Vuelta a Espana 2017: Stage 7

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January 1 - September 10, Lliria, Nîmes, Road - WorldTour

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Stage 6 report: Marczynski wins in Sagunto
Contador rattles race favourites
Van Garderen stays in GC battle despite crash

The Vuelta's longest stage has just three categorised climbs but some 2,700 metres of total climbing. In normal circumstances, those would almost certainly be a day for a break to stay clear, but with so few sprint opportunities on this Vuelta, the fast men will be reluctant to pass up on the prospect here. With Alberto Contador eager to make up his deficit any which we he can, the GC men will have to be vigilant, too, on the long road to Cuenca.

The peloton rolls out of Llíria at 12.15 local time with the race proper due to begin at 12.30. 

The general classification picture is as follows after 6 days of racing:

The peloton is navigating the neutralised zone in Llira beneath blues skies and in a temperature of 27 degrees.

After losing ground on the first mountain stage in Andorra, Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) has shown signs of recovery over the past two days. His onslaught yesterday briefly fragmented the group of favourites, but he ended the day chatting with Froome as they rode side by side into the finish. In the overall standings, Contador remains 3:10 behind Froome in 23rd overall. 

Contador went on the offensive on the Puerto del Garbi yesterday, but was peeved that he received relatively little by way of help from the GC men who tracked his move. "It was an opportunity to do a lot of damage in the GC and get rid of some important people," Contador lamented at the finish. "I thought there'd be more collaboration from the other teams, squads who had two or three riders there in that front group who could have dropped some of their rivals. Maybe, later on, they're going to regret having lost this opportunity." Alasdair Fotheringham has the story in full here.

There is a non-starter to report this morning. Carlos Betancur has been forced to abandon the Vuelta overnight due to the injuries his sustained in his crash on the descent of the Garbi. The Colombian made it to the finish yesterday despite fracturing his right ankle and picking up facial injuries in the incident. 

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In fact, though the race had passed the kilometre zero, the flag was not waved just there. There was a crash in the neutralised zone, and so the race remained neutralised a little longer to allow the fallers - which included Soren Kragh Andersen (Sunweb) - to latch back on to the peloton.

All 188 riders are accounted for, and stage 7 of the Vuelta is now formally - and finally - underway. 

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Kelderman, it seems, was part of an earlier breakaway attempt, but is not in this group of 14 riders which has established a substantial lead over the peloton.

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Like on Monday, Przemyslaw Niemiec (UAE-Team Emirates) is alone in the no man's land between the break and the peloton. On that occasion, the Pole was high in the Pyrenees and he was able to climb steadily up to the leaders. On the heavy, exposed roads around Losa del Obispo, his task is rather more ambitious, especially as he is 1:30 behind the leaders.

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The escapees are 16 kilometres from the base of the day's first classified climb, the category 3 Puerto La Montalbana (8km at 4.3%). Two more category 3 climbs follow - the Alto de Sta. Cruz de Moya (8.7km at 4%) and the stiff Alto del Castillo (2km at 7.2%). The summit of the Castillo is just under 12 kilometres from the finish, and seems a most likely springboard for late attacks.

As the break continues to chug its way clear, word reaches us that Jonas Van Genechten (Cofidis) has abandoned the Vuelta. A year ago, almost to the day, the Belgian won stage 7 of the Vuelta in Puebla de Sanabria.

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Neo-professional Enric Mas underscored his potential by placing third on yesterday's stage. The Majorca native already had a contract for next season, but this morning Quick-Step Floors announced that his deal has been extended through to the end of the 2019 campaign.

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The break's lead extends to six minutes as they approach the summit of the day's opening categorised climb.

Tejay van Garderen (BMC) is tucked safely into the main peloton. Considering he crashed twice yesterday - once on the descent of the Puerto del Garbi and again in the finale as he attempted to chase back on - the American will have been relieved to have lost just 20 seconds on the road to Sagunto. Van Garderen is now 4th overall, 30 seconds behind Froome, and he struck an optimistic note after the stage. "I mean, when you really think about it, over three weeks, nothing goes perfectly. It's more about how you deal with the not-perfect days and take advantage of the good days," van Garderen said. "I've shown I'm in good form. The injuries are pretty minor, the legs are good, morale's good. So we'll move forward and try to take advantage of any opportunity we get." Alasdair Fotheringham has the full story here.

It will be fascinating to see how van Garderen fares on this Vuelta. He seemed to be at a crossroads during the Giro d'Italia, where he set out with ambitions of a podium spot, only to find himself in an Autogrill with directeur sportif Max Sciandri, downing a beer and wondering just where he could go after losing all GC hopes in a disastrous Montefalco time trial. Van Garderen recovered sufficiently to claim a fine stage win in Ortisei in the final week. Afterwards, having made small talk with a fellow Denver Broncos fan, he reiterated his big ambitions in three-week races. "I still think I'm capable of doing GC in a Grand Tour in the future, I'm not going to give up trying for that," van Garderen said.

