Sports Poets Society

Come al Tour, anzi peggio. Anche nella ottava tappa della Vuelta tante, troppe cadute; Sagan che se la prende con una moto, Boenkamps, Martin, Bohuanny e Van Garderen che si ritirano. Va bene che la ASO, madre-padrona del giro di Francia, organizza anche quello di Spagna, così però si esagera. La frazione solo in teoria per velocisti l'ha vinta Jasper Stuyven , passistone che si allena in Italia, nel lucchese, e da junior ha vinto oro e bronzo ai mondiali e ha vinto la roubaix sia da junior sia negli under 23; per il 23enne belga della Trek Factory Racing è il primo successo in due anni da pro'. E' arrivata al suo secondo grande giro, alla Vuelta, che Stuyven ha corso anche l'anno scorso. E con uno sprint di forza e classe, al termine di una frazione molto nervosa, soprattutto per le cadute. La più grave quella di un altro belga, Kris Boeckmans, a lungo a terra, ma tali da comportare il ritiro anche quelle di Daniel Martin, che era nella top ten della generale...

09 Distance: 168.3km Category: Medium Mountain Highest point: 415m Like the previous day, the finale of this stage features a double crossing of a climb. However, the Cumbre del Sol is not only a tougher proposition than the Cresta del Gallo but the finish is also located at its summit. It’s the only difficulty of a day that passes through regular training camp territory on the Costa Blanca. The riders don’t go all the way to the top on the first passage over the Cumbre del Sol. As such, it’s rated as It may seem odd to describe a stage that descends most of the way to a shark-toothed finishing circuit as being hard for the sprinters, but Spain rarely offers anything that’s completely straightforward for the bunch finishers. Many riders will know the finale from the Vuelta a Murcia, where the Cresta del Gallo’s appearance is almost de rigueur. Extending to 5.5km at an average of 6.8 per cent, it could be a launchpad for second category. On the second ascent, they tackle its full...

08 Distance: 168.3km Category: Medium Mountain Highest point: 415m Distance: 188.6km Category: Hilly Highest point: 1,240m It may seem odd to describe a stage that descends most of the way to a shark-toothed finishing circuit as being hard for the sprinters, but Spain rarely offers anything that’s completely straightforward for the bunch finishers. Many riders will know the finale from the Vuelta a Murcia, where the Cresta del Gallo’s appearance is almost de rigueur. Extending to 5.5km at an average of 6.8 per cent, it could be a launchpad for second category. On the second ascent, they tackle its full 3.5km, averaging 11 per cent, with sections at close to 20. It looks to be an ideal opportunity for explosive climbers like Joaquim Rodríguez but the time gaps between the GC hitters won’t be large. attacking climbers. But the 12 flat kilometres to the finish provide hope to those in pursuit. Norway’s Thor Hushovd won in Murcia in 2010 but that stage only crossed the Cresta del Ga...