Previous Vueltas | 2013 Vuelta | 2015 Vuelta |

2014 Vuelta statistics | Start List | Teams Presentations Photos |

Stage 1|Stage 2|Stage3|Stage 4|Stage 5|Stage 6|Stage 7|Stage 8|Stage 9|Rest Day 1|Stage 10|Stage 11|Stage12|Stage 13|Stage14|Stage 15|Stage 16|Rest Day 2|Stage 17|Stage 18|Stage 19|Stage 20|Stage 21|

---

21st and Final stage, Sunday, Sept 14: Santiago de Compostela - Santiago de Compostela 9.7 km individual time trial

Stage 21 Map and profile | Stage 21 photos |

Adriano Malori was the day's fastest rider. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: For the big GC guys who started late in the day, today was a day to avoid disaster. With rain coming down as the stage progressed the later starters had to ride the flat, technical course on wet, slippery streets. For that reason, riders who are well known to be superb time trialists, like Chris Froome and Alberto Contador, rode cautiously and finished well down in time from stage winner Adriano Malori.

Contador was 101st, but that was quite good enough to preserve his overall lead. He is the 2014 Vuelta a España champion. Christopher Froome's 63rd place kept him in second place overall, 70 seconds behind Contador.

Though Contador crashed out of the Tour de France with a broken Tibia, his recovery was remarkable and every day in the Vuelta exhibited ever-improving form. Froome also had to leave the Tour with broken bones, but he never found the ability to master Contador consistently in the high mountains.

Complete Stage 21 results:

1	Adriano Malori	Movistar Team	11min 12sec
2	Jesse Sergent	Trek Factory Racing	@ 8 seconds
3	Rohan Dennis	BMC Racing Team	+ 9''
4	Vasil Kiryienka	Team SKY	+ 17''
5	Jimmy Engoulvent	Team Europcar
6	Sergei Chernetski	Team Katusha	+ 18''
7	Maciej Bodnar	Cannondale Pro Cycling
8	Alexey Lutsenko	Astana Pro Team
9	Jasper Stuyven	Trek Factory Racing
10	Damien Gaudin	AG2R La Mondiale
11	Kristof Vandewalle	Trek Factory Racing	+ 19''
12	Daniele Bennati	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 21''
13	Sam Bewley	Orica GreenEdge	+ 22''
14	Nikias Arndt	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 24''
15	Patrick Gretsch	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 27''
16	Gregory Henderson	Lotto Belisol	+ 28''
17	Gert Joeaar	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 29''
18	Fabio Felline	Trek Factory Racing	+ 30''
19	Vegard Breen	Lotto Belisol	+ 38''
20	John Degenkolb	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 39''
21	Adam Yates	Orica GreenEdge	+ 40''
22	Luke Rowe	Team SKY
23	Michael Valgren Andersen	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 44''
24	Jaco Venter	MTN - Qhubeka
25	Dmitry Kozontchuk	Team Katusha	+ 46''
26	Wouter Poels	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 47''
27	Yaroslav Popovych	Trek Factory Racing
28	Maarten Tjallingii	Belkin Pro Cycling Team
29	Valerio Conti	Lampre Merida	+ 52''
30	Tobias Ludvigsson	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 54''
31	Jonathan Fumeaux	IAM Cycling
32	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 55''
33	Geoffrey Soupe	FDJ.fr
34	Antonio Piedra	Caja Rural Seguros RGA
35	Robert Wagner	Belkin Pro Cycling Team
36	Johan Van Summeren	Garmin Sharp	+ 56''
37	Pirmin Lang	IAM Cycling
38	Luis Mas Bonet	Caja Rural Seguros RGA
39	Nikolas Maes	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 58''
40	Sébastien Turgot	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 59''
41	Pim Ligthart	Lotto Belisol	+ 1' 00''
42	Martin Velits	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step
43	Paolo Longo Borghini	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 1' 01''
44	Javier Moreno	Movistar Team
45	George Bennett	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 1' 02''
46	Karol Domagalski	Caja Rural Seguros RGA
47	Jay Robert Thomson	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 1' 03''
48	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team
49	Chad Haga	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 1' 04''
50	Maximiliano Ariel Richeze	Lampre Merida	+ 1' 05''
51	Martijn Keizer	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 1' 05''
52	Stef Clement	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 1' 06''
53	Rinaldo Nocentini	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 1' 07''
54	Carlos Alberto Betancur	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 1' 08''
55	Wilco Kelderman	Belkin Pro Cycling Team
56	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha
57	Manuel Quinziato	BMC Racing Team	+ 1' 09''
58	Yohan Bagot	Cofidis Solutions Crédits
59	Vincent Jerome	Team Europcar	+ 1' 10''
60	Sébastien Hinault	IAM Cycling	+ 1' 11''
61	Matteo Tosatto	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 1' 12''
62	Matthias Krizek	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 1' 13''
63	Christopher Froome	Team SKY
64	Francesco Lasca	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	+ 1' 14''
65	Sander Armee	Lotto Belisol
66	Johan Le Bon	FDJ.fr
67	Koldo Fernández	Garmin Sharp	+ 1' 15''
68	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling
69	Yauheni Hutarovich	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 1' 16''
70	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 1' 17''
71	Elia Favilli	Lampre Merida	+ 1' 21''
72	Michael Matthews	Orica GreenEdge	+ 1' 22''
73	Jens Debusschere	Lotto Belisol	+ 1' 23''
74	Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez	Lampre Merida	+ 1' 24''
75	Natnael Berhane	Team Europcar	+ 1' 26''
76	Ramon Sinkeldam	Team Giant - Shimano
77	Sergio Miguel Paulinho	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 1' 27''
78	Imanol Erviti	Movistar Team
79	Marcel Aregger	IAM Cycling
80	Andrea Guardini	Astana Pro Team	+ 1' 29''
81	Maxime Monfort	Lotto Belisol
82	Amets Txurruka	Caja Rural Seguros RGA
83	Romain Sicard	Team Europcar	+ 1' 31''
84	Johannes Fröhlinger	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 1' 32''
85	Daniel Navarro	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 1' 33''
86	Roberto Ferrari	Lampre Merida
87	Andrey Amador	Movistar Team
88	Jacopo Guarnieri	Astana Pro Team	+ 1' 34''
89	Merhawi Kudus Ghebremedhin	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 1' 35''
90	Mikel Nieve	Team SKY
91	Guillaume Boivin	Cannondale Pro Cycling
92	Lawrence Warbasse	BMC Racing Team	+ 1' 36''
93	Maxime Mederel	Team Europcar	+ 1' 37''
94	Kristian Sbaragli	MTN - Qhubeka
95	Jerome Cousin	Team Europcar	+ 1' 38''
96	Jonathan Castroviejo	Movistar Team	+ 1' 39''
97	David Millar	Garmin Sharp
98	Przemyslaw Niemiec	Lampre Merida
99	Peio Bilbao	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	+ 1' 40''
100	Danilo Wyss	BMC Racing Team
101	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo
102	Dan Craven	Team Europcar
103	Nathan Brown	Garmin Sharp	+ 1' 41''
104	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team
105	Dominik Nerz	BMC Racing Team	+ 1' 42''
106	Gerald Ciolek	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 1' 43''
107	Gorka Izagirre	Movistar Team
108	Laurent Mangel	FDJ.fr	+ 1' 44''
109	Bart De Clercq	Lotto Belisol
110	Oliver Zaugg	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 1' 45''
111	Carlos Verona	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step
112	Louis Meintjes	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 1' 47''
113	Alessandro De Marchi	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 1' 49''
114	Mitchell Docker	Orica GreenEdge	+ 1' 51''
115	Philip Deignan	Team SKY
116	Damiano Cunego	Lampre Merida
117	Guillaume Levarlet	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 1' 52''
118	Daniel Teklehaimanot	MTN - Qhubeka
119	Adam Hansen	Lotto Belisol
120	Luis Angel Mate	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 1' 53''
121	Vicente Reynes	IAM Cycling
122	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp	+ 1' 54''
123	Hubert Dupont	AG2R La Mondiale
124	Cadel Evans	BMC Racing Team
125	Romain Zingle	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 1' 55''
126	Alberto Losada	Team Katusha	+ 1' 57''
127	Andrew Talansky	Garmin Sharp
128	Nathan Haas	Garmin Sharp	+ 1' 58''
129	Romain Hardy	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 1' 59''
130	Yannick Martinez	Team Europcar
131	Esteban Chaves	Orica GreenEdge
132	Daniel Moreno	Team Katusha
133	Simon Clarke	Orica GreenEdge
134	Kanstantsin Siutsou	Team SKY	+ 2' 03''
135	Jerome Coppel	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 2' 04''
136	León Sánchez Luis	Caja Rural Seguros RGA
137	Giampaolo Caruso	Team Katusha	+ 2' 07''
138	Yury Trofimov	Team Katusha	+ 2' 08''
139	Alexandr Kolobnev	Team Katusha	+ 2' 11''
140	Ryder Hesjedal	Garmin Sharp
141	Paolo Tiralongo	Astana Pro Team	+ 2' 12''
142	Francisco Javier Aramendia	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	+ 2' 13''
143	Peter Kennaugh	Team SKY	+ 2' 15''
144	Winner Anacona	Lampre Merida
145	Paul Martens	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 2' 20''
146	Philippe Gilbert	BMC Racing Team	+ 2' 21''
147	Andre Fernando Cardoso	Garmin Sharp
148	José Herrada	Movistar Team	+ 2' 22''
149	Jesús Hernández	Tinkoff - Saxo
150	Cédric Pineau	FDJ.fr	+ 2' 23''
151	Mikel Landa	Astana Pro Team	+ 2' 24''
152	Sergio Pardilla	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 2' 25''
153	David Arroyo	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	+ 2' 27''
154	Laurens Ten Dam	Belkin Pro Cycling Team
155	Christophe Le Mevel	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 2' 28''
156	Eduard Vorganov	Team Katusha	+ 2' 38''
157	Chris Anker Sörensen	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 2' 41''
158	Andrey Zeits	Astana Pro Team	+ 2' 42''
159	Jacques Van Rensburg	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 2' 43''

