2014 Vuelta a España Stage 6: Valverde victorious on first summit finish, takes back race lead
Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) has fired the first salvo among his fellow Vuelta a España GC favourites, as he won Thursday’s stage at the top of the Cat. 1 La Zubia to take back the red jersey. Chris Froome (Great Britain/Sky) was second on the day and Alberto Contador (Spain/Tinkoff-Saxo) third.
It was a day on which two breakaways nearly stayed away. One of Wednesday’s escapees, Pim Ligthart (The Netherlands/Lotto-Belisol), joined King of the Mountains leader Luis Mas Bonet (Spain/Caja Rural) on another day-long excursion.
Bonet padded his lead in the blue polka-dot jersey competition by taking maximum points on top of a Cat. 2 and Cat. 3 climb. The duo had a maximum lead of 14:30, but it was down to 7:00 with 36-km remaining. Garmin-Sharp whipped along the peloton in hopes of salvaging something after Wednesday’s disappointment.
John Degenkolb and race leader Michael Matthew’s green jersey battle behind the fugitives cut the lead drastically to 3:00 with 13.6-km to go. Matthew’s Orica-GreenEdge team kept up the pressure to launch their GC man Esteban Chaves (Colombia).
The final climb of La Zubia was short at 4.6-km, but steep with a 7.8% average and a section of 12.7%. Ligthart was the last to surrender at the foot of La Zubia, and Christopher Le Mevel (France/Cofidis) was the first to attack from the 30-rider GC group.
Valverde looked to be setting the pace for teammate Nairo Quintana (Colombia), forcing a selection of only ten men entering the final kilometre together. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain/Katusha) launched a stiff attack at the 700 metre mark, but Valverde was able to grab his wheel. It looked like Froome was going to slide by the Spaniards, but Valverde kicked again to take his 11th Vuelta stage win. Quintana was found wanting in the final battle, finishing 12-seconds in arrears of the top three.
Friday’s stage is a lumpy one with an uphill finish in Alcaudete.
2014 Vuelta a España Stage 6
1) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) 4:35:27
2) Chris Froome (Great Britain/Sky) s.t.
3) Alberto Contador (Spain/Tinkoff-Saxo) s.t.
44) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Garmin-Sharp) +3:44
147) Guillaume Boivin (Canada/Cannondale) +12:44
2014 Vuelta a España GC
1) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) 22:48:08
2) Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) +0:15
3) Alberto Contador (Spain/Tinkoff-Saxo) +0:18
43) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Garmin-Sharp) +7:49
123) Guillaume Boivin (Canada/Cannondale) +41:45
