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Vuelta a España 2009: Stage 17

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Welcome to Cyclingnews' coverage of stage 17 of the Vuelta a España.

The three-week Vuelta a España continues today with a flat 193.6-kilometre stage from Ciudad Real to Talavera de la Reina. It lacks climbs, but comes on the eve of three decisive days. The riders face two medium-mountain stages, Ávila and La Granja Real Fábrica de Cristales, and a time trial stage on Saturday in Toledo.

At kilometre three Markel Irizar (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Jens Mouris (Vacansoleil) attacked. The attack started a second, successful, escape of five with Spaniard Irizar.

143km remaining from 193km

Talk about today's stage on our forum.

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Spaniard Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) wears the race leader's gold jersey he took nine days ago. He leads the race by 31 seconds on Gesink, 1:10 on Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi), 1:28 on Ivan Basso (Liquigas), 1:51 on Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) and 1:54 on Ezequiel Mosquera (Xacobeo Galicia).

Valverde will be one of Spain's leaders at the Worlds next Sunday in Mendrisio, Switzerland.

Alessandro Ballan (Lampre-NGC), Damiano Cunego (Lampre-NGC) and Wouter Weylandt (Quick Step) were non-starters today.

Ballan trains in Italy today after racing his last day in the rainbow jersey of World Champion yesterday. He and Cunego, winner of two stages, left the race after stage 16 to Puertollano.

If you have any questions just post them on our forum: http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=3503

The riders reach the highest point of the stage, 880m, right after entering the province of Toledo. It is also the feed zone.

128km remaining from 193km

Lots of teams are announcing their riders for Worlds.  Who will win the time trial? Road race?

Young Dutchman Martijn Maaskant (Garmin-Slipstream) is in this escape. He is sure to be a future Paris-Roubaix winner. In his debut year at the race in 2008 he finished just off the podium, in fourth.

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Thanks for all the posts in the forum.  Bela Verde, Bennati should have a chance today in the sprint.  He nearly had it yesterday.

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The five escapees are near the town of Menasalbas with an advantage of 5:22.

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94km remaining from 193km

Efimkin was in 69th overall, 1h23 behind race leader Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne).

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Spain's Markel Irizar will ride at RadioShack with Lance Armstrong, who lent support during his battle with cancer. Irizar, 29, signed for the next two seasons last week.

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67km remaining from 193km

There is a split in the main group.

Riders from Cofidis, Euskaltel-Euskadi, Xacobeo-Galicia and Contentpolis-AMPO crashed. Ezequiel Mosquera (Xacobeo Galicia), Juan José Cobo (Fuji-Servetto) and Robert Gesink (Rabobank) were in the crash.

58km remaining from 193km

He visited the doctor's car and now is re-joining the main group with the help of stage winner Lars Boom. 

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Ezequiel Mosquera's left side, leg and arm, is bloodied.

55km remaining from 193km

We mentioned Alessandro Ballan (Lampre-NGC), Damiano Cunego (Lampre-NGC) and Wouter Weylandt (Quick Step) were non-starters today. Aussie Stuart O'Grady (Saxo Bank) was also a non-starter.

"I was in such a good position to sprint," said Bazayev of the sprint yesterday. "Schär was there too to help me and then there is a stupid spectator. He wanted to watch the race from a bit too close and I think Wouter Weylandt from Quick-Step hit him.

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Yes TRDean, Dean did start today.  Thanks for writing in our forum.

David Garcia (Xacobeo Galicia) brings a new helmet to his teammate Ezequiel Mosquera (Xacobeo Galicia).

31km remaining from 193km

Ezequiel Mosquera (Xacobeo Galicia) crashed earlier with Robert Gesink (Rabobank). He started the day in sixth place, 1:54 behind Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne).

Martin Velits (Milram) leads the group, working with team Columbia rides. He and his brother will join the USA team in 2010.

23km remaining from 193km

Markel Irizar (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Francisco José Martínez (Andalucía-Cajasur), Anthony Roux (Française des Jeux), Martijn Maaskant (Garmin-Slipstream) and Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil) escaped at kilometre six.

Will this escape suceed?

20km remaining from 193km

Gonzalo Rabuñal (Xacobeo Galicia) was one of the two riders. He is now back at the doctor's car. A very bad luck day for his team after the crash of Ezequiel Mosquera (Xacobeo Galicia).

Milram and Columbia are both on the front of the group, working hard to bring back the escape. We also see Kjell Carlström (Liquigas) in there, in his Finnish national champ jersey.

17km remaining from 193km

Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo Bank) might also be there with teammate Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Saxo Bank). Maybe the crash held them behind.

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Dutchman Martijn Maaskant (Garmin-Slipstream) leads the five.

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Will one of these five riders attack from the escape group soon?

Dane Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo Bank) is having problems and drops behind. He looks down at his gears.

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Frantisek Rabon (Columbia-HTC) is working hard for teammate and sprinter André Greipel. Greipel has won three stages so far in this Vuelta a España.

The front five are rotating in a counter-clockwise motion.

Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil) looks back to get a visual check on the main group.

7km remaining from 193km

Liquigas leads with four riders.

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Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil) attacks.

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The front five are finished.  Martijn Maaskant (Garmin-Slipstream) tries a last ditch move.

Maaskant has 20" on the main group.  The other four are caught.

The others are still there.

1km remaining from 193km

Roux does not help.

Now Roux attacks

Maaskant sits up.  Roux continues.

Greipel chases!

Roux wins!

Anthony Roux (Française des Jeux), 22, timed it to perfection. He chased back Martijn Maaskant (Garmin-Slipstream), sat on, and then attacked.

2 William Bonnet (Bbox Bouygues Telecom)
3 André Greipel (Columbia-HTC)
4 Daniele Bennati (Liquigas)
 

An impressive win by the 22-year-old Frenchman Roux.

A hard day out for overall favourites Robert Gesink (Rabobank) and Ezequiel Mosquera (Xacobeo Galicia). Both riders crashed, but finished the stage.

The overall classification remains the same from yesterday.

Thanks for joining our live coverage today. Please come back tomorrow for the first to two medium-mountain days.

1 Anthony Roux (Française des Jeux)
2 William Bonnet (Bbox Bouygues Telecom)
3 André Greipel (Columbia-HTC)
4 Daniele Bennati (Liquigas)
5 Francisco Jose Pacheco Torres (Contentpolis-Ampo)
6 Jürgen Roelandts (Silence-Lotto)
7 Sébastien Hinault (AG2R La Mondiale)
8 Javier Benitez (Contentpolis-Ampo)
9 Enrico Gasparotto (Lampre-NGC)
10 Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil)
11 Roger Hammond (Cervélo TestTeam)
...
15 Julian Dean (Garmin-Slipstream)
 

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