2013 Vuelta a España Standings after stage 8

Here is a look at the overall standings, and how they have changed over the last three stages. I first included the GC standings after stage 7, then stage 8, and finally stage 9. The final column on the stages-8 and 9 tables shows the number of places in the standings that each rider has gained or lost from the previous stage.

You can see who the big winners and losers were. For instance, on the stage-8 summit finish, most noticeable among the losers are Roman Kreuziger (who coughed up more than five minutes on Saturday’s climb to the finish, and dropped 26 places in the standings), and then Robert Kiserlovski and Bauke Mollema who dropped 15 and 12 places respectively.

Many riders were among the winners Saturday, including Nicolas Roche (who took over the race lead), Leopold Konig (up to 5^th place), Team Katusha (who moved Purito into the top 10, and Moreno into a podium position), and then Basso, Pinot and Pozzovivo (who all moved into the top 20).

More discussion after the tables…

GC STANDINGS AFTER  STAGE 7 (top 50)
Pos.	Name	Team	Time
1.	NIBALI, Vincenzo	ASTANA PRO TEAM	27h 29' 35''
2.	HORNER, Christopher	RADIOSHACK LEOPARD	+ 3''
3.	ROCHE, Nicolas	TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF	+ 8''
4.	ZUBELDIA, Haimar	RADIOSHACK LEOPARD	+ 16''
5.	VALVERDE, Alejandro	MOVISTAR TEAM	+ 21''
6.	KISERLOVSKI, Robert	RADIOSHACK LEOPARD	+ 26''
7.	URAN, Rigoberto	SKY PROCYCLING	+ 28''
8.	MORENO, Daniel	KATUSHA TEAM	+ 31''
9.	MAJKA, Rafal	TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF	+ 38''
10.	KREUZIGER, Roman	TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF	+ 42''
11.	HUZARSKI, Bartosz	TEAM NETAPP-ENDURA	+ 45''
12.	SANTAROMITA, Ivan	BMC RACING TEAM	+ 46''
13.	MOLLEMA, Bauke	BELKIN-PRO CYCLING TEAM	+ 48''
14.	KONIG, Leopold	TEAM NETAPP-ENDURA	+ 48''
15.	CAPECCHI, Eros	MOVISTAR TEAM	+ 52''
16.	RODRIGUEZ, Joaquin	KATUSHA TEAM	+ 53''
17.	SÖRENSEN, Chris Anker	TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF	+ 55''
18.	EIJSSEN, Yannick	BMC RACING TEAM	+ 59''
19.	ULISSI, Diego	LAMPRE-MERIDA	+ 1' 10''
20.	TEN DAM, Laurens	BELKIN-PRO CYCLING TEAM	+ 1' 12''
21.	SCARPONI, Michele	LAMPRE-MERIDA	+ 1' 15''
22.	SÁNCHEZ, Luis León	BELKIN-PRO CYCLING TEAM	+ 1' 16''
23.	SERRY, Pieter	OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP	+ 1' 21''
24.	ZAUGG, Oliver	TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF	+ 1' 30''
25.	NIEVE, Mikel	EUSKALTEL EUSKADI	+ 1' 30''
26.	KANGERT, Tanel	ASTANA PRO TEAM	+ 1' 30''
27.	BASSO, Ivan	CANNONDALE PRO CYCLING	+ 1' 32''
28.	MORENO, Javier	MOVISTAR TEAM	+ 1' 36''
29.	PINOT, Thibaut	FDJ.FR	+ 1' 41''
30.	POZZOVIVO, Domenico	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 1' 45''
31.	DE LA CRUZ, David	TEAM NETAPP-ENDURA	+ 1' 50''
32.	HERRADA, José	MOVISTAR TEAM	+ 1' 52''
33.	MENDES, José Joao	TEAM NETAPP-ENDURA	+ 1' 58''
34.	ELISSONDE, Kenny	FDJ.FR	+ 2' 02''
35.	BARGUIL, Warren	TEAM ARGOS-SHIMANO	+ 2' 03''
36.	DE CLERCQ, Bart	LOTTO BELISOL	+ 2' 23''
37.	BRAJKOVIC, Janez	ASTANA PRO TEAM	+ 2' 37''
38.	MARCZYNSKI, Tomasz	VACANSOLEIL-DCM	+ 2' 49''
39.	ARROYO, David	CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA	+ 2' 52''
40.	NERZ, Dominik	BMC RACING TEAM	+ 2' 57''
41.	HENAO, Sergio Luis	SKY PROCYCLING	+ 2' 59''
42.	NOCENTINI, Rinaldo	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 3' 37''
43.	MARTIN, Daniel	GARMIN SHARP	+ 3' 39''
44.	SZMYD, Sylvester	MOVISTAR TEAM	+ 3' 56''
45.	SÁNCHEZ, Samuel	EUSKALTEL EUSKADI	+ 3' 57''
46.	CARDOSO, Andre	CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA	+ 4' 32''
47.	COPPEL, Jerome	COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CRÉDITS	+ 5' 06''
48.	HERMANS, Ben	RADIOSHACK LEOPARD	+ 5' 13''
49.	ANTON, Igor	EUSKALTEL EUSKADI	+ 5' 42''
50.	BAGOT, Yohann	COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CRÉDITS	+ 6' 02''