It will be fascinating to see how van Garderen fares on this Vuelta. He seemed to be at a crossroads during the Giro d'Italia, where he set out with ambitions of a podium spot, only to find himself in an Autogrill with directeur sportif Max Sciandri, downing a beer and wondering just where he could go after losing all GC hopes in a disastrous Montefalco time trial. Van Garderen recovered sufficiently to claim a fine stage win in Ortisei in the final week. Afterwards, having made small talk with a fellow Denver Broncos fan, he reiterated his big ambitions in three-week races. "I still think I'm capable of doing GC in a Grand Tour in the future, I'm not going to give up trying for that," van Garderen said.

It will be fascinating to see how van Garderen fares on this Vuelta. He seemed to be at a crossroads during the Giro d'Italia, where he set out with ambitions of a podium spot, only to find himself in an Autogrill with directeur sportif Max Sciandri, downing a beer and wondering just where he could go after losing all GC hopes in a disastrous Montefalco time trial. Van Garderen recovered sufficiently to claim a fine stage win in Ortisei in the final week. Afterwards, having made small talk with a fellow Denver Broncos fan, he reiterated his big ambitions in three-week races. "I still think I'm capable of doing GC in a Grand Tour in the future, I'm not going to give up trying for that," van Garderen said.

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Despite leading Contador by more than 3 minutes, Chris Froome has insisted that the Spaniard is not yet out of the hunt for final overall victory in the wake of his onslaught on yesterday's stage. While Vincenzo Nibali, Romain Bardet et al struggled to follow, however, Froome did not seem especially troubled by the acclerations. "We're still two weeks away from Madrid, so anything can still happen," Froome said. "It was such a tough stage, I thought a GC rider would attack and Alberto was very impressive today. He did go very deep and very hard, and that forced the rest of us to go hard as well." Alasdair Fotheringham has the full story here. 

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De Gendt, incidentally, was first to the top of the Alto de Santa Cruz de Moya, ahead of Mate and De Marchi.

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The rain from earlier in the stage has abated for the time being, as the peloton trundles along beneath blue skies and in temperatures approaching 35 degrees. It's a little cooler and more overcast at the finish in Cuenca.

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The Vuelta's last visit to Cuenca came in 2006, when David Millar, riding in the colours of Saunier Duval, beat Fabian Cancellara in a time trial to claim his first victory since returning from a two-year doping ban. "I love my sport and I want everyone to know that you can win the biggest races on bread and water,” Millar said. Alexandre Vinokourov finished third in that stage en route to final overall victory, a year before he tested positive for blood doping at the Tour de France.

The previous day's stage had also finished in Cuenca, and the winner was one Samuel Sanchez. Eleven years on, Sanchez tested positive for the growth hormone releasing peptide GHRP-2 in an on out-of-competition test just before this Vuelta started. Sanchez, who has been riding for BMC since 2014, was pulled from the Vuelta and is provisionally suspended. 

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Kudus has been forced to abandon the Vuelta due to his crash. US champion Larry Warbasse (Aqua Blue Sport) is also out of the Vuelta after going down in the same incident.

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Nicolas Roche (BMC) has a consistent record at the Vuelta, and the Irishman lies third overall, just 13 seconds behind Froome. Like his teammate van Garderen, he is hoping to reiterate his credentials as a GC rider in Spain. Roche placed 6th overall at the 2013 Vuelta, but has set out in the service of a leader in every Grand Tour he has raced since the 2014 Giro. "“I realise in cycling people have a short memory – about three months long at most. But that’s normal, and I know what I am capable of doing in the Vuelta. If you look back to 2008, I’ve been competitive in this race every single year," Roche said. Read the full story here.

Nicolas Roche (BMC) has a consistent record at the Vuelta, and the Irishman lies third overall, just 13 seconds behind Froome. Like his teammate van Garderen, he is hoping to reiterate his credentials as a GC rider in Spain. Roche placed 6th overall at the 2013 Vuelta, but has set out in the service of a leader in every Grand Tour he has raced since the 2014 Giro. "“I realise in cycling people have a short memory – about three months long at most. But that’s normal, and I know what I am capable of doing in the Vuelta. If you look back to 2008, I’ve been competitive in this race every single year," Roche said. Read the full story here.

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That doesn't mean, mind, that there will not be frissons among the GC contenders on the Alto del Castillo climb in the finale, as Roche pointed out. "Just the name, Alto del Castillo: you can imagine, there’s going to be a castle on top, with narrow, switchbacks, just with experience and a bit of imagination you can see what’s going to be coming. I saw on YouTube, back in 2006 when they last did it, they split on the descent, so that’s a point where you’ll have to be very careful," Roche said. “It’s good to be there up after a week, but I also know that every Grand Tour is full of traps and you have to be always, always focused for the whole three weeks. Anything can happen, from hunger flats to crashes, and you have to take it day by day.”