Final GC after Stage 21: 3,239.9 km raced at an average speed of 39.79 km/hr

1	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	81hr 25min 5sec
2	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	@ 1min 10sec
3	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 1' 50''
4	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 3' 25''
5	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 4' 48''
6	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 9' 30''
7	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp	+ 10' 38''
8	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 11' 50''
9	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 12' 50''
10	Daniel Navarro	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 13' 02''
11	Daniel Moreno	Team Katusha	+ 16' 44''
12	Mikel Nieve	Team SKY	+ 19' 54''
13	Romain Sicard	Team Europcar	+ 24' 20''
14	Wilco Kelderman	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 25' 04''
15	Giampaolo Caruso	Team Katusha	+ 25' 27''
16	Maxime Monfort	Lotto Belisol	+ 29' 52''
17	Sergio Pardilla	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 32' 00''
18	Dominik Nerz	BMC Racing Team	+ 37' 25''
19	Angel Mate Luis	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 42' 04''
20	David Arroyo	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	+ 52' 51''
21	Jesús Hernández	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 55' 06''
22	Christophe Le Mevel	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 55' 53''
23	Oliver Zaugg	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 57' 28''
24	Ryder Hesjedal	Garmin Sharp	+ 1h 05' 25''
25	Andre Fernando Cardoso	Garmin Sharp	+ 1h 07' 37''
26	Przemyslaw Niemiec	Lampre Merida	+ 1h 11' 31''
27	Winner Anacona	Lampre Merida	+ 1h 11' 34''
28	Mikel Landa	Astana Pro Team	+ 1h 11' 52''
29	Chris Anker Sörensen	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 1h 23' 47''
30	Andrey Amador	Movistar Team	+ 1h 30' 29''
31	Jerome Coppel	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 1h 34' 08''
32	José Herrada	Movistar Team	+ 1h 37' 22''
33	Paolo Tiralongo	Astana Pro Team	+ 1h 37' 47''
34	Bart De Clercq	Lotto Belisol	+ 1h 41' 09''
35	Maxime Mederel	Team Europcar	+ 1h 41' 12''
36	Danilo Wyss	BMC Racing Team	+ 1h 43' 06''
37	Gorka Izagirre	Movistar Team	+ 1h 43' 48''
38	Wouter Poels	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 1h 46' 07''
39	Philip Deignan	Team SKY	+ 1h 48' 53''
40	Alexandr Kolobnev	Team Katusha	+ 1h 50' 51''
41	Esteban Chaves	Orica GreenEdge	+ 1h 51' 41''
42	Alberto Losada	Team Katusha	+ 1h 54' 20''
43	Kanstantsin Siutsou	Team SKY	+ 1h 57' 37''
44	Laurens Ten Dam	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 1h 58' 47''
45	Philippe Gilbert	BMC Racing Team	+ 1h 59' 36''
46	Eduard Vorganov	Team Katusha	+ 2h 00' 04''
47	Daniel Teklehaimanot	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 2h 01' 38''
48	Amets Txurruka	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	+ 2h 04' 13''
49	Guillaume Levarlet	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 2h 06' 36''
50	Andrey Zeits	Astana Pro Team	+ 2h 07' 00''
51	Andrew Talansky	Garmin Sharp	+ 2h 13' 46''
52	Cadel Evans	BMC Racing Team	+ 2h 15' 24''
53	Adam Hansen	Lotto Belisol	+ 2h 15' 25''
54	Hubert Dupont	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 2h 18' 33''
55	Louis Meintjes	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 2h 19' 15''
56	León Sánchez Luis	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	+ 2h 21' 17''
57	Sergio Miguel Paulinho	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 2h 21' 35''
58	Paul Martens	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 2h 24' 50''
59	Jacques Van Rensburg	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 2h 29' 38''
60	Peio Bilbao	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	+ 2h 30' 42''
61	Vicente Reynes	IAM Cycling	+ 2h 38' 15''
62	Tobias Ludvigsson	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 2h 39' 09''
63	Imanol Erviti	Movistar Team	+ 2h 40' 02''
64	Romain Hardy	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 2h 41' 27''
65	Jonathan Castroviejo	Movistar Team	+ 2h 43' 30''
66	Carlos Verona	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 2h 46' 03''
67	Alessandro De Marchi	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 2h 46' 04''
68	Manuel Quinziato	BMC Racing Team	+ 2h 47' 07''
69	Stef Clement	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 2h 50' 12''
70	Simon Clarke	Orica GreenEdge	+ 2h 50' 34''
71	Peter Kennaugh	Team SKY	+ 2h 53' 30''
72	Yury Trofimov	Team Katusha	+ 2h 56' 26''
73	Chad Haga	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 3h 00' 24''
74	Lawrence Warbasse	BMC Racing Team	+ 3h 00' 48''
75	Michael Matthews	Orica GreenEdge	+ 3h 02' 43''
76	Damiano Cunego	Lampre Merida	+ 3h 04' 25''
77	Cédric Pineau	FDJ.fr	+ 3h 07' 43''
78	Jerome Cousin	Team Europcar	+ 3h 08' 26''
79	Johan Le Bon	FDJ.fr	+ 3h 08' 57''
80	Martijn Keizer	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 3h 09' 09''
81	Yannick Martinez	Team Europcar	+ 3h 09' 21''
82	Adam Yates	Orica GreenEdge	+ 3h 11' 27''
83	Romain Zingle	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 3h 11' 48''
84	Rohan Dennis	BMC Racing Team	+ 3h 12' 44''
85	Nathan Brown	Garmin Sharp	+ 3h 14' 12''
86	Koldo Fernández	Garmin Sharp	+ 3h 15' 57''
87	Kristof Vandewalle	Trek Factory Racing	+ 3h 17' 15''
88	Jasper Stuyven	Trek Factory Racing	+ 3h 17' 16''
89	George Bennett	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 3h 17' 54''
90	Javier Moreno	Movistar Team	+ 3h 22' 38''
91	Vincent Jerome	Team Europcar	+ 3h 23' 00''
92	Merhawi Kudus Ghebremedhin	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 3h 23' 14''
93	Jose Rodolfo Serpa	Lampre Merida	+ 3h 27' 25''
94	Geoffrey Soupe	FDJ.fr	+ 3h 28' 48''
95	Dmitry Kozontchuk	Team Katusha	+ 3h 28' 49''
96	Rinaldo Nocentini	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 3h 32' 16''
97	Johannes Fröhlinger	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 3h 32' 39''
98	Francisco Javier Aramendia	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	+ 3h 33' 12''
99	Antonio Piedra	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	+ 3h 33' 54''
100	Alexey Lutsenko	Astana Pro Team	+ 3h 35' 42''
101	Paolo Longo Borghini	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 3h 38' 05''
102	Nikias Arndt	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 3h 38' 13''
103	Sander Armee	Lotto Belisol	+ 3h 38' 51''
104	Kristian Sbaragli	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 3h 39' 25''
105	Fabio Felline	Trek Factory Racing	+ 3h 39' 25''
106	Sébastien Hinault	IAM Cycling	+ 3h 39' 43''
107	Jens Debusschere	Lotto Belisol	+ 3h 40' 58''
108	Daniele Bennati	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 3h 46' 15''
109	Elia Favilli	Lampre Merida	+ 3h 46' 51''
110	Vasil Kiryienka	Team SKY	+ 3h 47' 48''
111	Nikolas Maes	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 3h 48' 00''
112	Valerio Conti	Lampre Merida	+ 3h 48' 01''
113	Sergei Chernetski	Team Katusha	+ 3h 50' 42''
114	Adriano Malori	Movistar Team	+ 3h 50' 52''
115	Yaroslav Popovych	Trek Factory Racing	+ 3h 51' 34''
116	John Degenkolb	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 3h 51' 37''
117	Marcel Aregger	IAM Cycling	+ 3h 51' 48''
118	Johan Van Summeren	Garmin Sharp	+ 3h 52' 21''
119	Yohan Bagot	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 3h 54' 14''
120	Matteo Tosatto	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 3h 55' 01''
121	Luis Mas Bonet	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	+ 3h 57' 07''
122	Maciej Bodnar	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 4h 00' 23''
123	Jaco Venter	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 4h 01' 04''
124	Karol Domagalski	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	+ 4h 03' 11''
125	Matthias Krizek	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 4h 03' 19''
126	Patrick Gretsch	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 4h 04' 32''
127	Pim Ligthart	Lotto Belisol	+ 4h 08' 30''
128	Michael Valgren Andersen	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 4h 09' 18''
129	Vegard Breen	Lotto Belisol	+ 4h 11' 54''
130	Martin Velits	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 4h 15' 08''
131	Jesse Sergent	Trek Factory Racing	+ 4h 15' 10''
132	Damien Gaudin	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 4h 16' 59''
133	Gregory Henderson	Lotto Belisol	+ 4h 18' 33''
134	Yauheni Hutarovich	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 4h 19' 04''
135	Sam Bewley	Orica GreenEdge	+ 4h 19' 58''
136	Ramon Sinkeldam	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 4h 20' 05''
137	Maarten Tjallingii	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 4h 23' 51''
138	Maximiliano Ariel Richeze	Lampre Merida	+ 4h 24' 33''
139	Gerald Ciolek	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 4h 26' 37''
140	Dan Craven	Team Europcar	+ 4h 27' 05''
141	Luke Rowe	Team SKY	+ 4h 27' 51''
142	Jonathan Fumeaux	IAM Cycling	+ 4h 28' 55''
143	Nathan Haas	Garmin Sharp	+ 4h 29' 11''
144	David Millar	Garmin Sharp	+ 4h 33' 28''
145	Roberto Ferrari	Lampre Merida	+ 4h 35' 14''
146	Pirmin Lang	IAM Cycling	+ 4h 36' 02''
147	Mitchell Docker	Orica GreenEdge	+ 4h 37' 10''
148	Natnael Berhane	Team Europcar	+ 4h 39' 01''
149	Guillaume Boivin	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 4h 41' 16''
150	Jacopo Guarnieri	Astana Pro Team	+ 4h 44' 59''
151	Robert Wagner	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 4h 47' 08''
152	Gert Joeaar	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 4h 47' 19''
153	Laurent Mangel	FDJ.fr	+ 4h 49' 48''
154	Sébastien Turgot	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 4h 51' 45''
155	Jay Robert Thomson	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 4h 51' 54''
156	Francesco Lasca	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	+ 4h 53' 04''
157	Jimmy Engoulvent	Team Europcar	+ 5h 01' 15''
158	Carlos Alberto Betancur	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 5h 13' 39''
159	Andrea Guardini	Astana Pro Team	+ 5h 22' 23''

Final Points Classification:

1	John Degenkolb	Team Giant - Shimano	169 points
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	146
3	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	145
4	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	139
5	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	117
6	Michael Matthews	Orica GreenEdge	105
7	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	103
8	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp	85
9	Jasper Stuyven	Trek Factory Racing	71
10	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling	61
11	Daniel Navarro	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	60
12	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	56
13	Ryder Hesjedal	Garmin Sharp	55
14	Daniel Moreno	Team Katusha	48
15	Roberto Ferrari	Lampre Merida	44
16	Alessandro De Marchi	Cannondale Pro Cycling	43
17	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	38
18	Wilco Kelderman	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	36
19	Przemyslaw Niemiec	Lampre Merida	34
20	Yannick Martinez	Team Europcar	34
21	Vicente Reynes	IAM Cycling	34
22	Adam Hansen	Lotto Belisol	33
23	Alexey Lutsenko	Astana Pro Team	33
24	Paul Martens	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	33
25	Philippe Gilbert	BMC Racing Team	31
26	Winner Anacona	Lampre Merida	28
27	Alexandr Kolobnev	Team Katusha	28
28	Jesse Sergent	Trek Factory Racing	27
29	Adriano Malori	Movistar Team	26
30	Pim Ligthart	Lotto Belisol	26
31	Vasil Kiryienka	Team SKY	25
32	Rohan Dennis	BMC Racing Team	23
33	Damiano Cunego	Lampre Merida	21
34	Geoffrey Soupe	FDJ.fr	21
35	Jerome Coppel	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	20
36	Oliver Zaugg	Tinkoff - Saxo	20
37	Cadel Evans	BMC Racing Team	20
38	Jacopo Guarnieri	Astana Pro Team	20
39	Peio Bilbao	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	19
40	Hubert Dupont	AG2R La Mondiale	18
41	Yauheni Hutarovich	AG2R La Mondiale	18
42	Imanol Erviti	Movistar Team	16
43	Kristian Sbaragli	MTN - Qhubeka	16
44	Gregory Henderson	Lotto Belisol	16
45	Giampaolo Caruso	Team Katusha	15
46	Danilo Wyss	BMC Racing Team	15
47	Jimmy Engoulvent	Team Europcar	15
48	Elia Favilli	Lampre Merida	14
49	Valerio Conti	Lampre Merida	14
50	Javier Moreno	Movistar Team	14
51	Luis Mas Bonet	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	13
52	Wouter Poels	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	12
53	Sergio Pardilla	MTN - Qhubeka	12
54	Louis Meintjes	MTN - Qhubeka	12
55	Francesco Lasca	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	12
56	Romain Sicard	Team Europcar	11
57	David Arroyo	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	11
58	Bart De Clercq	Lotto Belisol	11
59	Romain Hardy	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	11
60	Mikel Nieve	Team SKY	10
61	Koldo Fernández	Garmin Sharp	10
62	Sergei Chernetski	Team Katusha	10
63	Robert Wagner	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	10
64	Jacques Van Rensburg	MTN - Qhubeka	9
65	Esteban Chaves	Orica GreenEdge	9
66	Maciej Bodnar	Cannondale Pro Cycling	9
67	Matthias Krizek	Cannondale Pro Cycling	8
68	Damien Gaudin	AG2R La Mondiale	8
69	Carlos Verona	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	7
70	Daniele Bennati	Tinkoff - Saxo	7
71	Guillaume Boivin	Cannondale Pro Cycling	7
72	Nikias Arndt	Team Giant - Shimano	6
73	Kristof Vandewalle	Trek Factory Racing	6
74	Francisco Javier Aramendia	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	6
75	Fabio Felline	Trek Factory Racing	6
76	Ramon Sinkeldam	Team Giant - Shimano	6
77	Johan Le Bon	FDJ.fr	5
78	Laurent Mangel	FDJ.fr	5
79	Jerome Cousin	Team Europcar	5
80	Gerald Ciolek	MTN - Qhubeka	5
81	Gorka Izagirre	Movistar Team	4
82	Daniel Teklehaimanot	MTN - Qhubeka	4
83	Amets Txurruka	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	4
84	Stef Clement	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	4
85	Sébastien Turgot	AG2R La Mondiale	4
86	Sébastien Hinault	IAM Cycling	4
87	Jens Debusschere	Lotto Belisol	4
88	Jesús Hernández	Tinkoff - Saxo	3
89	Christophe Le Mevel	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	3
90	Laurens Ten Dam	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	3
91	Eduard Vorganov	Team Katusha	3
92	Michael Valgren Andersen	Tinkoff - Saxo	3
93	Sam Bewley	Orica GreenEdge	3
94	Maximiliano Ariel Richeze	Lampre Merida	3
95	Angel Mate Luis	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	2
96	León Sánchez Luis	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	2
97	Romain Zingle	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	2
98	Paolo Longo Borghini	Cannondale Pro Cycling	2
99	Gert Joeaar	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	2
100	Jay Robert Thomson	MTN - Qhubeka	2
101	Jonathan Castroviejo	Movistar Team	1
102	José Herrada	Movistar Team	1
103	Kanstantsin Siutsou	Team SKY	1
104	Sergio Miguel Paulinho	Tinkoff - Saxo	1
105	Rinaldo Nocentini	AG2R La Mondiale	1
106	Patrick Gretsch	AG2R La Mondiale	1

Final Mountains Classification:

1	Luis León Sánchez	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	58 points
2	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	45
3	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	40
4	Przemyslaw Niemiec	Lampre Merida	33
5	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	33
6	Luis Mas Bonet	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	20
7	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	19
8	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	19
9	Winner Anacona	Lampre Merida	18
10	Alessandro De Marchi	Cannondale Pro Cycling	18
11	Ryder Hesjedal	Garmin Sharp	16
12	Wouter Poels	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	15
13	Jerome Cousin	Team Europcar	13
14	Alexey Lutsenko	Astana Pro Team	11
15	Peio Bilbao	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	11
16	Damiano Cunego	Lampre Merida	11
17	Maxime Mederel	Team Europcar	9
18	Oliver Zaugg	Tinkoff - Saxo	8
19	Rohan Dennis	BMC Racing Team	8
20	Javier Moreno	Movistar Team	7
21	Amets Txurruka	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	7
22	Jerome Coppel	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	7
23	Danilo Wyss	BMC Racing Team	7
24	Yannick Martinez	Team Europcar	6
25	Pim Ligthart	Lotto Belisol	6
26	Hubert Dupont	AG2R La Mondiale	5
27	Bart De Clercq	Lotto Belisol	4
28	Imanol Erviti	Movistar Team	4
29	Johan Le Bon	FDJ.fr	4
30	Adriano Malori	Movistar Team	4
31	Vasil Kiryienka	Team SKY	3
32	Nathan Haas	Garmin Sharp	3
33	Jacques Van Rensburg	MTN - Qhubeka	3
34	Adam Yates	Orica GreenEdge	3
35	Kristof Vandewalle	Trek Factory Racing	3
36	Luke Rowe	Team SKY	3
37	Laurent Mangel	FDJ.fr	3
38	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	2
39	Sergio Pardilla	MTN - Qhubeka	2
40	Alexandr Kolobnev	Team Katusha	2
41	Kanstantsin Siutsou	Team SKY	2
42	Kristian Sbaragli	MTN - Qhubeka	2
43	Elia Favilli	Lampre Merida	2
44	Jay Robert Thomson	MTN - Qhubeka	2
45	Jimmy Engoulvent	Team Europcar	2
46	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	1
47	Romain Sicard	Team Europcar	1
48	Philip Deignan	Team SKY	1
49	Alberto Losada	Team Katusha	1
50	Adam Hansen	Lotto Belisol	1
51	Louis Meintjes	MTN - Qhubeka	1
52	Stef Clement	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	1
53	Francisco Javier Aramendia	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	1
54	Valerio Conti	Lampre Merida	1

Final Combination Classification:

1	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	6 points
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	8
3	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	11
4	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	17
5	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	19
6	Ryder Hesjedal	Garmin Sharp	48
7	Przemyslaw Niemiec	Lampre Merida	49
8	Winner Anacona	Lampre Merida	62
9	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	63
10	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	64
11	Oliver Zaugg	Tinkoff - Saxo	77
12	Jerome Coppel	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	88
13	Alessandro De Marchi	Cannondale Pro Cycling	93
14	Wouter Poels	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	102
15	Danilo Wyss	BMC Racing Team	105
16	Alexandr Kolobnev	Team Katusha	107
17	Sergio Pardilla	MTN - Qhubeka	109
18	Peio Bilbao	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	114
19	Romain Sicard	Team Europcar	116
20	Bart De Clercq	Lotto Belisol	119
21	Hubert Dupont	AG2R La Mondiale	120
22	Adam Hansen	Lotto Belisol	125
23	Damiano Cunego	Lampre Merida	125
24	Yannick Martinez	Team Europcar	125
25	Imanol Erviti	Movistar Team	133
26	Rohan Dennis	BMC Racing Team	135
27	Alexey Lutsenko	Astana Pro Team	137
28	Amets Txurruka	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	152
29	Luis León Sánchez	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	153
30	Jacques Van Rensburg	MTN - Qhubeka	156
31	Louis Meintjes	MTN - Qhubeka	160
32	Javier Moreno	Movistar Team	160
33	Jerome Cousin	Team Europcar	170
34	Vasil Kiryienka	Team SKY	172
35	Adriano Malori	Movistar Team	173
36	Luis Mas Bonet	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	178
37	Pim Ligthart	Lotto Belisol	182
38	Johan Le Bon	FDJ.fr	185
39	Kanstantsin Siutsou	Team SKY	187
40	Kristian Sbaragli	MTN - Qhubeka	189
41	Kristof Vandewalle	Trek Factory Racing	195
42	Elia Favilli	Lampre Merida	200
43	Stef Clement	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	205
44	Valerio Conti	Lampre Merida	215
45	Francisco Javier Aramendia	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	225
46	Jimmy Engoulvent	Team Europcar	249
47	Laurent Mangel	FDJ.fr	268
48	Jay Robert Thomson	MTN - Qhubeka	299

Final Team Classification:

1	Team Katusha	244hr 19min 36sec
2	Movistar Team	@ 38min 54sec
3	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 40' 16''
4	Cofidis, Solutions Crédits	+ 52' 33''
5	Team SKY	+ 1h 06' 31''
6	Astana Pro Team	+ 1h 08' 09''
7	Garmin Sharp	+ 1h 17' 06''
8	BMC Racing Team	+ 1h 17' 32''
9	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 2h 13' 06''
10	Lotto Belisol	+ 2h 54' 48''
11	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 2h 56' 11''
12	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 2h 56' 27''
13	Lampre - Merida	+ 2h 57' 17''
14	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	+ 3h 06' 42''
15	Team Europcar	+ 3h 12' 29''
16	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 3h 56' 33''
17	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 4h 29' 08''
18	Orica GreenEdge	+ 5h 21' 19''
19	Trek Factory Racing	+ 5h 58' 46''
20	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 6h 15' 30''
21	FDJ.fr	+ 7h 02' 19''
22	IAM Cycling	+ 8h 51' 27''

Stage 21 photos:

Adriano Malori won today's stage. Photo ©Sirotti

Rohan Dennis shows how dangerous the slippery streets were. Photo ©Sirotti

His teammate Samuel Sanchez fared better. Photo ©Sirotti

Hubert Dupont rides in front of the cathedral of Santiago de Campostela. Photo ©Sirotti

Alberto Contador rode not lose, riding carefully on the wet streets. Here he finishes, knowing he has won the 2014 Vuelta a España. Photo ©Sirotti

Stage winner Adriano Malori. Photo ©Sirotti

2014 Vuelta a España champion Alberto Contador. Photo ©Sirotti

Alberto Contador and second place Chris Froome. Photo ©Sirotti

Third place Alejandro Valverde. Photo ©Sirotti

The final podium, from left: Alejandro Valverde, Alberto Contador and Chris Froome. Photo ©Sirotti

Alberto Contador visited the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Photo ©Sirotti

Stage 21 map and profile:

Stage 21 map

Stage 21 profile

---

Stage 20, Saturday, Sept 13: Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil - Puerto de Ancares, 185.7 km

Stage 20 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile |

Alberto Contador wins stage 20. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: Today was the Vuelta's last stage in the high mountains. Only the final stage with its 9.7 km individual time trial remains. It was the last real chance to make a big difference in the standings and Alberto Contador showed he is the Vuelta's best climber by winning the stage alone.

Four riders went clear at the 42nd kilometer: Jerome Coppel (Cofidis), Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre), Wouter Poels (Omega Pharma) and Maxime Mederel (Europcar). None presented a GC threat. Over the several difficult climbs the riders in break were absorbed by the pack. Niemiec was the last to be caught, staying away until the final climb, the special category ascent of the Ancares.

On the Ancares, with 8 kilometers to go, Joaquin Rodriguez was the first of the big GC men to attack. His effort looked good and he soon had a half-minute lead.

Alejandro Valverde gave chase, drawing Contador, Chris Froome and Fabio Aru.

Froome unleashed a series of vicious attacks that allowed him to catch, pass and drop everyone but Contador. Contador rode on Froome's wheel, letting the Sky rider to the work.

