Team Sky buoyed by Vuelta stage to Alto de Peñas Blancas

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Team Sky put in a solid display on stage 8 of the Vuelta a Espana with Rigoberto Uran slipping one place to eighth but holding his top ten position overall, while Sergio Henao moved up in GC.

Sky came into the Vuelta with Uran and Henao as potential overall contenders in the race. However Henao lost time on stage two of the race.

On the slopes of the final climb Uran finished 10th after Henao had helped him on the climb. The stage was won by Leopold Konig (Team NetApp-Endura) but Uran crossed the line in a select group that included Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha), Chris Horner (RadioShack Leopard) and Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale).

Henao crossed the line in 15th place, and moved up in the overall to 26th.

"It was a good day today," sports director Marcus Ljungqvist said on the team’s website.

“"We were happy to see Sergio back up there and Rigo performing well. It was a tough climb at the finish, especially at the start with the really steep sections. It was more of a steady one after that but it was a long effort in the heat. The riders will have felt that one."

Earlier in the stage Sky had sent Dario Cataldo up the road in the day’s main break. The Italian was among three of the last riders to be caught on the final climb but Ljungqvist stressed that the GC was the primary objective.

“The main thing today is that the GC looks good. Rigo is looking solid and Sergio is moving back up. We have a steep finish tomorrow and then another big day on Monday. Let’s see what happens.”