Vuelta a España 2015: Stage 11

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January 1 - September 13, Andorra la Vella, Spain, Road - WorldTour

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Hello and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of stage 11 of the Vuelta a Espana.

 

 Here we go. The riders are about to begin what has been described as the hardest ever stage in a Grand Tour. 

The riders have completed the neutralised section and the flag has dropped. Here we go!   

We already have the first attacks as riders try yo get in the early break of the day. 

The peloton is lined out behind s the riders immediately face the first climb of the stage.

There are reports that Joe Dombrowski (Cannondale-Garmin) crashed in the neutralised section.  

There are reports that Chris Froome also crashed.

He is getting some assistance from his team car after seeming to hit a low piece of traffic furniture. He seems okay but that is a tough start to the stage for the Tour winner.  

Up front, with the race, on, none of Froome's rivals are waiting for him to get back on. 

Froome is spinning his usual low gear, trying to get back in the peloton without going into the red.

Froome is riding through the teams cars, passing riders who have been dropped. 

The first climb is 9.8km long and has been specially asphalted  for the Vuelta.  

Called the Beixalís Collada, it is a category 1 climb. 

The peloton is lined out across several long sections and curves. Froome is at the back with two teammates.   

Upfront Romain Sicard (Europcar) and Darwin Atapuma (BMC) have pushed clear at the front. 

Some of the hairpins at at 14% and we have more attacks as Astana mass near the front. 

Three riders have joined Atapuma and Sicard, with others trying to get across. 

The peloton is split into six groups behind, with Froome in the last one at the moment. 

Fraile is clearly looking to score points at the top of the first climb to extend his lead in the mountains competition.

Froome seems nervous, shouting and swearing at the TV motorbike that went a little too close to him. 

Fraile takes the sprint an collects more points. The five riders are on the descent and pushing on. 

The first group has also passed the summit but the main peloton is still climbing. 

Riders grab bottles over the top. Feeding will be vital between the climbs.  

Seven riders are chasing the five attackers at 10 seconds, with the peloton a further 15 seconds back.  

15km remaining from 138km

Atapuma is at the back and seems nervous on the twisting descent. 

The seven chasers are: Javier Moreno (Movistar), Matteo Montaguti (Ag2r-La Mondiale), Ian Boswell (Team Sky), Pawel Poljanski (Saxo-Tinkoff), Dario Cataldo (Astana), Alberto Losada (Katusha), Ruben Plaza (Lampre-Merida) and Damien Howson (Orica-GreenEdge). 

But the race comes back all together, with a new attack from Oliveira 

Astana and Movistar are leading the peloton, as Froome moves up on the outside. 

 We stand corrected. The group remains out front. Movistar placed two riders in there, forcing Astana to lead the chase. 

Even though Astana also has  a rider up front. 

Race leader Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) is hiding in the peloton, trying to save energy and keep the leader's red jersey.

There are 16 riders up front. many placed their for tactical reasons that will come to play later in the stage.

Before the important attacks come later in the stage, listen to our special podcast to hear what Team Sky manager Dave Brailsford says about Froome's chances at the Vuelta.

112km remaining from 138km

110km remaining from 138km

The team cars are trying to move up past the peloton to get to the breakaway. The peloton is still pretty large despite the tough first climb.  

With the pace now steady, Joe Dombrowski (Cannondale-Garmin) has dropped for medical attention from the race doctor. 

The break is 2km from the summit. Their gap has opened to 1:35. 

Fraile is sprinting for mountain points again but Ruben Plaza is trying to take him on.   

Plaza gets it and then the two ease up and wait for the break. Their lead is 2:10 before the begin the long descent to the foot of the third climb. 

According to reports in Spain, Nairo Quintana has been ill in the last few days but his team claim he is now fine. We will see if that is true later in the stage.