After the the pair had gone under the Red Kite, in an impressive display of power, Contador got out of the saddle and simply left Froome behind. Contador crossed the line 16 seconds ahead of Froome for his second summit win this Vuelta. He now leads Froome by 1min 37sec, probably enough to withstand whatever assault Froome mounts in tomorrow's 9.7 km time trial.

Valverde came in 57 seconds later, cementing his third place in the GC.

Stage 20 results:

Winner's average speed: 35.744 km/hr

1	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	5hr 11min 43sec
2	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	@ 16 seconds
3	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 57''
4	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 1' 18''
5	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 1' 21''
6	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 2' 51''
7	Giampaolo Caruso	Team Katusha	+ 2' 55''
8	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 2' 58''
9	Daniel Navarro	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 3' 15''
10	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 3' 20''
Stage 20 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

GC after Stage 20:

1	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	81hr 12min 13sec
2	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	@ 1min 37sec
3	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 2' 35''
4	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 3' 57''
5	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 4' 46''
6	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 10' 07''
7	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp	+ 10' 24''
8	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 12' 13''
9	Daniel Navarro	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 13' 09''
10	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 13' 15''
Stage 20 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

---

Stage 19, Friday, Sept 12: Salvaterra do Miño - Cangas do Morrazo, 180.5 km

Stage 19 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile |

Adam Hansen just beats the peloton to the line in stage 19. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: The day's break didn't emerge from the peloton until the 26th kilometer, but it was a trio of good, strong riders: Wouter Poels (Omega Pharma), Pim Ligthart (Lotto-Belisol) and Laurent Mangel (FDJ).

Giant-Shimano never let them get too much of a lead, but they were able to survive until just 20 kilometers to go. This was just as the last climb of the day began, Monte Alto Faro.

On the ascent Sky set a fierce pace that sent two-thirds of the peloton out the back, but it did not deter Alexey Lutsenko, who blasted off the front. Importantly, two riders survived Sky's blistering pace up the mountain, sprinters John Degenkolb and Michael Matthews.

Lutsenko was caught just five kilometers from the finish, setting up what would surely be a drag race between Degenkolb and Matthews.

But Lotto-Belisol rider Adam Hansen had other plans. As Lutsenko was caught Hansen took off, was caught and went again. This time he opened a 14-second gap while the peloton seemed to chase without firm purpose.

Hansen rode strongly all the way to the finish, crossing the line with five seconds to spare. Degenkolb won the field sprint in front of Filippo Pozzato.

The big GC men were in the front group, so there was no change to the top of the GC rankings. Alberto Contador remains the overall leader, 1min 19sec ahead of Chris Froome.

Complete Stage 19 results:

Winner's average speed: 41.3 km/hr

1	Adam Hansen	Lotto Belisol	4hr 21sec 58sec
2	John Degenkolb	Team Giant - Shimano	@ 5 seconds
3	Filippo Pozzato	Lampre Merida
4	Yannick Martinez	Team Europcar
5	Michael Matthews	Orica GreenEdge
6	Geoffrey Soupe	FDJ.fr
7	Paul Martens	Belkin Pro Cycling Team
8	Jasper Stuyven	Trek Factory Racing
9	Romain Hardy	Cofidis Solutions Crédits
10	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling
Stage 19 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

GC after Stage 19:

1	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	76hr 0min 40sec
2	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	@ 1min 19sec
3	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 1' 32''
4	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 2' 29''
5	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 3' 15''
6	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp	+ 6' 52''
7	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 6' 59''
8	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 9' 12''
9	Daniel Navarro	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 9' 44''
10	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 9' 45''
Stage 19 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

---

Stage 18, Thursday, Sept 11: A Estrada - Monte Castrove. Meis, 157 km

Stage 18 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile |

Fabio Aru wins stage 18. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: It took a while before a breakaway that the peloton could accept was allowed to ride up the road. Johan Le Bon (FDJ), Hubert Dupont (Ag2r) and Luis Leon Sanchez (Caja Rural) got clear about 82 km into the stage. Movistar kept their lead under three minutes, making it unlikely they would make it to the end. For Luis Leon Sanchez, the current KOM, getting in the break did allow him to win the points for being the first over Monte Castrove, solidifying his hold on the mountains classification.

With 18 kilometers remaining and a hilltop finish waiting at the end of a second ascent of the Castrove, all the breakaway riders had been absorbed by the Sky-led peloton. Then, Chris Froome jumped ahead of the pack to take the San Xoan de Poio intermediate sprint and gain a couple of bonus seconds. Surprisingly, Alejandro Valverde wasn't there to contest the sprint.

On the final climb, the first big move came with three km to go. Fabio Aru attacked and drew Joaquin Rodriguez, Daniel Martin, Alejandro Valverde, Alberto Contador and Chris Froome. They did not catch Aru.

But then Froome jumped and bridged up to Aru while Valverde, Contador and Rodriguez chased. Froome hammered away and built a serious gap while Aru looked to be hanging on to Froome's wheel for dear life. The road flattened and near the end, Aru jumped to take the stage win with Froome just a second behind.

Valverde led in the chasing trio thirteen seconds after Aru had crossed the line, too late to save his second place. Contador remains the overall leader with Froome now in second, 1min 19sec down. Valverde is third, 1min 32sec behind Contador.

Stage 18 results:

Winner's average speed: 41.4 km/hr

1	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	3hr 47min 17sec
2	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	@ 1 second
3	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 13''
4	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha
5	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo
6	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 17''
7	Daniel Navarro	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 33''
8	Daniel Moreno	Team Katusha	+ 48''
9	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling
10	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano
Stage 18 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

GC after Stage 18:

1	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	71hr 38min 37sec
2	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	@ 1min 19sec
3	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 1' 32''
4	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 2' 29''
5	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 3' 15''
6	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp	+ 6' 52''
7	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 6' 59''
8	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 9' 12''
9	Daniel Navarro	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 9' 44''
10	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 9' 45''
Stage 18 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

---

Stage 17, Wednesday, Sept 10: Ortigueira - A Coruña, 190.7 km

Stage 17 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile |

The Race: Four riders did not start today. The most notable was Rigoberto Uran, Omega Pharma's protected GC man. Suffering from bronchitis, he lost a lot of time in the three mountain stages. Also, Christian Knees (Sky) is sick and Haimar Zubeldia (Trek) has an infected boil. Tanel Kangert (Astana) as well is out of the Vuelta. That leaves us with a peloton of 169 riders.

As a stage with no categorized climbs, Giant-Shimano spent most of the day keeping the day's break on a short leash. The break - Rohan Dennis (BMC), Bob Jungels (Trek), Luis Mas Bonet (Caja Rural), Elia Favilli (Lampre) and Daniel Teklehaimanot (MTN-Qhubeka) - was never allowed to gain a gap of more than four minutes.

But two of the riders were especially tenacious. Bob Jungels and Elia Favilli were not caught until the race had passed the Red Kite. The peloton's efforts to contain the fast-moving break left the big sprinters without their leadout trains. Also, with some pavé before the sprint, riders who might otherwise not be tempted decided to try the sprint, most notably Fabian Cancellara.

John Degenkolb won a close sprint against Michael Matthews and Cancellara (see photo above), the German's fourth stage win of this Vuelta. Will his 149 points against Valverde's 114 be good enough for him to take the Green Jersey home? Degenkolb is very reserved about his chances since there are stages coming that suit Valverde very well.

The big GC men finished in the front group, so Alberto Contador remains the overall leader, 1min 36sec ahead of Valverde.

Stage 17 results:

Winner's average speed: 42.996 km/hr

1	John Degenkolb	Team Giant - Shimano	4hr 26min 7sec
2	Michael Matthews	Orica GreenEdge
3	Fabian Cancellara	Trek Factory Racing
4	Jasper Stuyven	Trek Factory Racing
5	Roberto Ferrari	Lampre Merida
6	Koldo Fernández	Garmin Sharp
7	Geoffrey Soupe	FDJ.fr
8	Danilo Wyss	BMC Racing Team
9	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling
10	Vicente Reynes	IAM Cycling
Stage 17 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

GC after Stage 17:

1	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	67hr 51min 7sec
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	@ 1min 36sec
3	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	+ 1' 39''
4	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 2' 29''
5	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 3' 38''
6	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp	+ 6' 17''
7	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 6' 43''
8	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 6' 55''
9	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 8' 37''
10	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 9' 10''
Stage 17 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

---

Rest Day 2: Tuesday, Sept 9

---

Stage 16, Monday, Sept 8: San Martín del Rey Aurelio - La Farrapona, 160.5 km

Stage 16 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile |

Alberto Contador wins stage 16. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: Alberto Contador and Chris Froome rode away from the rest of the field today in what was billed as the Vuelta's Queen Stage, allowing Contador to extend his overall lead and put Froome within three seconds of second place.

Early in the race thirteen riders went clear: Rohan Dennis, Laurens Ten Dam, Gianluca Brambilla, Luis León Sánchez, Johan Le Bon, Romain Sicard, Ivan Rovný, Peter Kennaugh, Adriano Malori, Peio Bilbao, Alessandro De Marchi, Wouter Poels and Damiano Cunego. Katusha kept the break from much more than a five minute-lead.

Omega Pharma's GC man, Rigoberto Uran, is suffering from bronchial troubles and was dropped when the climbing got tough. He has dropped from fifth place in the GC to 18th, almost 19 minutes down. What a shame.

The break fractured on the penultimate climb, the first category San Lorenzo. There a fight broke out between Tinkoff-Saxo rider Ivan Rovny and Omega Pharma's Gianluca Brambilla. The judges always take a dim view of riders' throwing punches and threw both both pugilists out of the Vuelta.

For a while Alessandro de March, Wout Poels and Gianluca Brambilla were in front of the break. Brambilla was helping power the trio when he was very publicly told he was disqualified. De Marchi continued on his own for a while but under pressure from the Sky-led pack the other members of the break were absorbed.

With four kilometers to go Chris Froome attacked. He was immediately marked by a very attentive Alberto Contador. Neither Alejandro Valverde nor Joaquin Rodriguez could go with the pair.

For three kilometers Froome led Contador while Valverde and Rodriguez worked to limit their losses.

Under the Red Kite Contador attacked Froome and opened a good sized gap. He pressed on to win the stage. A surprising Froome came in fifteen seconds later. Then, to make Valverde's misery complete, De Marchi crossed the line third, taking the small time bonus. Contador's excellent ride has given him a 1min 36sec lead over Valverde. Froome is third, just three seconds behind Valverde.

Luis Leon Sanchez is the new leader of the mountains classification.

Stage 16 results:

Winner's average speed: 32.8 km/hr

1	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	4hr 53min 35sec
2	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	@ 15 seconds
3	Alessandro De Marchi	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 50''
4	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 55''
5	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 59''
6	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 1' 06''
7	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp	+ 1' 12''
8	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 1' 22''
9	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 1' 43''
10	Ryder Hesjedal	Garmin Sharp	+ 1' 48''
Stage 16 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

GC after Stage 16:

1	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	63hr 25min 0sec
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	@ 1min 36sec
3	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	+ 1' 39''
4	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 2' 29''
5	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 3' 38''
6	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp	+ 6' 17''
7	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 6' 43''
8	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 6' 55''
9	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 8' 37''
10	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 9' 10''
Stage 16 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

---

Stage 15, Sunday, Sept 7: Oviedo - Lagos de Covadonga, 152.2 km

Stage 15 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile |

Przemyslaw Niemiec wins Vuelta stage 15. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: The second of three hard days in the mountains brought no more clarity to this year's Vuelta. The standings have tightened up, if anything.

