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2014 Vuelta a España Stage 7: Ryder Hesjedal crashes to dash stage win hopes, comes runner-up

Ryder Hesjedal’s disappointment at the 2014 Vuelta a España continued Friday when a crash with 13.5-km remaining ruined his hopes of taking a stage win out of a successful breakaway. The Canadian from Garmin-Sharp crashed in a corner and had a race motorcycle drive over his bike. Alessandro De Marchi (Italy/Cannondale), recent Most Aggressive Rider at the Tour de France and King of the Mountains at the Critérium du Dauphiné, took the win in Alcaudete.

Alejandro Valverde keeps the race lead for another day.

It took a long time for a breakaway to stick on the 165-km route, but Hesjedal’s escape got away and held a maximum gap of 7:30. Ryder was second on both categorized climbs, a Cat. 2 and Cat. 3. Behind there were a couple of crashes, one of which involved Chris Froome (Great Britain/Sky). Trek and Lampre controlled the pace of the peloton.

Hesjedal in the day's break. Photo: Prensa Vuelta
Hesjedal in the day’s break. Photo: Prensa Vuelta

With 20-km to go on the 54-km finishing circuit, the quartet still held a 4:00 lead, with Hesjedal on point labouring with intent. Five kilometres later one fugitive, Hubert Dupont (France/Ag2r), fell back. Soon after, Hesjedal crashed, and his breakmates, De Marchi and Johann Tschopp (Switzerland/IAM Cycling) thought about waiting. The duo beat on without the Canadian, with the Italian leaving behind the Swiss.

The peloton lost interest and the only drama in the final 10-km was based on the slim hopes of the remnants of the breakaway forming an alliance to bring back the Italian on the uphill finish. The desperate trio only cut the gap to 1:35. Hesjedal’s consolation was second place and the day’s most combative award. He also jumped up seven places in the GC.

Froome nicked two seconds from his rivals in the final sprint for the line.

A victorious De Marchi. Photo: Prensa Vuelta
A victorious De Marchi. Photo: Prensa Vuelta

Saturday’s flat 207-km course from Baeza to Albacete is one for the fast men.

2014 Vuelta a España Stage 7
1) Alessandro De Marchi (Italy/Cannondale) 4:01:52
2) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Garmin-Sharp) +1:35
3) Hubert Dupont (France/Ag2r) s.t.
176) Guillaume Boivin (Canada/Cannondale) +20:42

2014 Vuelta a España GC
1) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) 26:52:20
2) Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) +0:15
3) Alberto Contador (Spain/Tinkoff-Saxo) +0:18
36) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Garmin-Sharp) +6:54
159) Guillaume Boivin (Canada/Cannondale) +1:00:07

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