As it happened: Sepp Kuss takes Vuelta a España lead on stage 8 to Xorret de Catí

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of stage 8 of the Vuelta a España!

A look at the map of today's challenging stage.

We've got under an hour to go until the stage starts in Dénia.

It's a short stage but packs a big punch with plenty of climbing along the way – three second-category climbs, a third-cat and the final first-category challenge.

Yesterday's stage was one for the sprinters in Oliva as Geoffrey Soupe (TotalEnergies) emerged as the surprise winner ahead of Orluis Aular (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA).

Here's a look at the general classification heading into stage 8. Lots of big names still very close together at this point in the race.

3.9km at 11.4% with slopes reaching over 20% – this is today's final climb of Xorret de Catí.

Today's stage kicks off in around 20 minutes. Here's our preview of the day...

Vuelta a España faces brutally steep Wall of Catí on stage 8 - Preview

And here's our streaming guide on how to watch the Vuelta a España.

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The riders are off and tackling the neutral zone to start the stage now.

Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers) is the only DNS today after his stage 7 crash.

7km of neutral zone for the peloton today.

A crash involving two riders from AG2R has seen the start delayed slightly.

163km to go

Now the flag has dropped and racing is underway!

Attacks flying from the get-go.

A group of eight including Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Dstny) and Nico Denz (Bora-Hansgrohe) is trying to get away from the peloton.

Lidl-Trek lead the chase.

They're trying to place Kenny Elissonde and Edward Theuns in the move, while several more riders including Sean Flynn (dsm-firmenich) are also trying to get across.

157km to go

The move is collapsing though, with the peloton almost back with the attacking group.

It's all back together now.

And now more riders head off the front of the peloton in search of a breakaway.

150km to go

Denz, De Gendt, Elissonde back out there again. Max Poole (dsm-firmenich) and Bauke Mollema (Lidl-Trek) also among the attackers.

The group of 14 has 30 seconds on the peloton.

A 50kph average speed to start the stage.

The break, now 50 seconds up on the peloton.

Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Dstny), Max Poole (dsm-firmenich), Kenny Elissonde, Bauke Mollema (Lidl-Trek), Nico Denz (Bora-Hansgrohe), Diego Camargo, Julius van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost), Samuele Battistella (Astana Qazaqstan), José Manuel Diaz Gallego, Pelayo Sanchez (Burgos-BH), Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Paul Lapeira (AG2R-Citroën), Alan Jousseaume (TotalEnergies)

145km to go

Arkéa-Samsic are leading the peloton in the chase.

The first climb of the day is coming up – the second-category Alto de Vall d'Ebo (7.9km at 5.7%).

Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) tried an attack along with Elie Gesbert (Arkéa-Samsic), though neither got away from the peloton.

140km to go

Now Jumbo-Visma are leading the peloton while Lapeira is dropping from the break.

Andreas Kron (Lotto-Dstny) and Callum Scotson (Jayco-AlUla) try to make a move from the peloton on the climb.

Meanwhile Jousseaume and Van den Berg join Lapeira in dropping from the breakaway move.

Kron and Scotson joined the break but it's all back together again as the riders reach the final kilometres of the climb. 

A crash in the peloton and UAE Team Emirates co-leader João Almeida is involved. Those caught up are back up and running, though.

More riders make a move, including Kron again. 

131km to go

Jesus Herrada is in there. There Cofidis rider leads the way over the top of the climb for five points ahead of Kron and Pelayo Sanchez (Burgos-BH).

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A large group trying to get away on the descent.

Almeida is back at the medical car after crashing.

Around 20 riders on the move at the front now.

Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious), Romain Bardet (dsm-firmenich), Bauke Mollema (Lidl-Trek), Andreas Kron (Lotto-Dstny) all in there.

More riders join the front of the race as the gap goes way up. It's not over two minutes.

123km to go

There are several small chasing groups behind a lead break of over 20 riders.

On the way to the third-category Puerto de Tollos (4.2km at 5.6%) now.

30 at the front now. 39km covered in the first hour.

Here's the long list of those riders in the move at 2:30 up on the peloton...

4: Thomas De Gendt, Andreas Kron, Sylvain Moniquet, Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto Dstny)

3: Callum Scotson, Welay Hagos Berhe, Callum Scotso (Jayco-AlUla)

2: Damiano Caruso, Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious); Jesus Herrada, Ruben Fernandez (Cofidis); Oier Lazkano, Nelson Oliveira (Movistar); Kenny Elissonde, Bauke Mollema (Lidl-Trek); Paul Ourselin, Fabien Doubey (TotalEnergies); Diego Camargo, Julius van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost); Javier Romo, Vadim Pronskiy (Astana Qazaqstan); José Manuel Diaz, Pelayo Sanchez (Burgos-BH)

1: Finn Fischer Black (UAE Team Emirates), Jonathan Castroviejo (Ineos Grenadiers), Ben Zwiehoff (Bora-Hansgrohe), Rui Costa (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), Romain Bardet (dsm-firmenich), Cristian Rodriguez (Arkéa-Samsic), Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Nicolas Prodhomme (AG2R Citroën)

Groupama-FDJ now leading the peloton on behalf of race leader Lenny Martinez.

3:50 to the peloton now as the riders tackle the Puerto de Tollos.

Arkéa-Samsic rider Cristian Rodriguez is the closest man in the break to Martinez's red jersey. He's at 4:01 down.

Herrada again leads it over the top of the climb. That's now eight points for him today.

He already had four mountain points to his name and now moves up to second in the classification on 12, nine down on polka dot jersey Eduardo Sepulveda.

112km to go

Four minutes back to the peloton and now De Gendt pushes on solo at the front.

De Gendt has 40 seconds now on the lumpy terrain following the short descent.

Rodriguez is now the virtual Vuelta leader with an on-the-road advantage of just over his 4:01 deficit to Martinez.

107km to go

Just over 20km to go until the next climb now as there's a brief lull in the hills.

Groupama-FDJ leading the peloton.

97km to go

De Gendt now 55 seconds up the road on his own.

Jumbo-Visma have joined Groupama-FDJ working at the head of the peloton as Robert Gesink moves to the front.

Time for the next climb of the day now, the second-category Puerto de Benifallim (9.5km at 4.9%). De Gendt is 1:15 up on the break and 5:20 up on the peloton.

The breakaway traversing the hills behind De Gendt.

De Gendt still leading the way by around a minute as he edges his way up the climb.

A split in the breakaway behind De Gendt as several riders including Rodriguez and Romo make a move.

Meanwhile, Mollema and Van den Berg are dropping from the break.

Romo and Rodriguez are with Tiberi in the chase.

Oier Lazkano chasing the trio.

83km to go

De Gendt crosses the top of the climb alone.

The trio have closed the gap to De Gendt on the descent!

Lazkano is there now too, while Rui Costa has also made the bridge.

76km to go

45 seconds from the leaders back to the break.

3:45 back to the peloton.

Now De Gendt drops from the lead group...

A shot of the breakaway out on the road today.

Elissonde, Kron and Prodhomme now attack the main breakaway group. The break is a minute down on the leaders.

The Jumbo-Visma and Groupama-FDJ led peloton is at 3:50.

They're coming towards the end of the descent now and will soon start the second-category Puerto de la Carrasqueta (10.9km at 4.6%).

Kron, Prodhomme, and Elissonde not yet across to the leaders.

Now the climb starts.

63km to go

12 seconds between the leaders and chasers. 45 seconds back to the main break. 3:50 to the peloton.

Kron, Elissonde, and Prodhomme have now joined the five leaders.

Jumbo-Visma pushing the pace in the peloton, 3:30 down, as riders from the break drop back.

Van den Berg and Mollema back in the peloton now.

Meanwhile, up front the leaders are caught by the break!

Robert Gesink still making the pace in the peloton, three minutes down on the break.

58km to go

Attacks up front now as Van Eetvelt makes a move.

Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious), Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto Dstny) and Welay Hagos Berhe (Jayco-AlUla) on the attack now.

Oier Lazkano (Movistar) and Rui Costa (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) join them to make it five in the lead.

55km to go

Back in the peloton Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) stops with a mechanical.

Evenepoel is joined by a few teammates as he works his way back to the peloton.

50km to go

The break heading down the descent as the peloton heads over the top of the climb.

Bardet, Tiberi, Rodriguez join the lead group now.

Gesink is still leading the peloton!

37.4kph average speed so far.

Caruso and Bardet at the head of the race.

Attacks again going at the front now.

40km to go

Rolling roads now but no classified climbs before the final.

Kron, Caruso, Lazkano, Costa out front now.

Now a minute between the leaders and the rest of the break.

2:50 for the leaders now. The peloton is slowly chipping away at the lead.

Lazkano, Kron, Caruso, Costa still pushing on out front at 1:10 up on the break.

33km to go

2:30 for the peloton now.

Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) has abandoned the race after crashing yesterday.

Riders in the chase group trying to make moves but it's hopeless at this point. They're 1:35 down on the leaders and just 40 seconds up on the peloton.

Sam Gaze (Alpecin-Deceuninck) is the next rider to abandon the race.

26km to go

Not long before the chase group is caught by the peloton now. The gap is only going down.

Meanwhile, Caruso, Kron, Costa, and Lazkano are still pushing on. They're 1:50 up on the peloton.

Much of the break now brought back by the peloton.

Camargo and Van Eetvelt still soldiering on in between the leaders and the peloton.

24km to go

The pair are 45 seconds down on the leaders, another 45 ahead of the peloton.

The pair are making headway into the gap.

A downhill run coming up after this unclassified hill and then a short spell in the valley before the final climb.

Jumbo-Visma continue to lead the peloton.

20km to go

The lead quartet are now 30 seconds up on the chasers and a minute up on the peloton.

On the way down to the valley now.

The progress of Camargo and Van Eetvelt has stalled. They're stuck at 35-40 seconds down with the peloton 20 seconds back.

12km to go

On the flat run to the climb now. The riders are 5km away.

40 seconds from the leaders to the two chasers and then another 10 seconds to the peloton.

Van Eetvelt and Camargo are caught just outside the 10km mark.

Movistar move up front in the peloton. Jumbo-Visma still up there.

It's all about the final climb now.

9km to go

40 seconds now for the leaders.

8km to go

Still four out front, still 40 seconds up the road.

Jan Tratnik leading for Jumbo-Visma.

7km to go

The breakaway start the climb!

30 seconds for the four leaders.

The gap only coming down now with the peloton is flying along onto the climb.

6.5km to go

10 seconds...

Lazkano and Costa pushing on at the front of the break.

Geraint Thomas is out the rear of the peloton already.

6km to go

Attila Valter now leading the group.

Martinez dropped!

Kron and Caruso caught.

Now it's Soudal-QuickStep on the front.

5.5km to go

10 seconds to the lead duo.

Evenepoel in second wheel at the front.

2km to the top. Martinez still battling behind the peloton.

Evenepoel to the front now with the three Jumbo-Visma main men behind him. Mas and Ayuso also there.

5km to go

Sepp Kuss attack!

The break has been caught, by the way.

Kuss has a few seconds.

Evenepoel, Roglic, Mas, Vingegaard, Ayuso, Soler are there. Carthy and Almeida a little further back.

Very steep stuff here. It's punishing on the way up.

Martinez 45 seconds off the front.

4.5km to go

Evenepoel leading the group behind Kuss.

Soler struggling to stay in there. Almeida and Carthy didn't get across.

Evenepoel looks to be leading the group across to Kuss.

1km to go to the top.

Almeida working his way back to the group now. Carthy isn't there.

4.2km to go

Kuss is caught.

Evenepoel, Kuss, Roglic, Vingegaard, Mas, Ayuso, Soler, Almeida are in there now.

4km to go

Evenepoel continues to lead it.

Almeida struggling at the rear.

Evenepoel has three men from Jumbo-Visma and three from UAE Team Emirates behind him, while Mas is also isolated, but nobody is able to use their strength in numbers on these steep slopes. 

3.7km to go

500 metres to the top.

Kuss drops.

Almeida and Soler also off the back.

Evenepoel leads the group to the top.

All together over the top. Kuss, Almeida, Soler just a few seconds down.

3km to go

A minute back to Martinez.

Evenepoel leads Roglic and Vingegaard on the way down. Mas loses some ground.

2km to go

Ayuso still up there.

Mas, Kuss, Almeida, Soler still not back in.

1km to go

Evenepoel leads the way into the final kilometre.

Mas and Kuss get back in!

Evenepoel still leads.

Almeida and Soler back in too.

The Jumbo-Visma leaders stick behind Evenepoel.

Evenepoel leads the sprint from the front!

Roglic takes over!

Ayuso just behind.

Finish

Roglic leads home Evenepoel and Ayuso for the stage 8 victory!

Primož Roglič celebrates his stage 8 win.

Vuelta a España: Primož Roglič prevails in Xorret de Catí GC battle to win stage 8

Sepp Kuss takes over the red leader's jersey

Here's what Roglič had to say after the stage...

"Nice eh? Now I'm even more relaxed. It was already nice but most of all I'm happy that I recovered from the crash. Just enjoying now and we go day by day.

"You always hope for the best. The guys did a really amazing job, controlling the really strong breakaway. Then we had no option in the end.

"It was hard. I did it for the first climb and also I didn't know the finish really. In the sprint it's always a bit of a gamble but I had the legs and I could do it.

"At least three now, no? But maybe there's still someone coming," he joked when asked how many GC leaders his team has.

Roglič sprinting to glory as the rest trail in behind.

Kuss now enjoys a 43-second GC lead after stage 8, with only Marc Soler within a minute of him. Evenepoel, Roglič, Vingegaard, Mas, Ayuso, and Almeida all lie at between 2:31 and 3:09 down on the American.

The current GC standings at the 2023 Vuelta a España

Kuss takes red, Roglic beats Evenepoel on stage 8 to Xorret de Catí in a game of seconds among the elite contenders

Check out the final kilometre and closing sprint of stage 8 below...

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That's all for our live coverage of stage 8 of the Vuelta a España.

We'll have news from the race coming in through the evening and then more live coverage of tomorrow's stage 9 mountain-top finish!