  

 

GC STANDINGS AFTER  STAGE 8 (top 40)
Pos.	Name	Team	Time	Pos. Change
1.	ROCHE, Nicolas	TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF	31h 39' 30''	+2
2.	HORNER, Christopher	RADIOSHACK LEOPARD	+ 17''	--
3.	MORENO, Daniel	KATUSHA TEAM	+ 17''	+5
4.	NIBALI, Vincenzo	ASTANA PRO TEAM	+ 18''	-3
5.	KONIG, Leopold	TEAM NETAPP-ENDURA	+ 29''	+9
6.	ZUBELDIA, Haimar	RADIOSHACK LEOPARD	+ 30''	-2
7.	VALVERDE, Alejandro	MOVISTAR TEAM	+ 31''	-2
8.	URAN, Rigoberto	SKY PROCYCLING	+ 42''	-1
9.	MAJKA, Rafal	TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF	+ 52''	--
10.	RODRIGUEZ, Joaquin	KATUSHA TEAM	+ 1' 03''	+6
11.	SANTAROMITA, Ivan	BMC RACING TEAM	+ 1' 17''	+1
12.	BASSO, Ivan	CANNONDALE PRO CYCLING	+ 1' 28''	+15
13.	PINOT, Thibaut	FDJ.FR	+ 1' 37''	+16
14.	CAPECCHI, Eros	MOVISTAR TEAM	+ 1' 42''	+1
15.	POZZOVIVO, Domenico	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+ 1' 59''	+15
16.	KANGERT, Tanel	ASTANA PRO TEAM	+ 2' 01''	+10
17.	TEN DAM, Laurens	BELKIN-PRO CYCLING TEAM	+ 2' 02''	+3
18.	SCARPONI, Michele	LAMPRE-MERIDA	+ 2' 03''	+3
19.	DE CLERCQ, Bart	LOTTO BELISOL	+ 2' 22''	+17
20.	BARGUIL, Warren	TEAM ARGOS-SHIMANO	+ 2' 25''	+15
21.	KISERLOVSKI, Robert	RADIOSHACK LEOPARD	+ 2' 31''	-15
22.	DE LA CRUZ, David	TEAM NETAPP-ENDURA	+ 2' 40''	+9
23.	HERRADA, José	MOVISTAR TEAM	+ 2' 42''	+9
24.	SÖRENSEN, Chris Anker	TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF	+ 3' 00''	-7
25.	MOLLEMA, Bauke	BELKIN-PRO CYCLING TEAM	+ 3' 12''	-12
26.	HENAO, Sergio Luis	SKY PROCYCLING	+ 3' 17''	+15
27.	ARROYO, David	CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA	+ 3' 23''	+12
28.	NERZ, Dominik	BMC RACING TEAM	+ 3' 43''	+12
29.	MENDES, José Joao	TEAM NETAPP-ENDURA	+ 3' 54''	+4
30.	BRAJKOVIC, Janez	ASTANA PRO TEAM	+ 4' 07''	+7
31.	NIEVE, Mikel	EUSKALTEL EUSKADI	+ 4' 24''	-6
32.	ELISSONDE, Kenny	FDJ.FR	+ 4' 26''	+2
33.	SÁNCHEZ, Samuel	EUSKALTEL EUSKADI	+ 4' 28''	+12
34.	SERRY, Pieter	OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP	+ 5' 07''	-11
35.	ANTON, Igor	EUSKALTEL EUSKADI	+ 5' 46''	+14
36.	KREUZIGER, Roman	TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF	+ 6' 00''	-26
37.	MORENO, Javier	MOVISTAR TEAM	+ 6' 04''	-9
38.	CARDOSO, Andre	CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA	+ 6' 17''	+16
39.	BAGOT, Yohann	COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CRÉDITS	+ 6' 33''	+11
40.	MARCZYNSKI, Tomasz	VACANSOLEIL-DCM	+ 6' 35''	-2

