cycling: Vuelta a Espana Stage #8: Quintana captures red as Lagutin wins

Cycling: On the 8th stage of the Vuelta a Espana there was another success for the escapees. Sergey Lagutin (Katusha) along with ten other riders broke away from the peloton early and proved to be the best on the final climb. In the favourites, Nairo Quintana (Movistar) broke time on his rivals, conquering red and Darwin Atapuma (BMC) had a pitch black day.

Eleven escapees in the fight for the stage win

Today, the 181,5th stage of the Vuelta a Espana took the riders over 8 km from Villalpando to Valle de Sabero. Of course, this section was classified as a mountain stage, but the Alto de La Camperona is the only mountain classification of the day and it only started around 8,5 km from the finish. With an average gradient of 7,4 percent and a maximum gradient of 25 percent, it is considered one of the toughest mountains of this year's Vuelta a Espana. However, the approach to this category 1 mountain was completely flat. An eleven-man lead group pulled away from there and was able to gain a lead of around nine minutes by the foot of the final climb. The stage win should therefore go to the breakaway today. Axel Domont (AG2R), Sergey Lagutin (Katusha), Zico Waeytens (Giant-Alpecin), Pieter Serry (Etixx-Quick Step), Jhonatan Restrepo (Katusha), Mattia Cattaneo (Lampre-Merida), Loic Chetout fought for victory (Cofidis), Gatis Smukulis (Astana), Jacques Janse van Rensburg (Dimension Data), Scott Thwaits (Bora-Argon 18) and Perrig Quemeneur (Direct Energie). The big fight for the stage victory started quite early, because Restrepo was able to break away right at the beginning and initially extend his lead over his pursuers. But then Domont, Serry, Quemeneur and teammate Lagutin caught up to him. On the last steep ramp a few hundred meters before the finish, Lagutin attacked, who was able to secure the stage victory and thus the lead in the mountains classification.

Quintana distances his competitors and takes on red

While the eleven escapees fought for the stage win, the second race took place at the back of the peloton. There, however, it was not about the stage win, but about the red jersey of Darwin Atapuma (BMC). The Colombian lost this virtually in the first attack by Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) when he could no longer follow the pace. Chris Froome (Sky) was also unable to keep up at first, but as with the previous mountain stages, he was able to reconnect. Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) and Nairo Quintana (Movistar) were then back in the group of favourites. Suddenly Valverde had his problems. Froome attacked, but he couldn't shake Contador and Quintana. Quintana felt his good legs well and dismounted. He was able to distance all his pursuers, of which even Contador turned out to be the strongest with a deficit of 26 seconds. Valverde was also able to catch up with Froome, who ultimately overreached himself and lost 35 seconds. Nairo Quintana takes over the overall leader's jersey and Alberto Contador has redeemed himself somewhat with this good performance. Darwin Atapuma, who finished more than two minutes behind Quintana, will be very disappointed.

Vuelta a Espana Stage #8 – The daily standings:

Vuelta a Espana Stage #8 – Overall standings: