Today's stage: 185 km in the Basque Country with plenty of climbing but a long flat section at the end.
Who won today's stage? Daniele Bennati (Leopard-Trek) got over the mountains where many of the other sprinters did not and took the stage in a bunch sprint.
What matters in the GC race? Nothing. Barring catastrophe tomorrow, Juan Jose Cobo (Geox-TMC) is going to win over Chris Froome (Team Sky) and Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky). Tomorrow's stage is a bunch sprint stage.
What matters in the other competitions?
Green Jersey (Points, Sprinter Competition) – Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) and Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) both contested the sprint looking for points and are now tied going to the final stage. In the event of a tie, Rodriguez owns the tiebreaker by virtue of his two stage wins during week 1.
Polka Dot Jersey (King of the Mountains) – David Moncoutie (Cofidis) locked the competition up as soon as Matteo Montaguti (Ag2r La Mondiale) failed to get into the breakaway. Moncoutie wins this for the 4th year in a row and heads off to retirement with a happy and successful Vuelta with a stage win and the KoM.
White Jersey (Allround) – Same as it's been. Cobo leads, Froome wears the jersey, Mollema is 3rd. Cobo will take this home tomorrow as long as he finishes the stage.
Biggest surprise: Bennati survived to contest the sprint. Most of the other sprinters have already left the Vuelta. In addition, the few remaining sprinters other than Bennati all ended up in the Grupetto 15 minutes behind because the final cat. 1 climb was too tough.
Biggest disappointment: Nobody in any of the other competitions got into the break. It would have made for a much more entertaining stage.
Other items of note: There are other races taking place all over the world as World Championship preparation gets into full swing. Yesterday, Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) won again taking the GP Cycliste de Quebec. He goes for the Canadian double tomorrow in Montreal. Also, Denis Galimzyanov (Katusha) took a bunch sprint to win Paris-Brussels... The Movistar Team virus claimed another victim. They have just four men left for the final stage and a couple of them are sick too.
What is coming tomorrow? Sprint stage to finish the Vuelta. I peg Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) as a big favorite with JJ Haedo (Saxo Bank-Sungard) and today's stage winner Bennati having a good chance as well.
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