The riders in the front group include: Nelson Oliveira, Darwin Atapuma, Matteo Montaguti, Javier Moreno, Romain Sicard, Omar Fraile, Pawel Poljanski, Alberto Losada, Mikel Landa, Damien Howson, Jerome Coppel, Cyril Lemoine, Imanol Erviti, Carlos Verona, Rubén Plaza and Ian Boswell.

Other later arrivals during the second climb include Geoerge Bennett (Lotto NL - Jumbo), José Gonçalves (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA) and Mikael Cherel (AG2R - La Mondiale). 

Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) helped design today's stage.

 

95km remaining from 138km

To learn the details of the stage, checkout our special preview by Alasdair Fotheringham. 

Riders are getting into tight aero tucks on a fast downhill section. Fast but also risky. 

Esteban Chaves (Orica-Greenedge) thoughts on the stage are pretty simple: "Purito (who designed the course) is crazy. The stage should have been held over two days. Seriously I think it suits riders like me, Purito or Nairo. We're all looking forward to this stage."

The 19 riders in the break are:

85km remaining from 138km

Neil Stephens (Orica GreenEdge team director) know it is a big stage for the Chaves.

Froome seems more relaxed and comfortable in the peloton after his crash and chase on the first climb.

At the front Imanol Erviti (Movistar) has edge clear of the break on the fast descent. He seems to be enjoying himself out alone. 

80km remaining from 138km

The Coll de la Ribassa is 13.8km long at 6.6%.

Behind Team Sky is leading the peloton. This climb could see the race explode. 

The break has opened a gap of 4:30 but nobody is really keen to work to drag the break along. 

Team Sky manager spoke about the team's Vuelta ambitions in out special podcast. 

Dave Brailsford (Team Sky manager) said:

Race leader Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) has been hiding in the peloton so far. 

Behind riders are dropping out of the back of the peloton. They will join forces and work to finish inside the time limit.  

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) admitted he is struggling to lift his arm after his crash the other day but he is determined to fight on along with Quintana. 

Despite all the climbing, the average speed for the first two hours has been 31.5 km/h.

Erviti is pushing on alone on the climb. He leads the break by 1:00, with the peloton at 4:30. 

The whole Team Sky squad is on the front of the peloton.

Erviti takes his musette in the only real flat section of the stage, near the top of the Rabassa climb.

Behind several riders attack from the break but they are quickly pulled back. 

65km remaining from 138km

The roads are dry but the low clouds are shedding drops of rain on the descent.  

The peloton reaches the summit of the Rabassa, some 4:25 behind Erviti. The race has yet to explode. 

Erviti took the most points on the Rabassa climb but Fraile was second and so took more points to defend his blue polka-dot jersey. 

58km remaining from 138km

Next up is the Collada de la Gallina. It is tough at 11.7km and an average of 8.5%. This is the point when the GC riders make their move. 

This is the result for the Rabassa. 

Erviti has sat up and been caught on the descent, meaning there are 19 riders in the break.  

The Gallina climb is the only Hors Category climb of the stage.

Erviti is with Hardy and Montaguti, just ahead of the break as the Gallina kicks up. 

50km remaining from 138km

The Vuelta continues until September 13 and the Tour of Britain starts at the weekend. 

The break and the peloton is seeing rider suffer and drop back. 

Jerome Coppel (IAM Cycling) is trying to go clear of the break but others are chasing him.  

Coppel has been joined by Boswell, Poljanski and Sicard.

They have been joined by Landa and Atapuma. 

The peloton has yet to explode and is slipping backwards as the break strengthens. 

We've recorded a new Cyclingnews podcast with an exclusive interview with Dave Brailsford. 

With the peloton at 5:20, Romain Sicard (Europcar) has become the virtual race leader but he has a long way to go. 

The peloton is down to 70 or so riders as the Gallina climb and Team Sky's pace hurts  

It is also raining now, making the stage even harder.

Knees finally eases up after all his work for Froome and Sky. now it is up to his teammates.