Five riders escaped when the stage was about 50 kilometers old: John Degenkolb, Przemyslaw Niemiec, Francisco Aramendia, Cameron Meyer and Kristoff Vandewalle. The quintet had no GC contenders and the peloton was obviously unworried about them, allowing them to get as much as a 10-minute lead.

On the final climb to Cavadonga Niemiec went solo, while behind, the pace got quite hot.

With 5 kilometers to go Contador did a big-gear out-of-the-saddle attack and drew Alejandro Valverde and Joaquin Rodriguez. Fabio Aru made it up to the trio but when Contador dealt out more pain, Aru was shelled. Further back, Chris Froome was unable to get up to the leaders and was joined by Aru.

Niemiec was losing ground to the Red Jersey group, but was able to cross the line alone and win the stage. On the final uphill section Valverde dropped Contador and gained a few seconds.

Contador remains the overall leader, ahead of Valverde by 31 seconds.

Stage 15 results:

Winner's average speed: 36.361 km/hr

1	Przemyslaw Niemiec	Lampre Merida	4hr 11min 9sec
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	@ 5 seconds
3	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha
4	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 10''
5	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 17''
6	Christopher Froome	Team SKY
7	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp	+ 28''
8	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 44''
9	Rigoberto Uran	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 1' 00''
10	Giampaolo Caruso	Team Katusha
Stage 15 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

GC after Stage 15:

1	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	58hr 31min 35sec
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	@ 31 seconds
3	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	+ 1' 20''
4	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 1' 20''
5	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 2' 22''
6	Rigoberto Uran	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 2' 57''
7	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp	+ 4' 55''
8	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 5' 02''
9	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 5' 11''
10	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 6' 36''
Stage 15 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

---

Stage 14, Saturday, Sept 6: Santander - La Camperona. Valle de Sábero, 200.8 km

Stage 14 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile |

Ryder Hesjedal wins stage 14. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: Well, today was a terrific day of racing with a couple of surprises at the end. It took a while for the day's break to get established, but when it did, it had some real horsepower: Jose Rodolfo Serpa, Carlos Verona, Tom Boonen, Romain Sicard, Ryder Hesjedal, Imanol Erviti, Bart de Clercq, Przemyslaw Niemiec, Jaco Vener, Oliver Zaugg, Adam Hansen, Robert Wagner, Luke Rowe, David Arroyo, Fabio Felline, Louis Meintjes, Yannick Martinez, Jacques van Rensburg, Johannes Frohlinger, Guillaume Levarlet, Sergio Miguel Paulinho, Luis León Sanchez and Alexandr Kolobnev.

On the first-category San Glorio, David Arroyo and Luis Leon Sanchez attacked the break. By the time the break had caught the pair, the escape was down to twelve riders.

The peloton never chased the break with vigor and by the time the twelve reached the base of the final climb, the fiendishly difficult La Camperona, they still had a gap of more than six minutes. The stage winner would come from the break. This took the time bonifications out of the day's GC fight.

Signalling Chris Froome's ambitions, Sky assembled at the front of the peloton, taking over from Omega Pharma.

Up front, Tinkoff-Saxo rider Oliver Zaugg took off on the steep part of the climb, with just a couple of kilometers to go. For a long time it looked like he had a lock on the stage victory. But from well back, Ryder Hesjedal surged, flying past Zaugg with unbelievable momentum. Hesjedal won the stage after spending much of the long day in a break.

In the Red Jersey group, with about 1,500 meters to go, the first rider to attack was Valverde. Alberto Contador marked him and then Joaquin Rodriguez and Fabio Aru closed the gap. Chris Froome was distanced.

Then Contador gave it all he had, but it wasn't enough. Rodriguez and Aru closed the gap. And then, improbably, Chris Froome arrived. Valverde couldn't take the high heat the other GC men were throwing and was dropped.

Then came the day's next big surprise. Froome attacked with overwhelming force, dropping Contador, Aru and Rodriguez. Rodriguez dug deep and slowly closed the gap, but was still short of catching the Sky rider at the finish.

The net results for the day: Contador remains the leader, now with a lead of 42 seconds over second place Valverde. Froome has climbed up on to the podium, in third, 73 seconds behind Contador. Rigoberto Uran has dropped to fifth place.

Luis Leon Leon Sanchez is the new KOM. And among the days' abandons were Peter Sagan, Lawson Craddock and Johan Tschopp.

There is no way to predict how this race is going to turn out.

Stage 14 results:

Winner's average speed: 37.9 km/hr

1	Ryder Hesjedal	Garmin Sharp	5hr 18min 10sec
2	Oliver Zaugg	Tinkoff - Saxo	@ 10 seconds
3	Imanol Erviti	Movistar Team	+ 30''
4	Alexandr Kolobnev	Team Katusha	+ 39''
5	Louis Meintjes	MTN - Qhubeka	+ 42''
6	Bart De Clercq	Lotto Belisol	+ 52''
7	Romain Sicard	Team Europcar	+ 1' 44''
8	David Arroyo	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	+ 2' 02''
9	Carlos Verona	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 2' 15''
10	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	+ 2' 36''
Stage 14 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

GC after Stage 14:

1	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	54hr 20min 16sec
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	@ 42 seconds
3	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	+ 1' 13''
4	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 1' 29''
5	Rigoberto Uran	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 2' 07''
6	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 2' 15''
7	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 3' 26''
8	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 4' 14''
9	Winner Anacona	Lampre Merida	+ 4' 36''
10	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp	+ 4' 37''
Stage 14 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

---

Stage 13, Friday, Sept 5: Belorado - Obregón. Parque de Cabárceno, 188.7 km

Stage 13 complete results, GC, live updates, map and profile |

Daniel Navarro wins stage 13. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: Stage 13 started on fire and stayed that way until the end. By km 65 there were eleven riders off the front with a two and a half minute gap. They had been away since the fourteenth kilometer. None of the breakaways were GC threats, but there were some fine riders in the group: Alexey Lutsenko , Jay Robert Thomson, Peter Sagan, Paolo Longo Borghini, Jasper Stuyven, Damiano Cunego, Stef Clement, Luis León Sánchez, Danilo Wyss, Damien Gaudin and Vegard Breen.

Orica-GreenEdge spent much of the stage keeping the break from running away with the race, never letting the escapees have more than a three-minute gap.

On the day's second categorized climb, the Alto de Caracol, the break fractured with five riders in a front group: Luis Leon Sanchez, Alexey Lutsenko, Damiano Cunego, Danilo Wyss and Damien Gaudin.

It appeared that with the day's stiff uphill finish, Alberto Contador's team wanted the break to succeed rather than risk Alejandro Valverde's explosive form allowing him to capture the stage win and the 10 bonus seconds.

With fourteen kilometers to go Lutsenko attacked the break. That spelled the end for the escape. The other four gave up and Lutsenko was caught with seven kilometers remaining.

On the final ascent the first to go was Gianluca Brambilla, but then Cofidis rider Daniel Navarro unleashed an attack that had real force. Navarro blew by the faltering Brambilla and continued up the hill. In the now drastically reduced peloton, the big GC men mostly marked each other.

Navarro had the suds to make it to the line and win the stage, followed in by Daniel Moreno, Wilco Kelderman and Alejandro Valverde. By coming in fourth, Valverde wasn't able to collect any bonus time and remains 20 seconds behind Alberto Contador.

Contador's seventh-place finish in the group with Valverde, Rodriguez, Froome, Uran, and Sanchez allows him to remain the Vuelta's GC leader.

Stage 13 results:

Winner's average speed: 43.4 km/hr

1	Daniel Navarro	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	4hr 21min 4'sec
2	Daniel Moreno	Team Katusha	@ 2 seconds
3	Wilco Kelderman	Belkin Pro Cycling Team
4	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 5''
5	Nacer Bouhanni	FDJ.fr
6	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling
7	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo
8	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team
9	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp
10	Gianluca Brambilla	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step
Stage 13 complete results, GC, live updates, map and profile

GC after Stage 13:

1	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	48hr 59min 23sec
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	@ 20 seconds
3	Rigoberto Uran	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 1' 08''
4	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	+ 1' 20''
5	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 1' 35''
6	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 1' 52''
7	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 2' 13''
8	Winner Anacona	Lampre Merida	+ 2' 37''
9	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 2' 55''
10	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 3' 51''
Stage 13 complete results, GC, live updates, map and profile

---

Stage 12, Thursday, Sept 4: Logroño - Logroño, 166.4 km

Stage 12 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile |

John Degenkolb wins stage 12. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: Given that this was a completely flat stage, eight circuits of 20.8 km, a sprint finish had to be assumed. In fact, in 2012 when a similar course was used here, John Degenkolb was the winner.

Almost as soon at the two-kilometer neutralized section was completed, Cannondale rider Matthias Krizek took off alone. The peloton was in no mood to race hard today and Krizek was given and took a lot of rope, eventually gaining a gap of nearly nine minutes.

With about 75 kilometers to go, both FDJ and Giant-Shimano put a rider at the front of the peloton to start bringing Krizek back. But no one got too excited about the task. By the start of the final lap Krizek still had 83 seconds.

But by then the the fight for the front had become serious and the speed was really ramping up. Krizek was caught with twelve kilometers to go.

As the race sped to the finish, Tinkoff-Saxo stayed at the front, keeping race leader Alberto Contador out of trouble. And trouble came, big time, in the form of a a crash at the final corner. A lot of the the big-name sprinters went down, including Nacer Bouhanni and Andrea Guardini.

Lampre sprinter Roberto Ferrari went early, but John Degenkolb fighting off a determined Tom Boonen flew by him. Boonen kept coming, but Degenkiolb was not to be denied today as he won his third stage of this year's Vuelta.

The top GC men finished in the front group and Alberto Contador remains the overall leader with Alejandro Valverde second At 20 seconds.

Stage 12 results:

Crashed riders were given the same time as John Degenkolb (+ 0"), though they finished later than riders given slower times.

Winner's average speed: 39.7 km/hr

1	John Degenkolb	Team Giant - Shimano	4hr 11min 18sec
2	Tom Boonen	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step
3	Jacopo Guarnieri	Astana Pro Team
4	Peter Sagan	Cannondale Pro Cycling
5	Maximiliano Ariel Richeze	Lampre Merida
6	Yannick Martinez	Team Europcar
7	Lloyd Mondory	AG2R La Mondiale
8	Fabian Cancellara	Trek Factory Racing
9	Jasper Stuyven	Trek Factory Racing
10	Guillaume Boivin	Cannondale Pro Cycling
Stage 12 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

GC after Stage 12:

1	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	44hr 38min 14sec
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	@ 20 seconds
3	Rigoberto Uran	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 1' 08''
4	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	+ 1' 20''
5	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 1' 35''
6	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 1' 52''
7	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 2' 13''
8	Winner Anacona	Lampre Merida	+ 2' 22''
9	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 2' 55''
10	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 3' 51''
Stage 12 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

---

Stage 11, Wednesday, Sept 3: Pamplona - Santuario de San Miguel de Aralar, 153.4 km

Stage 11 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile |

Fabio Aru's perfectly timed attack gives him the stage win. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: In the day's early kilometers, former race leader Nairo Quintana crashed for the second time in as many days. That signaled the end of his Vuelta as he was taken to a hospital for examination.