 

Stage 9 standings are on the way…

Preview of stages 8 to 10 2013 Vuelta a España

Three consecutive uphill finishes coming up on stages 8-10 before the stage-11 time trial.

Stage 8 on the map

Stage 8 Saturday is a big summit finish on the Alto de Peñas Blancas. The climb is 14.5k averaging 6.6%, with a maximum gradient of 12.5%. It rises almost a thousand meters in that span, and is a category 1 climb.

Stage 8 Profile

Final cat-1 climb of stage 8

As you can see in the profile, the climb is steep at the bottom, then levels off a bit for a couple kilometers before kicking up again for nine long kilometers to the summit.

The GC contenders will have a good battle on Saturday.

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Stage 9 Profile

Stage 9 final 5k

Stage 9 on Sunday is a good opportunity for a breakaway. The category 2 climb at km142 is 6.1% average and tops out about 16.2k from the finish. The last kilometer tilts up to the finish line.

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Stage 10 Profile

Stage 10's two tough climbs

Stage 10 ends with two big, painful climbs. The final climb to the finish is 15.8k long, but pay no attention to the average gradient. It includes the 3 kilometers of flat and descending road that precedes the real beast. The final 7+ kms are very steep, with max gradients approaching 20%. The first rest day follows, so stage 10 should see a good battle among the GC guys.

Pick your favorite climbers. The big steep finishes will offer guys like Purito and Pozzovivo a chance to gain back some lost time. I think Valverde and Uran should also shine this weekend. It will good to see if Horner and Roche and especially Zubeldia can keep their high places after these climbs.

My pick for stage 8: Domenico Pozzovivo

Stage 6 Preview 2013 Vuelta a España

I regret that I am unable to commit as much time this month to blogging about the Vuelta a España as I did for the previous tours. But I hope everyone is enjoying the race, and I will post when I can. Here's what I've got today:

Stage 6 heads south

First, I am happy that Time Warner Cable did something good for what seems like the first time ever, and finally made a deal last month to bring Universal Sports onto my channel lineup, so I can watch the Vuelta on TV in HD.  Of course it is part of the extended sports package I started paying for when the Giro d’Italia started being covered by beIN TV in the spring. I am not intentionally plugging these networks, just throwing the info out there in case anyone is looking for TV coverage in their area.

 

Matthews nabs a stage win in his first Grand Tour

So stage 5 went down as expected, with the peloton catching the five-man break, and Orica’s Michael Matthews taking the stage win ahead of Maximiliano Richeze and Gianni Meersman, and most of the Vuelta’s other few dedicated sprinters. The Argos train put on another powerful display, delivering Niklas Arndt to a perfect finishing position, but the speed of Orica’s 22-year old Matthews was too much for anyone on Wednesday.

 

Stage 6 Profile

The final 5k finish route

Without a single categorized climb on the course and a flat finish, Thursday’s stage 6 from Guijuelo to Cáceres should end in another bunch sprint, one even more amenable to the fast men than stage 5. There are half a dozen turns for the riders to negotiate in the final four kilometers, the last one is about 500m from the line, so that should make for a decent stretch to get up to speed on. Look for the same gaggle of sprinters to contest the finish.

Last 5k of stage 6

 Stage 5’s top ten finishers were all sprinters. But the 11^th through 20^th place finishers included seven climbers/GC contenders. That demonstrates first of all how important it is for the overall contenders to stay in front and out of trouble in a fast finish, but also how few sprinters have come to pick over the few trimmings available to them on this parcours. 

I expect tomorrow’s top ten to look a lot like today’s. Favorites will again be Matthews and Meersman, but Richeze and Arndt have thrown their names in to the mix as well. I think Matthews could win again, but predicting him would be no fun, so my prediction for stage 6 is that Tyler Farrar will improve his result to a podium finish.

Stage 3 Report and Stage 4 Preview 2013 Vuelta a España

The favorites for the General Classification at the 68^th Vuelta a España found the short uphill finish of stage 3 too inviting to be left to the uphill sprinters, as some pundits claimed might be the case today. Team Radioshack’s 41-year-old American climber, Chris Horner, won the stage on a late attack on the final climb, claiming his first ever Grand Tour stage win, and first ever GT leader’s jersey.

Chris Horner made history on stage 3

The win also makes Horner the oldest rider ever to win a GT stage and the oldest ever to lead a Grand Tour. Horner had won the queen stage at the Tour of Utah a couple weeks ago, but had struggled through much of the season with a lingering knee injury. Five months away from racing in the heart of the 2013 season does not seem to have prevented the great American talent from finding his top form again just 58 days from his 42^nd birthday. Relatively easy stage profiles for the next four stages suggest that Horner could potentially keep the red jersey for several more days.

Stage 4 on the map

Stage 4 to Fisterra on Tuesday takes the riders 189 kilometers to the end of the world. “La etapa del fin del mundo” is so named because the peninsula hosting the stage finish is the westernmost point in mainland Spain. A bumpy rolling route, stage 4 heads generally westward to another small uphill ramp to the finish. Half the size of stsage 3’s finish climb, the stage 4 finale climbs about 100 meters over 2.5k. This is the stage for the strong, uphill sprinters. 

The stage-4 route to "the end of the world"

The finale peninsula

Stage4 Profile

Profile of the final 5k of stage 4

Stage 4 is a tough stage to pick a winner, as a lot of riders will have marked this one down as a good one to go for. World Champion Philippe Gilbert might target this one for his first win of the season. Also look for the likes of Michael Matthews, Gianni Meersman, Simon Gerrans, Angel Vicioso, Juan Antonio Flecha, Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Jelle Vanendert, Daniele Ratto, Johnny Hoogerland, Grega Bole, Zdenek Stybar, Anthony Roux, or Luis Leon Sanchez to go for glory on Tuesday. Maybe Fabian Cancellara will treat us to an escape attempt tomorrow. Spartacus has enjoyed testing his legs on stages like this in the past.

My pick to win stage 3, Roman Kreuziger, finished 22^nd, with the second group of favorites behind Horner, :13 back. [though I was ecstatic to see Horner get the win today].

My long shot pick, Huzarski, finished in the same group. He was 18^th on stage 3.

My pick for stage 4: I like Grega Bole and Anthony Roux (among others) here, but I am going with Gianni Meersman of Omega Pharma-Quickstep.

For a long shot I’ll pick 21-year-old Warren Barguil of Argos Shimano. The young Frenchman has not produced much in the way of personal results this year, but he is riding well so far in the Vuelta, and looks to be in good form.