Spanish sun shines on Greipel

Luck may have played a big part in André Greipel's first Vuelta stage win, but it was a pure display of power that secured his second, on an oven-like evening in Vinaròs. The German sprinter emerged the strongest in an out-and-out drag race with Quick Step's Tom Boonen. Not only did Greipel launch his way to a second stage victory in this year's race, the time bonus at the finish was enough to see him inherit the Gold jersey of race leader from Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank).

Neither Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) nor Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Slipstream) appeared to have a reply for the first two on the stage as they filled third and fourth, respectively. At the other end of the sprinter's spectrum was Milram's Gerald Ciolek, who despite decidedly dryer conditions than Liège two days prior, found himself once again sprawled on the road within the final kilometres.

On a brutally hot opener in Spain, Greipel cast aside any doubts about his ability to contend with the world's fastest. Today also showed his versatility, triumphant on Spanish roads in Spain's Grand Tour, he took his win with a notable absence of teammates around him at the finish. His first ever lead in a Grand Tour now captured, while others wilted in the heat, Greipel has done his best to turn up the temperature.

Out of the pot and into the fire

Tuesday: Torrential rain and crashes galore. Thursday: 37° Celsius and blue sky.

For those few in the peloton that missed out on some form of crash induced shock on the Vuelta's stage four, the weather was doing it's best to confound each rider's circulatory system.

Five riders seemed happy to ignore the dramatic change in conditions. The race had barely left the outskirts of Tarragona when Julian Sanchez Pimienta (Contentpolis-Ampo) launched from the group. The Spaniard was quickly joined by Aitor Hernandez Gutierrez (Euskaltel), José Antonio Lopez Gil (Andalucía), Julien El Fares (Cofidis), Matthé Pronk (Vacansoleil) and Serafin Martinez (Xacobeo Galicia).

Whether it were residual malaise caused by the opening four days of the race or merely the oppressive temperature, the peloton appeared content to let the breakaway pave its own path to Vinaròs. By the first climb of the stage, the Col de Fatxas, at 49 kilometres, the breakaway had built themselves an advantage of 4:30.

Concerned that the sprinters might miss another opportunity, Quick Step's Stijn Devolder was present at the front of the peloton as the majority set about containing the advantage of the minority. With a relatively modest average speed of 37.7km/h through the first three hours of racing, the peloton capped the distance between themselves and the escapees at around the two minute mark.

With status quo established, it was not until the final 30 kilometres that the race began in earnest. As quickly as they had escaped, the break returned from whence-it-came. José Antonio Lopez Gil (Andalucía) and Matthé Pronk (Vacansoleil) made one final bid for glory before a Rabobank-driven peloton snapped up Lopez and then Pronk.

As the stage hit its final ascent, the Ermita, 10 kilometres from home, the game changed once more. David de la Fuente (Fuji Servetto) was followed and passed in quick time by Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto), who put his head down for the narrow, twisting descent.

With seven kilometres to go, Gilbert had snatched a 20-second advantage. Gasping for air, the Belgian was being pursued by the now Quick Step-led mass behind. As Gilbert was wrapped up three kilometres from the end, the jerseys on the front of the peloton had transformed once more. First Columbia-HTC, then Vacansoleil took their turns to control affairs.

In the final kilometre Liquigas grabbed the initiative. By now, the temperature had whittled the peloton to a very small group of very fast individuals. As the number of green jerseys at the front melted away it was the Belgian tricolour of Tom Boonen which appeared most prominent. The Belgian, anxious to break his Vuelta duck for this year, was the first to open the taps with 200 metres to go, but he was left to contemplate what might have been as Greipel came around on the right hand side of the road to take his second successive stage win of this year's race.

Sprinters rule, okay?

The first stage of this year's Vuelta on Spanish soil did provide the first reshuffle of the general classification since leaving Assen five days earlier. The sprinters have finally broken through the Swiss stronghold on the Gold jersey. Today's stage winner Greipel (Columbia-HTC) now holds a six-second advantage over Boonen (Quick Step).

Previous leader, Fabian Cancellara, now sits in third place, nine seconds behind Greipel. The 20-second time bonus earned by the German sprinter for his stage win accounted for Greipel's jump from fourth into the race leadership.

With just three Category 3 climbs to test the peloton on tomorrow's stage six loop from-and-to the city of Xàtiva, Greipel looks likely to hold the Gold until at least the end of the stage seven time trial on Saturday.