Upfront Landa has accelerated clear. He is targeting the stage victory. 

The rain is falling hard now. The descent could be wet too.  

Froome is surprisingly off the back behind the peloton. He is suffering.  

Froome seems to be suffering, perhaps after his early crash today. Naturally Astana is not easing off and hits the front to up the pace. 

Froome is being guided by Thomas but he seems unable to follow at any kind of speed. 

Froome is already 40 seconds down on the peloton.

Race leader Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) is still in the peloton. 

Former Team Sky rider Dario Cataldo is leading the Astana team on the front of the peloton. 

Froome is suffering and is 1:20 back. 

Landa has joined by Atapuma, Fraile, Poljanski and Sicard at the head of the race as they near the summit of the Gallina climb.    

The Astana pace has shaken out the peloton, with only 20 or so riders left in the group. 

Froome calls for his team car. 

Up front Fraile has again taken maximum points at the top of the Gallina. He's strengthened his grip of the climber's jersey. 

Froome has dropped back alone, leaving his teammates in the chase group. He is with he race doctor.  

The doctor seems unable to offer him any help and he is now at the Team Sky car.

Thomas is again with Froome as the peloton crests the climb.  

They start the descent on dry roads. 

Froome takes a musette at the summit which could mean he will continue in the stage.

The descent is steep and twisting. Atapuma is struggling yet again.  

Froome must be happy to begin the descent. 

Riders are taking risk on the descent with race motor bikes sadly getting in the way.

31km remaining from 138km

Valverde and Rodriguez have pushed ahead of the peloton on the descent and are not waiting for the Astana riders.

Valverde and Rodriguez now both have teammates with them after they dropped back from the break of the day. A clever and well executed tactic. Valverde has Erviti, while Purito has Dani Moreno. 

Behind Aru only has Cataldo to help him with the chase. 

Purito also has Losada to help with the push forward. 

Of course Valverde and Rodriguez do not get on but are united in their efforts today to distance Aru, Dumoulin and any other GC contenders. 

Thanks to a huge effort by Cataldo, Aru gets up to Valverde and Rodriguez.

Chaves (Orica) and Quintana are also up there but Dumoulin is still further behind as they start the short fifth climb.    

Froome is fighting on behind but seems to have injured his left shoulder. There are signs of blood coming through his jersey. 

The Cat 2 Alto de la Comella is only 4km long but climbs at 9.5%. 

21km remaining from 138km

Pozzoviov has dragged the Dumoulin group back up to Valverde & Co.

But the pace is going up as we enter the final 20km of the stage.

The break of five have crossed the summit of the Comella but the chasers and GC contenders are hunting them down. 

The gap is just 2:00.

Landa was first over the Comella and leads the five onto the final climb to the finish at Alto Els Cortals D'Encamp. 

The climb is 8.7km long at a painful 9.1%.

Upfront are Landa, Sicard, Boswell, Poljanski and Oliviera. Mountains leader Fraile has been distanced.

12km remaining from 138km

There are 20 riders in the chase group or main peloton.

Tinkoff-Saxo team owner Oleg Tinkov is very angry after hearing that his rider Sergio Paulinho was involved in yet another motorbike accident.

9km remaining from 138km

Dumoulin is still with his GC rivals as the kilometres tick down 

Behind Luis Leon Sanchez is setting the pace for Astana and Aru as the climb begins in earnest.   

Here we go!

Aru attacks from the peloton.

He blows the group apart, with Chaves and Dumoulin dropped. 

But Valverde and Pozzovivo are distanced.

Only Rodriguez and his teammate Dani Moreno are with Aru.  

Chaves tries to go across the gap but Dumoulin is suffering. 

Aru, Purito and Moreno are going away, with Quintana also suffering.  

Quintana is trying to go across the gap as Valverde struggles and is unable to go with him. 

Dumoulin is leading the chase but is losing time. He is 30 seconds down on Aru and Rodriguez now. 