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The top end of the general classification, meanwhile, looks as follows:

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Froome, Aru, Nibali, Bardet and Zakarin are all safely in the front group. The pace has relented slightly and the second echelon has a fighting chance of latching back on.

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Trek-Segafredo and Bahrain-Merida move up towards the head of the bunch on the drag towards Fuentes.

There will, of course, be a rather more fraught battle for places at the head of the bunch on the approach to the short climb of Alto del Castillo. The cobbled road on the ascent grows narrower towards the summit, and positioning will be crucial.

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When the Vuelta visited Cuenca in 2001, incidentally, there were also 14 riders in the day-long break, including a young Luca Paolini and Haimar Zubeldia. Santiago Blanco attacked on the Alto del Castillo but crashed on the descent. Filippo Simeoni escaped alone to claim a victory that will be best remembered for the victory salute. The man who would later stand up to Lance Armstrong dismounted and walked across the line, brandishing his bike above his head.

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Today's finale takes place in Luis Ocaña country. He was born in Priego de Cuenca, 50 kilometres north of the finish, and he lived in the area as a child until his family moved north of the Pyrenees to France. The best account of Ocaña's turbulent life is to be found in Alasdair Fotheringham's excellent Reckless: The Life and Times of Luis Ocaña.

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Richard Carapaz (Movistar) sits on the front of the chasing group in support of his teammate Rojas. Mohoric and Gougeared have 12 seconds in hand as they approach the climb of Alto del Castillo.

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Gougeard drops back immediately, and Mohoric is alone at the front of the race with a small advantage.

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Mohoric leads beneath the arch midway up the climb but he is joined by Rojas and De Marchi as he rattles across the cobbles that follow.

Rafael Reis, meanwhile, has fallen on the climb after riding into a television motorbike, but he quickly remounts.

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The peloton hits the climb of Alto del Castillo, meanwhile, with Sky and Froome well positioned near the front.

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No major frissons in the peloton on the climb, though many riders were jettisoned off the back. Sky lead over the summit and it seems all of the GC contenders will reach the finish with Froome.

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Matej Mohoric drapes his arms over the handlebars as he time trials towards the finish line.

Matej Mohoric (UAE-Team Emirates) wins stage 7 of the Vuelta a Espana.

Pawel Poljanski takes second for the second successive day. Rojas finished third, while De Gendt had to settle for fourth.

The remnants of the break spill across the line in twos and threes. Bol came home 30 seconds down. The Dutchman will shoot up the overall standings, though the peloton will reach the finish inside 8 minutes, and Froome will retain the red jersey.

Mohoric has been on the world stage for most of the decade, but he is still only 22 years of age. This is, by some distance, his biggest win as a professional and his most important triumph since he won the under-23 Worlds in Florence in 2013.

Result:

Result:

Team Sky leads the reduced peloton as it trundles through the final kilometre, with all of the GC contenders still present.

Froome and the GC contenders come in 8:40 or so down on Mohoric. The Briton retains the overall lead ahead of tomorrow's leg to Xorret de Cati.

Mohoric pointed to the UAE branding on his jersey as he crossed the line, but he will swap their colours for those of Bahrain-Merida in 2018. He will link up once again with Brent Copeland, the man who signed him from Cannondale for what was then Lampre at the end of 2015.

General classification after stage 7:

 

Matej Mohoric speaks before mounting the podium: “It’s incredible, it’s a long time since my last big win and it feels great to get a victory again. I was in the break when Lutsenko won. I felt very good then, and even though the stage was not good for my characteristics, I got fourth. Today the team wanted me in the break, I tried to save as much energy as possible and I gave it all in the final. The final quite suited me, as I’m a pretty good descender. I needed to go away over the downhill. I’m happy for UAE who gave me the chance to compete in the Vuelta.”

Chris Froome speaks after accepting another red jersey. "I think a special mention to Ian Stannard and Christian Knees because they did pretty much the whole stage on the front today and then the rest of the guys were fantastic in the final. Tomorrow is a really tough final. There are ramps of over 18 percent in the last 5 kilometres of the climb before we descend to the finish. It will be a big GC battle tomorrow."

Larry Warbasse (Aqua Blue Sport), Merhawi Kudus (Dimension Data) and Jonas Van Genechten (Cofidis) were all forced to abandon the Vuelta as a result of crashes on the stage. 

Result:

General classification after stage 7:

Thanks for joining our live coverage of stage 7 of the Vuelta a Espana on Cyclingnews. A full report, results and pictures are available here. We'll be back with more live updates from tomorrow's tough stage to Xorret de Cati.

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