A break didn't go clear until the stage was 65 kilometers old. Vasil Kiryienka, Pim Ligthart, Johan Le Bon and Elia Favilli soon were more than a a minute ahead of the field with Caja Rural rider Peio Bilbao trying join the quartet. Bilbao did bridge the gap, but the five riders were never allowed more than a four-minute gap. Katusha was intent upon keeping a lid on the action, planning on setting Joaquin Rodriguez loose on the final ascent. Today featured a hilltop finish at Santuario de San Miguel de Aralar, a tough climb, well-suited to Rodriguez' talents.

By the time the final ascent started to bite, all the breakaways had been absorbed by the now very reduced peloton. Sky set a furious pace at the front while Chris Froome dangled off the back.

A few kilometers from the summit, Robert Gesink launched what looked like a stage winning attack, but he was caught with a kilometer to go. And then Astana's Fabio Aru blasted off the front. He still had lots of gas in the tank and drove to the finish. Near the top he wavered a bit, but he was still able to cross the line six seconds ahead of the Alejandro Valverde-led chasers. Valverde's bonification for second place cut Alberto Contador's lead to 20 seconds.

Despite his difficulty at some points during the stage, Froome finished with the front group of Valverde, Contador and Rodriguez.

Contador remains the GC leader. He looked quite comfortable during the entire ascent, but was isolated, without teammates sooner than the other contenders.

Complete Stage 11 results:

Winner's average speed: 41.6 km/hr

1	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	3hr 41min 3sec
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	@ 6 seconds
3	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha
4	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo
5	Christopher Froome	Team SKY
6	Rigoberto Uran	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 13''
7	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 15''
8	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp
9	Daniel Navarro	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 16''
10	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 21''
Stage 11 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

GC after Stage 11:

1	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	40hr 26min 56sec
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	@ 20 seconds
3	Rigoberto Uran	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 1' 08''
4	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	+ 1' 20''
5	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 1' 35''
6	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 1' 52''
7	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 2' 13''
8	Winner Anacona	Lampre Merida	+ 2' 22''
9	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 2' 55''
10	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 3' 51''
Stage 11 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

---

Stage 10, Tuesday, Sept 2: Real Lunasterio de Santa María de Veruela - Borja 36.7 km individual time trial

Stage 10 complete results, GC, photos, map and profile |

World time trial champion Tony Martin riding to victory in stage 10. Photo ©Sirotti

Weather at Borja, Spain at 2:30 PM local time: Hot! 30C (86F), partially cloudy, forecast to climb to 34C (94F) with full sun. Wind from the north-northwest at 23 km/hr (14 mph). 0% chance of rain.

The Race: The riders departed every minute in reverse GC order (Matteo Pelucchi went first) until the final thirty riders, who left the start gate every two minutes. Race leader Nairo Quintana was the last rider off.

Tony Martin proved again that he is currently the finest practitioner of the art of the individual time trial, beating Fabian Cancellara by 11 seconds. Rigoberto Uran again proved that he is a complete rider, finishing first among the contenders and elevating himself to third place.

Quintana crashed pretty hard on a descent, tumbling head over heels. He was able to mount what was probably a replacement bike and finish the stage, but clearly lost serious time, maybe a couple of minutes. There are several hilltop finishes to come, but Quintana has to dig himself out of a deep hole.

Chris Froome has not regained his form, having turned in a ride that wasn't far off from Joaquin Rodriguez', who is a poor time trialist.

Alberto Contador looked good from the start and rode powerfully over the entire course, losing only a little gas towards the end. His ride was more than good enough to make him the new overall leader.

Stage 10 results:

Winner's average speed: 46.818 km/hr

1	Tony Martin	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	47min 2sec
2	Rigoberto Uran	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	@ 15 seconds
3	Fabian Cancellara	Trek Factory Racing	+ 18''
4	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 39''
5	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 48''
6	Cadel Evans	BMC Racing Team	+ 49''
7	Vasil Kiryienka	Team SKY	+ 57''
8	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 1' 00''
9	Jesse Sergent	Trek Factory Racing	+ 1' 13''
10	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	+ 1' 32''
Stage 10 complete results, GC, photos, map and profile

GC after stage 10:

1	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	36hr 45min 49sec
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	@ 27 seconds
3	Rigoberto Uran	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 59''
4	Winner Anacona	Lampre Merida	+ 1' 12''
5	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	+ 1' 18''
6	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 1' 37''
7	Samuel Sánchez	BMC Racing Team	+ 1' 41''
8	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 2' 27''
9	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 2' 38''
10	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 2' 59''
Stage 10 complete results, GC, photos, map and profile

---

Rest Day 1: Monday, Sept 1

---

Stage 9, Sunday, Aug 31: Carboneras de Guadazaón - Aramón Valdelinares, 185 km

Stage 9 complete results, GC, live updates, photos, map and profile |

Winner Anacona wins stage nine. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: A big group of riders went clear early in the stage. Of the 31 who had escaped, the best-placed was Lampre-Merida rider Winner Anacona, who was down 2min 50sec. The big break rode with good cohesion and didn't start to fracture until the climbs late in the stage. At one point they had a gap of more than eight minutes.

Anacona went clear from the break with Bob Jungels and Javier Moreno for company with about 22 kilometers to go. Meanwhile, the peloton was still more than six minutes back, making Anacona the virtual red jersey. Then it began to rain hard.

This stage had a hilltop finish at Aramón Valdelinares, and 6 kilometers from the summit Anacona left the other two behind and headed for the barn. He rode well on the hill and looked to be riding into the GC lead at the end of the stage.

But, the contenders in the peloton finally started getting itchy and started attacking each other. The attack that mattered was from Alberto Contador which came about 2 kilometers from the top. He took off in a huge gear and started eating up the distance between himself and Anacona. Katusha reacted and as Contador crossed the line, Joaquin Rodriguez and Nairo Quintana closed the gap.

The result, Quintana is the new GC leader, three seconds ahead of Contador. Anacona is in fourth place, nine seconds shy of the lead. This was another terrific day of racing at the Vuelta.

Stage 9 results:

Winner's average speed: 40.5 km/hr

1	Winner Anacona	Lampre Merida	4hr 34min 14sec
2	Alexey Lutsenko	Astana Pro Team	@ 45 seconds
3	Damiano Cunego	Lampre Merida	+ 50''
4	Javier Moreno	Movistar Team	+ 1' 04''
5	Peio Bilbao	Caja Rural Seguros RGA	+ 1' 12''
6	Jerome Coppel	Cofidis Solutions Crédits	+ 1' 21''
7	Ryder Hesjedal	Garmin Sharp	+ 1' 33''
8	Adam Hansen	Lotto Belisol	+ 1' 45''
9	Bob Jungels	Trek Factory Racing	+ 1' 49''
10	Fabio Felline	Trek Factory Racing	+ 2' 08''
Stage 9 complete results, GC, live updates, photos, map and profile

GC after Stage 9:

1	Nairo Alexander Quintana	Movistar Team	35hr 58min 5sec
2	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	@ 3 seconds
3	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 8''
4	Winner Anacona	Lampre Merida	+ 9''
5	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	+ 28''
6	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 30''
7	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 1' 06''
8	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 1' 19''
9	Rigoberto Uran	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 1' 26''
10	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 1' 26''
Stage 9 complete results, GC, live updates, photos, map and profile

---

Stage 8, Saturday, Aug 30: Baeza - Albacete, 207 km

Complete stage 8 results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile |

Nacer Bouhanni wins stage 8. Peter Sagan, who was third, can be seen behind him. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: The roasting heat the Vuelta has suffered so far eased a bit today.

The peloton let a break of Elia Favilli (Lampre-Merida) and Francisco Aramendia (Caja Rural) ride away during the day's first kilometers. They were allowed a maximum gap of a bit more than seven minutes. But since this was a stage with no categorized climbs, the sprinters' teams had no intention of letting a break run away.

First Giant-Shimano and then FDJ, looking to protect John Degenkolb and Nacer Bouhanni's chances moved to the front and began closing the gap. With 35 kilometers to go, the pair had been absorbed. It looked like we were going to have a normal, dull day of controlled racing with a furious final kilometer.

But...The wind started blowing from the right and several teams, Tinkoff-Saxo, Trek BMC and Sky, started mercilessly flogging the peloton and it quickly fractured into several echelons. Almost all the big GC riders and important sprinters were in the front group.

But near the end John Degenkolb and Nairo Quintana were dropped from the front group had to chase with furious intensity. This was hard, quality bike racing and no one was giving any gifts. Degenkolb and Quintana clawed their way back to the front group, but surely Degenkolb's legs were ruined by the chase for the coming sprint.

About 50 riders contested the sprint, led under the Red Kite by Omega Pharma. First of the big guns to fire was FDJ's Nacer Bouhanni who blasted like a bullet to the front. It looked like he had gone too soon, but he kept driving and no one could get by him. Bouhanni won the stage with Michael Matthews second. Degenkolb was not even close, the chase had taken its toll.

Race leader Alejandro finished 22nd, in the front group to retain his red jersey.

Stage 8 results:

Winner's average speed: 46.2 km/hr

1	Nacer Bouhanni	FDJ.fr	4hr 29min 00sec
2	Michael Matthews	Orica GreenEdge
3	Peter Sagan	Cannondale Pro Cycling
4	John Degenkolb	Team Giant - Shimano
5	Gregory Henderson	Lotto Belisol
6	Robert Wagner	Belkin Pro Cycling Team
7	Kristian Sbaragli	MTN - Qhubeka
8	Roberto Ferrari	Lampre Merida
9	Tom Boonen	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step
10	Jasper Stuyven	Trek Factory Racing
Complete stage 8 results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

GC after Stage 8:

1	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	31hr 21min 20sec
2	Nairo Alexander Quintana	Movistar Team	@ 15 seconds
3	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 18''
4	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	+ 20''
5	Esteban Chaves	Orica GreenEdge	+ 41''
6	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 45''
7	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 55''
8	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 58''
9	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 1' 02''
10	Wilco Kelderman	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 1' 06''
Complete stage 8 results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

---

Stage 7, Friday, Aug 29: Alhendín - Alcaudete, 169 km

Stage 7 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile |

Alessandro De Marchi wins stage 7. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: During the first hour of stage seven, there were several breakaway attempts, all snuffed out by teams without representatives in the escapes.

About 35 kilometers into the stage, several riders went down, including Chris Froome. Froome was back up and eventually rejoined the peloton, but Ivan Santaromita (Orica-GreenEdge), Bryan Nauleau (Europcar) and Aleksejs Saramontins (IAM Cycling) had injuries severe enough to force them to abandon, the first riders to quit this year's Vuelta.

About as that was happening, four strong riders formed a smooth-working break that quickly established a good gap: Ryder Hesjedal, Johan Tschopp, Hubert Dupont and Alessandro De Marchi. At one point, about 100 kilometers into the stage, they were riding 7min 23sec ahead of the field, just 20 seconds short of making Hesjedal the Vuelta's virtual leader.

For much of the day, the pack's chase was indifferent. With about 40 kilometers to go, Trek and then Lampre started chasing in earnest. But with 18 km to go the quartet still had nearly four minutes, a big enough gap to succeed. It looked like Movistar asked Trek and Lampre to relent in their chasing efforts, since catching the breakaways was such a hopeless task.