5km remaining from 138km

And Aru attacks again! 

He is spinning his gear as Rodriguez seems unable to go after him.  

Quintana is alone and takes a bottle of water an pours it on his head. He does not seem able to go after Aru or Rodriguez.

Remember to stay with us after the stage finish for further reports, photos and rider quotes. 

Aru started the stage 1:13 down on Dumoulin but could gain enough time to take the race lead. 

3km remaining from 138km

Astana are perfectly placed with Landa going for the stage win and Aru gaining time on his GC rivals.  

Rodriguez is suffering down the road from Aru. He seems to have ran out of energy. 

Aru has caught Boswell, who was in the break of the day. The American is trying to stay with the Italian.

Valverde has been distanced by Dumoulin and Chaves. Quintana is somewhere between Aru and the Dutchman.

2km remaining from 138km

Aru is close to being virtual race leader now. 

1km remaining from 138km

There are also 10,6, 4 second time bonuses at the finish today.

Here comes Landa.  

Landa punches the air to celebrate his stage victory.

Aru will be the next to finish. 

He finishes 1:21 back, giving Astana a 1-2. 

Ian Boswell finishes third after being in the break all day. 

Here comes Chaves and Dumoulin but the Dutchman will lose his leader's jersey to Aru. 

Quintana finishes more than two minutes down on Aru. 

Riders are crossing the line in small groups or individually. It has been a tough, tough day.  

Here is the provisional top ten on the stage. Check out the time gaps.

Here comes Froome. He's fighting to finish. 

Froome finishes 8:40 down. 

Check out the new general classification, with Aru in red. 

Stay with us on live post stage for reaction from the riders and analysis. 

Froome slumped to the ground when he reached the Team Sky car and then limped to the front seat of the car. He look tired and hugely disappointed. 

Team Sky's GC hopes are in tatters after the stage. Michel Nieve is perhaps the best placed rider but is a pure climber and will lose time in the time trial.  

Nieve is now eighth overall at 1:58. 

Geraint Thomas revealed that Froome said he hurt his foot during his crash but wanted to fight on. It seems Froome also hurt his left knee and shoulder. 

Tom Dumoulin admitted that he suffered a lot during the stage and made the mistake of losing time on the descent of the Gallina climb after putting on his rain jacket.

He describes the TT as a second chance of a stage win and a chance to take back time on his rivals. 

Fabio Aru (Astana) made a point of praising his teammates after they worked os hard to help him set up his attack that gave him the race lead. 

Tom Dumoulin lost the leader's red jersey but took the combined white jersey. He admitted he suffered on the roads of Andorra but was not too downbeat. 

Check out our full stage report and photo gallery from today's stage at the Vuelta.

Team Sky has yet to communicate if Chris Froome will continue in the Vuelta after his crash and loss of time. 

Teammate Geraint Thomas rode with Froome for much of the stage and revealed how Froome suffered. 

 

Ian Boswell's day in the breakaway paid off with his best professional result so far. The 24-year-old, who is riding his first Grand Tour, is in his last year of a three-year deal with Sky, so his timing is good.

The UCI has responded to the open letter sent by BMC Racing General Manager Jim Ochowicz calling for a review of rider-safety issues, especially the recent rash of incidents with race motos.

After today's epic stage, tomorrow's 172.5km route from Andorra to Lleida will seem light by comparison. The stage features just one categorised climb that comes about 55km into the day. From there it's mostly downhill, leading into what will likely be bunch finish.

Chris Froome spoke with reporters falling the stage, saying he just tried to hang on for dear life after his crash. Read more here.

And don't forget there's more racing today as the Tour of Alberta begins tonight with a team time trial in Grande Prairie.

 

Earlier today Jolien D'Hoore won her second consecutive stage at the Boels Rentals Ladies Tour in the Netherlands. We've got results, a report and photos HERE.

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