Both Nicolas Roche (Team Sky) and Dan Martin (Cannondale-Garmin) put in very impressive performances on today’s opening road stage of the Vuelta. On a very difficult stage, the lead group splintered on the final climb to Caminito del Rey and both Irishmen were to the fore.
It was a stage marred by crashes with a number of riders forced out of the race. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) was caught behind one of the crashes and forced to chase back, while up front, Katusha, Movistar and Team Sky put the hammer down. Eventually, the Italian would make it back to the peloton as they approached the final climb.
On the final 4 kilometre climb to the finish, Cyril Gautier (Europcar) was first to attack but the Frenchman was brought back. Nairo Quintana (Movistar) then made a big move and was tracked by Roche, Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) and Louis Meintjes (MTN-Qhubeka).
Quintana drove the pace to try and put time into the other GC favourites, while Roche marked him. Meintjes was dropped as Johan Esteban Chaves (Orica Green Edge) made it across to the leaders. Quintana was the next to crack and dropped behind.
Roche made a move inside the last kilometre but was unable to shake off Chaves or Dumoulin, while Dan Martin was trying to bridge across from behind.
It looked for a time that Martin would make it to the leaders but it wasn’t to be. At the front, Roche was dropped on the steepest part of the climb, and Chaves would go on to outsprint Dumoulin for the win.
Roche hung for third while his cousin, Martin, finished 5 seconds behind in fourth. The pair now sit in third and fourth places on GC. It was a very good day for the Irishmen and shows they are in good form for the Vuelta where they have both performed well in the past.
