alaphilippe] was strong today and beat me.”

“The team did a great job today. A big thanks to Emu and Christoph. We tried everything, and I think we did no mistake. In the end I just couldn’t drop Alaphilippe, and after we hit the downhill, I knew already that it will be almost impossible to take the win today. To be honest, I still don’t feel 100% after the problems I had in the beginning. But it’s getting better and better and the legs will come. There are plenty opportunities ahead of us and we’ll go for them.”
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Jan Polanc said: “It was a very hard and warm stage. Today we had some headwind, but there was a good group in front and we akll worked together to maintain our position. The last climb was hard and steep so when we reached the bottom I had to do it at my own pace keeping keeping a distance to the guys in front of me but chasing as best as I could and coming in second. Towards the end it was impossible to beat Alaphilippe as he is a great sprinter but I’m very pelased with the second place”.

Nicolas Roche: (BMC) “The pace was brutal. Straight from the bottom we saw ORICA SCOTT and Yates put the pressure on and then Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) upgraded that again. I kind of took my own pace and didn’t try and follow the best. I knew it was one of those really tough climbs and it was all about limiting the losses, rather than fighting for a position.

To be honest, today I thought I would be a little bit better. I suffered already a little bit yesterday and today I thought I could have done a bit better. I fought well, tomorrow is another big day and it’s a climb I’ve done a few times. Now it’s all about recovering and getting ready for tomorrow.”

“It seems like every day is a copy and paste with a 10 to 12-minute climb and tomorrow is exactly the same. It’s another 4km, 10% average with some 20% parts in the middle so it will be pretty intense. When we come into the longer climbs it will be all about pacing than the intensity of these climbs.”

Alberto Contador – “Attack until the end” are inscribed on the stem cap of his custom-painted Trek Emonda and this he did again.
“I stayed with Woods, and I knew Froome would change rhythm, and when he came, he changed rhythm indeed, and we dropped Chaves,” said Contador.

“I stayed in his wheel, but there was one moment where I preferred to stand up to not let the gap grow too big when I sat down. I took a deep breath and shifted and managed to close the gap.”

“That I could follow Froome is a sign that I am good, but we didn’t tackle a really long climb yet,” pointed out Contador, still cautious about how he will feel in the upcoming days. “But yeah, it’s still a pity that I lost time in Andorra, but we will keep taking this Vuelta day by day, and keep enjoying it. I feel quite well and, in general, I can say that normally I feel better every day. Let’s wait and see.”

Another summit finish awaits on Sunday’s ninth stage. “Tomorrow the finish is on another steep, short and explosive climb. I didn’t see it yet, but they told me Dumoulin won there before so I will take the opportunity to take a look at it tonight on the internet and other than that I will rest up for tomorrow,” said Contador.”

I will keep battling for that stage win; today the break made it till the end, so we keep taking it day by day. At the start this morning in Hellín it was just incredible and also here, in the last climb, with all the people along the road,” added Contador, overwhelmed by all the supporters in his last race. “I am really happy and grateful and I am really enjoying this all.”

More reactions as they come in …

The GC Battle So Far
The GC battle Vuelta so far. At the moment, after eight stages, Chris Froome leads Chaves by 28 seconds with Roche 41 seconds back, Nibabli 53 and Aru now over a minute (1.06)

But after the stage 1 TTT, Roche & Van Garderen led Froome by nine seconds. After stage 2, Froome was 21 seconds off the lead held by non GC rider Yves Lampaert and Roche and Van Garderen were already giving away time to Froome, their lead down to four seconds. At this point as well, Chaves was five seconds off Froome, Nibabli 14 secs, and Aru 32 seconds already.

Stage 3 saw Nibali hit back with a win and the GC was well and truly sorted now. Froome led Del la Cruz, Roche and Van Garderen by two seconds. Nibali was only 10 seconds off froomey, Chaves 11 whilst Aru was at 38 seconds.

Stage 4 and no change but stage 5 saw Froome take back more seconds and he now led Van Garderen by 10, Chaves by 11, Roche by 13 and Nibabli was now 36 seconds back. Aru had lost 49 seconds to Froome now.

Stage 6 and Chaves was second as he was showing he could match Froome and was still only 11 seconds off the Sky rider. Roche was doing alright too still on 13 whilst Van Garderen dropped back to 30, Nibabli remained on 36 seconds and Aru was still 49 seconds in arrears.

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Stage 7 and Chaves and Roche remained solid, still 11 and 13 seconds behind respectively. Van Garderen held his position as did Nibabli and Aru. Today, stage 8 however, the stress is starting to show on Froomes rivals with Chaves now 28 seconds back, Roche 41 and Nibali 53.

Van Garderen has almost doubled his deficit and Aru with over a minute lost, will hope he can out climb Froome on the big mountains. Other GC hopefuls like Adam Yates (1.18) and Simon Yates (2.34) are continuing to ;leak seconds to Froome whilst Contador is ruing his big loss as he takes seconds back here and there and shows great form.

Stage 8
 1. Julian Alaphilippe Quick-Step Floors
 2. Jan Polanc UAE Team Emirates             @0:02
 3. Rafał Majka BORA - hansgrohe
 4. Serge Pauwels Dimension Data             0:26
 5. Nelson Oliveira Movistar Team            0:28
 6. Michel Kreder Aqua Blue Sport            0:32
 7. Maxime Monfort Lotto Soudal
 8. Bart De Clercq Lotto Soudal              0:34
 9. Alberto Losada Team Katusha - Alpecin    0:37
 10. Emanuel Buchmann BORA - hansgrohe       1:04

13. Alberto Contador Trek - Segafredo        1:27
 14. Chris Froome Team Sky

16. Vincenzo Nibali Bahrain Merida           1:44
17. Fabio Aru Astana Pro Team
18. Ilnur Zakarin Team Katusha - Alpecin
19. Wout Poels Team Sky
20. Esteban Chaves ORICA-Scott

23. Adam Yates ORICA-Scott                    1:55
24. Michael Woods Cannondale-Drapac
25. Wilco Kelderman Team Sunweb
26. Nicolas Roche BMC Racing Team
27. David de la Cruz Quick-Step Floors
28. Sam Oomen Team Sunweb
29. Tejay van Garderen BMC
30. Louis Meintjes UAE Team Emirates

33. Steven Kruijswijk Team LottoNL-Jumbo       2:35
34. Simon Yates ORICA-Scott

41. Romain Bardet AG2R La Mondiale             2:48

Overall
 1. Chris Froome Team Sky
 2. Esteban Chaves ORICA-Scott                 0:28
 3. Nicolas Roche BMC Racing Team              0:41
 4. Vincenzo Nibali Bahrain Merida             0:53
 5. Tejay van Garderen BMC Racing Team         0:58
 6. Fabio Aru Astana Pro Team                  1:06
 7. David de la Cruz Quick-Step Floors         1:08
 8. Adam Yates ORICA-Scott                     1:18
 9. Michael Woods Cannondale-Drapac            1:41
 10. Ilnur Zakarin Team Katusha - Alpecin      1:57

12. Wilco Kelderman Team Sunweb                2:13
14. Simon Yates ORICA-Scott                    2:34
16. Sam Oomen Team Sunweb                      2:42
17. Alberto Contador  Trek - Segafredo         3:10
19. Louis Meintjes  UAE Team Emirates          3:23
28. Romain Bardet  AG2R La Mondiale            9:24

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