Then things started to go wrong for some of the riders in the break. First Hubert Dupont (Ag2r) was dropped on climb. Then, while descending, Hesjedal's wheels just slipped out from under him. It looked like a photographer's motorcycle might have hit his bike.

De Marchi (Cannondale) and Tschopp (IAM Cycling) waited for a moment, then pressed on. As the road became steep, De Marchi dropped Tschopp and headed for the barn. Behind him the other three breakaways eventually joined up, but they could not make a dent in their gap to De Marchi.

De Marchi soloed in for the first Grand Tour stage win of his career. Hesjedal led the chasing trio in a minute and a half later. Philippe Gilbert won the field sprint as the peloton rumbled in 2 minutes 17 seconds after De Marchi had finished.

Chris Froome is riding a heads-up Vuelta. He jumped near the line and put two seconds between himself and the rest of the field with Valverde and Contador. He is now just two seconds behind third-placed Contador.

With his ninth-place finish Alejandro Valverde easily retained his GC lead.

Stage 7 results:

Winner's average speed: 41.9 km/hr

1	Alessandro De Marchi	Cannondale Pro Cycling	4hr 1min 52sec
2	Ryder Hesjedal	Garmin Sharp	@ 1min 34sec
3	Hubert Dupont	AG2R La Mondiale	+ 1' 35''
4	Johann Tschopp	IAM Cycling
5	Philippe Gilbert	BMC Racing Team	+ 2' 17''
6	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp
7	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	+ 2' 18''
8	Gianluca Brambilla	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 2' 20''
9	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team
10	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo
Stage 7 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

GC after Stage 7:

1	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	26hr 52min 20sec
2	Nairo Alexander Quintana	Movistar Team	@ 15 seconds
3	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 18''
4	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	+ 20''
5	Esteban Chaves	Orica GreenEdge	+ 41''
6	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 45''
7	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 55''
8	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 58''
9	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 1' 02''
10	Wilco Kelderman	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 1' 06''
Stage 7 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

---

Stage 6, Thursday, Aug 28: Benalmádena - La Zubia, 167.1 km

Complete stage 6 results, GC, photos, live update, map and profile |

Alejandro Valverde wins stage 6. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: Yet another hot, brutal day in Spain. Today had this year's first hill top finish and it smoked out the GC men.

For much of the day Pim Ligthart and Luis Mas Bonet rode off the front, at one time having a lead of more than twelve minutes. Even towards the end of the stage it looked as if the pair would succeed. But today was too important to the teams with GC ambitions and one squad after another sent men to the front to help pull the pack.

The pair weren't captured until partway up the final ascent, the first category climb to La Zubia.

When the climb began to really bite Alejandro Valverde set a fiery pace as he led teammate Nairo Quintana. As expected, near the top Joaquin Rodriguez attacked, but he doesn't have the form to put the others to the sword. Then Chris Froome attacked and several others scrambled up to him, including a surprising Alberto Contador. Valverde swept by and drove hard up the hill. No one could come by. Valverde accomplished the double coup. He won the stage and takes over the GC lead.

Stage 6 results:

Winner's average speed: 36.4 km/hr

1	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	4h 35' 27''
2	Christopher Froome	Team SKY
3	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo
4	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	@ 8 seconds
5	Nairo Alexander Quintana	Movistar Team	+ 12''
6	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 18''
7	Esteban Chaves	Orica GreenEdge	+ 25''
8	Daniel Navarro	Cofidis Solutions Crédits
9	Mikel Nieve	Team SKY	+ 32''
10	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 33''
Complete stage 6 results, GC, photos, live update, map and profile

GC after Stage 6:

1	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	22hr 48min 8sec
2	Nairo Alexander Quintana	Movistar Team	@ 15 seconds
3	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 18''
4	Christopher Froome	Team SKY	+ 22''
5	Esteban Chaves	Orica GreenEdge	+ 41''
6	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha	+ 45''
7	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 55''
8	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team	+ 58''
9	Warren Barguil	Team Giant - Shimano	+ 1' 02''
10	Wilco Kelderman	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 1' 06''
Complete stage 6 results, GC, photos, live update, map and profile

---

Stage 5, Wednesday, Aug 27: Priego de Córdoba - Ronda 180 km

Stage 5 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile |

John Degenkolb (left, in green jersey) will hit the line first. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: As soon as the flag dropped Tony Martin (Omega Pharma) and Pim Ligthart (Lotto-Belisol) broke away. But given Martin's credentials as a multiple world time trial champion, the pair were given little freedom. Martin sat up and Ligthart tried to go it alone.

Late in the stage as the road began to rise, Tinkoff-Saxo massed at the front and sharply increased the speed. That was it, not only for Ligthart's escape but also for a lot of riders who weren't paying attention. The peloton broke up into at least three groups. The most serious casualty was Ryder Hesjedal, who never got back on and lost more than three minutes.

It was an uphill sprint and BMC ramped up the speed in the closing kilometers, planning to unleash Philppe Gilbert. Gilbert did go, but he didn't have the suds to make his attack stick.

The sprinters who had survived Tinkoff-Saxo's mugging went surging by. Yesterday's stage winner John Degenkolb headed to the right, riding next to the barrier, but leaving just enough room to tempt the reckless. Indeed, Nacer Bouhanni tried to go through a hole between Degenkolb and the barrier that really wasn't there with the spectators leaning over with their long clappers. Degenkolb prevailed and took his second consecutive stage. Bouhanni protested that Degenkolb had not held his line, but it was clear from the video that he had and the protest went nowhere.

Michael Matthews finished 11th, in the front group, to remain the GC leader. Tomorrow is a category one hilltop finish. Expect fireworks and some big changes to the standings.

Stage 5 results:

Winner's average speed: 38.3 km/hr

1	John Degenkolb	Team Giant - Shimano	4hr 41min 47sec
2	Nacer Bouhanni	FDJ.fr
3	Moreno Hofland	Belkin Pro Cycling Team
4	Jasper Stuyven	Trek Factory Racing
5	Paul Martens	Belkin Pro Cycling Team
6	Lloyd Mondory	AG2R La Mondiale
7	Philippe Gilbert	BMC Racing Team
8	Vicente Reynes	IAM Cycling
9	Kristian Sbaragli	MTN - Qhubeka
10	Roberto Ferrari	Lampre Merida
Stage 5 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

GC after Stage 5:

1	Michael Matthews	Orica GreenEdge	18hr 12min 31sec
2	Nairo Alexander Quintana	Movistar Team	@ 13 seconds
3	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 20''
4	Rigoberto Uran	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 24''
5	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 26''
6	Esteban Chaves	Orica GreenEdge
7	Haimar Zubeldia	Trek Factory Racing	+ 29''
8	Wilco Kelderman	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	+ 32''
9	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo
10	Robert Gesink	Belkin Pro Cycling Team
Stage 5 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

---

Stage 4, Tuesday, Aug 26: Mairena del Alcor - Córdoba, 164.7 km

Complete stage 4 results, GC, live updates, map and profile |

Race leader Michael Matthews at the start of today's stage. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: Another hot, dry day in southern Spain. Temperatures hit 40C (+100F).

A soon as the riders had finished the neutralized section and the flag had dropped, a four-man break jumped away from the pack: Javier Aramendia (Caja Rural), Gert Joeaar (Cofidis), Sébastien Turgot (Ag2r) and Jimmy Engoulvent (Europcar).

Protecting their race leader Michael Matthews, Orica-GreenEdge put several riders at the front of the pack. Over the first of the day's two categorized climbs Jimmy Engoulvent (joined by Amets Txurruka who had bridged from the peloton) led by a few seconds. Back in the pack the heat and the climb was starting to wreak havoc with many of the riders.

The second climb, the Alto del Catorce por Ciento, a second-category ascent, sent about two-thirds of the peloton out the back door, including several big-time sprinters like Peter Sagan and Nacer Bouhanni. But, John Degenkolb and Michael Matthews did survive. All of the breakaway riders were caught.

Alejandro Valverde was part of of a four-man move that went clear on the descent, but the pack was well aware of the danger and chased with vigor, catching the last of the break with nine kilometers to go.

That left abut sixty riders to contest the sprint. John Degenkolb timed his move perfectly, coming from several riders back to win the stage by a couple of bike lengths.

Race leader Michael Matthews was third today, preserving his overall lead.

Stage 4 Results:

Winner's average speed: 40.681 km/hr

1	John Degenkolb	Team Giant - Shimano	4hr 2min 55sec
2	Vicente Reynes	IAM Cycling
3	Michael Matthews	Orica GreenEdge
4	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling
5	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp
6	Alexandr Kolobnev	Team Katusha
7	Lloyd Mondory	AG2R La Mondiale
8	Valerio Conti	Lampre Merida
9	Bob Jungels	Trek Factory Racing
10	Fabio Aru	Astana Pro Team
Complete stage 4 results, GC, live updates, map and profile

GC after Stage 4:

1	Michael Matthews	Orica GreenEdge	13hr 30min 44sec
2	Nairo Alexander Quintana	Movistar Team	@ 8 seconds
3	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 15''
4	Rigoberto Uran	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 19''
5	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 21''
6	Esteban Chaves	Orica GreenEdge
7	George Bennett	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 24''
8	Haimar Zubeldia	Trek Factory Racing
9	Alberto Contador	Tinkoff - Saxo	+ 27''
10	Wilco Kelderman	Belkin Pro Cycling Team
Complete stage 4 results, GC, live updates, map and profile

---

Stage 3, Monday, Aug 25: Cadiz - Arcos de la Frontera, 197.8 km

Stage 3 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile |

Michael Matthews wins stage three while Dan Martin pounds his bars in frustration. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: Early on a break of six riders went clear: Jerome Cousin, Luis Mas Bonet, Jonathan Fumeaux, Danilo Wyss and Jacques van Rensburg. They were given a lot of freedom, at one point the escapees had a gap of more than eight minutes.

But it was a very hot day with four categorized climbs. First Fumeaux dropped back and then Luis Mas Bonet attacked the break. Mas Bonet stayed away long enough to be the first over the last two climbs and gain the KOM lead (though he is tied at nine points with Jerome Cousin).

With Orica-GreenEdge relentlessly pulling the peloton, eventually all the breakaway riders were caught.

Everyone knew the finish with a narrow bridge before a 6% grade to the finish. There was a mad scramble to the front to be well-positioned for the final kilometer. Orica-GreenEdge played it perfectly, though for a moment it looked like Katusha's Giampaolo Caruso was going to run away with all the glory. He attacked on the final grade to the finish, but didn't have enough suds to make it to the line. Dan Martin, Michael Matthews and Joaquin Rodriguez went flying by him.

It came down to a drag race between Martin and Matthews with Matthews the victor. With the time bonus for winning the stage, Matthews made it a double-coup, taking also the GC lead.

Stage 3 results:

Winner's average speed: 33.5 km/hr

1	Michael Matthews	Orica GreenEdge	5hr 12min 14sec
2	Daniel Martin	Garmin Sharp
3	Joaquin Rodriguez	Team Katusha
4	Wilco Kelderman	Belkin Pro Cycling Team
5	Paul Martens	Belkin Pro Cycling Team
6	Cadel Evans	BMC Racing Team
7	Lloyd Mondory	AG2R La Mondiale
8	Nacer Bouhanni	FDJ.fr
9	Daniel Moreno	Team Katusha
10	Christopher Froome	Team SKY
Stage 3 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

GC after stage 3:

1	Michael Matthews	Orica GreenEdge	9hr 27min 53sec
2	Nairo Alexander Quintana	Movistar Team	@ 4 seconds
3	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 11''
4	Rigoberto Uran	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 15''
5	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 17''
6	Esteban Chaves	Orica GreenEdge
7	George Bennett	Cannondale Pro Cycling	+ 20''
8	Julian David Arredondo	Trek Factory Racing
9	Haimar Zubeldia	Trek Factory Racing
10	Gianluca Brambilla	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step	+ 22''
Stage 3 complete results, GC, photos, live updates, map and profile

---

Stage 2, Sunday, Aug 24: Algeciras - San Fernando, 174.4 km

Stage 2 complete results, GC, live updates, photos, map and profile |

Nacer Bouhanni wins stage two. Photo ©Sirotti

The Race: A six-man break (Francisco Aramendia, Jacques van Rensburg, Kristian Sbaragli, Nathan Haas, Valerio Conti and Romain Hardy) went very early. Nathan Haas was first over the day's only categorized climb, the Alto del Cabrito, thereby securing the blue and white polk-dot climber's jersey for tomorrow's stage.

Soon thereafter Haas and Sbaragli went back to the peloton while the other four continued. At one point they had a lead of five minutes, but the sprinters' teams were not going to let this one get away.

With fifteen kilometers remaining, the field was together with FDJ and Giant Shimano doing a lot of the work at the front.

Near the finish there were some tricky corners but the peloton negotiated them safely. FDJ gave its ace sprinter Nacer Bouhanni a perfect leadout. Bouhanni did not waste the opportunity and won the stage.

Alejandro Valverde is now the GC leader, taking over from teammate Jonathan Castroviejo.

Stage 2 results:

Winner's average speed: 43.3 km/hr

1	Nacer Bouhanni	FDJ.fr	4hr 1min 30sec
2	John Degenkolb	Team Giant - Shimano
3	Roberto Ferrari	Lampre Merida
4	Jasper Stuyven	Trek Factory Racing
5	Francesco Lasca	Caja Rural Seguros RGA
6	Oscar Gatto	Cannondale Pro Cycling
7	Yauheni Hutarovich	AG2R La Mondiale
8	Tom Boonen	Omega Pharma - Quick-Step
9	Moreno Hofland	Belkin Pro Cycling Team
10	Matteo Pelucchi	IAM Cycling
Stage 2 complete results, GC, live updates, photos, map and profile

GC after Stage 2:

1	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	4hr 15min 43sec
2	Nairo Alexander Quintana	Movistar Team
3	Andrey Amador	Movistar Team
4	Jonathan Castroviejo	Movistar Team
5	Imanol Erviti	Movistar Team
6	Gorka Izagirre	Movistar Team
7	Oscar Gatto	Cannondale Pro Cycling	@ 6 seconds
8	Michael Matthews	Orica GreenEdge
9	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling
10	Maciej Bodnar	Cannondale Pro Cycling
Stage 2 complete results, GC, live updates, photos, map and profile

---

Stage 1, Saturday, Aug 23: Jerez de la Frontera 12.6 km team time trial

Stage 1 complete results, GC, photos, map and profile |

Movistar rides a perfect team time trial to win the stage. Photo ©Sirotti

Weather: At 7 PM, local time, 26C (77F), some clouds. Wind from the west at 24 km/hr (15 mph). 57% humidity.

The Race: For a long time it looked as if Cannondale was going to win the stage with Orica-GreenEdge just .01 seconds slower. But the last team to start, Movistar, blistered the short, technical course to take the stage and the first red jersey. Jonathan Castroviejo was the first Movistar rider across the line so he'll start tomorrow's stage in red.

Trek Factory Racing had a big crash while training, but clearly they came out fine since Trek finished just nine seconds slower than Movistar.

Chris Froome's Sky team couldn't deliver the goods, putting Froome 27 seconds in the hole.

Stage 1 Results:

Winner's average speed: 53.1 km/hr

1	Movistar	14min 13sec
2	Cannondale	@ 6 seconds
3	Orica-GreenEdge
4	Trek Factory Racing	+ 9''
5	Omega Pharma-Quick Step	+ 11''
6	Giant-Shimano	+ 16''
7	Tinkoff-Saxo	+ 19''
8	Belkin
9	BMC	+ 21''
10	Lampre-Merida	+ 25''
Stage 1 complete results, GC, photos, map and profile

GC after Stage 1:

1	Jonathan Castroviejo	Movistar Team	14min 13sec
2	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team
3	Andrey Amador	Movistar Team
4	Imanol Erviti	Movistar Team
5	Javier Moreno	Movistar Team
6	Nairo Alexander Quintana	Movistar Team
7	Gorka Izagirre	Movistar Team
8	Adriano Malori	Movistar Team	@ 4 seconds
9	José Herrada	Movistar Team	+ 6''
10	Damiano Caruso	Cannondale Pro Cycling
Stage 1 complete results, GC, photos, map and profile

---

2014 Vuelta a España by the numbers:

• 3,181.5 kilometers
• Two individual time trials totaling 44.5 km
• One 12.6 km team time trial
• 40 summits
• 5 flat stages
• 13 hill and mountain stages

---

Startlist, August 22, 2014

	Lampre-Merida
1	Valerio Conti
2	Winner Anacona
3	Damiano Cunego
4	Elia Favilli
5	Roberto Ferrari
6	Przemyslaw Niemiec
7	Filippo Pozzato
8	Ariel Maximiliano Richeze
9	José Rodolfo Serpa
	Ag2r-La Mondiale
11	Hubert Dupont
12	Carlos Betancur
13	Maxime Bouet
14	Damien Gaudin
15	Patrick Gretsch
16	Yauheni Hutarovich
17	Lloyd Mondory
18	Rinaldo Nocentini
19	Sébastien Turgot
	Astana Pro Team
21	Fabio Aru
22	Daniil Fominykh
23	Andrea Guardini
24	Jacopo Guarnieri
25	Tanel Kangert
26	Mikel Landa
27	Alexey Lutsenko
28	Paolo Tiralongo
29	Andrey Zeits
	Belkin
31	Wilco Kelderman
32	Stef Clement
33	Laurens Ten Dam
34	Robert Gesink
35	Moreno Hofland
36	Paul Martens
37	Martijn Keizer
38	Maarten Tjallingii
39	Robert Wagner
	BMC Racing Team
41	Samuel Sánchez
42	Rohan Dennis
43	Cadel Evans
44	Philippe Gilbert
45	Steve Morabito
46	Dominik Nerz
47	Manuel Quinziato
48	Lawrence Warbasse
49	Danilo Wyss
	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
51	Luis Leon Sanchez
52	Javier Aramendia
53	David Arroyo
54	Peio Bilbao
55	Karol Domagalski
56	Francesco Lasca
57	Luís Mas Bonet
58	Antonio Piedra
59	Amets Txurruka
	Cannondale
61	Peter Sagan
62	George Bennett
63	Maciej Bodnar
64	Guillaume Boivin
65	Damiano Caruso
66	Alessandro De Marchi
67	Oscar Gatto
68	Matthias Krizek
69	Paolo Longo
	Cofidis
71	Daniel Navarro
72	Jérome Coppel
73	Romain Hardy
74	Gert Joeaar
75	Christophe Le Mével
76	Guillaume Levarlet
77	Luis Angel Mate
78	Yoann Bagot
79	Romain Zingle
	Team Europcar
81	Romain Sicard
82	Netnael Berhane
83	Jerome Cousin
84	Dan Craven
85	Jimmy Engoulvent
86	Vincent Jerome
87	Yannick Martinez
88	Maxime Mederel
89	Bryan Nauleau
	FDJ
91	Nacer Bouhanni
92	Kenny Elissonde
93	Antonio Murilo Fischer
94	Johan Le Bon
95	Laurent Mangel
96	Cédric Pineau
97	Thibaut Pinot
98	Anthony Roux
99	Geoffrey Soupe
	Garmin-Sharp
101	Ryder Hesjedal
102	Daniel Martin
103	Koldo Fernández
104	Nathan Haas
105	Nathan Brown
106	Andrre Cardoso
107	David Millar
108	Andrew Talansky
109	Johan Vansummeren
	Team Giant-Shimano
111	Warren Barguil
112	Nikias Ardnt
113	Lawson Craddock
114	Koen De Kort
115	John Degenkolb
116	Johannes Frohlinger
117	Chad Haga
118	Tobias Ludvigsson
119	Ramon Sinkeldam
	IAM Cycling
121	Marcel Aregger
122	Jonathan Fumeaux
123	Sébastien Hinault
124	Dominic Klemme
125	Pirmin Lang
126	Matteo Pelucchi
127	Vicente Reynes
128	Aleksejs Saramotins
129	Johann Tschopp
	Team Katusha
131	Joaquim Rodríguez
132	Giampaolo Caruso
133	Sergei Chernetckii
134	Alexandr Kolobnev
135	Dmitry Kozontchuk
136	Alberto Losada
137	Daniel Moreno
138	Yuri Trofimov
139	Eduard Vorganov
	Lotto-Belisol
141	Jurgen Van Den Broeck
142	Sander Armée
143	Vegard Breen
144	Bart De Clercq
145	Jens Debusschere
146	Adam Hansen
147	Gregory Henderson
148	Pim Ligthart
149	Maxime Monfort
	Movistar Team
151	Alejandro Valverde
152	Andrey Amador
153	Jonathan Castroviejo
154	Imanol Erviti
155	José Herrada
156	Gorka Izagirre
157	Adriano Malori
158	Javier Moreno
159	Nairo Quintana
	MTN - Qhubeka
161	Sergio Pardilla
162	Gerald Ciolek
163	Merhawi Kudus
164	Louis Meintjes
165	Kristian Sbaragli
166	Daniel Teklehaimanot
167	Jay Robert Thomson
168	Jaco Venter
169	Jacques Janse Van Rensburg
	Omega Pharma - Quick Step
171	Tom Boonen
172	Gianluca Brambilla
173	Nikolas Maes
174	Tony Martin
175	Wout Poels
176	Pieter Serry
177	Rigoberto Uran
178	Martin Velits
179	Carlos Verona
	Orica GreenEdge
181	Sam Bewley
182	Johan Esteban Chaves
183	Simon Clarke
184	Mitchell Docker
185	Brett Lancaster
186	Michael Matthews
187	Cameron Meyer
188	Ivan Santaromita
189	Adam Yates
	Team Sky
191	Christopher Froome
192	Dario Cataldo
193	Philip Deignan
194	Peter Kennaugh
195	Vasil Kiryienka
196	Christian Knees
197	Mikel Nieve
198	Luke Rowe
199	Kanstantsin Siutsou
	Tinkoff-Saxo
201	Alberto Contador
202	Michael Valgren
203	Daniele Bennati
204	Jesus Hernandes
205	Sérgio Paulinho
206	Ivan Rovny
207	Chris Anker Sørensen
208	Matteo Tosatto
209	Oliver Zaugg
	Trek Factory Racing
211	Fabian Cancellara
212	Julián David Arredondo
213	Fabio Felline
214	Bob Jungels
215	Yaroslav Popovych
216	Jesse Sergent
217	Jasper Stuyven
218	Kristof Vandewalle
219	Haimar Zubeldia