Vuelta a Espana stage 7 - Live coverage
All the action from﷽ the stage over the 'gear-wrecker' Orduña climb
Hello and welcome to live 🌼coverage of the Vueltaജ a España stage 7.
As the Cyclingnews blimp takꦿes height, the riders are on their way to kilometre zero.
#LaVuelta20The peloton is on the move for stage 7 🚴♂️ pic.twitter.com/DhKlBBTEUY
As the racing returns after the first rest day, there is the good news that no one in the race bubble teste♏d💃 positive for COVID-19.
Click below to read the full story.
Richard C𓄧arapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) will spend his first day as the overall leader of La Vuelta after he took the jersey after in Aramon Formigal on Sunday.&n✤bsp;
The Ecuadorian i🌜s 18 seconds ahead of Hugh Carthy (EF 🍎Pro Cycling), while Dan Martin (Israel Start-Up Nation) is third at 20 seconds.
Primoz Roglic🎃 (Jumbo-Visma) 🥀is fourth at 30 seconds.
Mijines... a disfrutar !! 🔴🤪👍🏽 #04 pic.twitter.com/fscc5zeuHV
With the overall classification so tight, we expect to see another fight for seconds and attacks from 🌜the GC riders on the Orduña climb.&n🐬bsp;
T🅰he riders face it twice: after 59km and then after 132km. The summit is just a fast 19km away and so any attacks could see riders gain and even extend time gaps on their ꦓrivals.
First tackled in 1956, Orduña appeared regularly in the Vuelta through to the late 1970s, when the Vuelta began⛄ a lengthy avoidance of the Basque Country due to increasingly frequent attacks on the race by hardline separatist groups.
“Historically Orduña was considered the toughest climb in the Basque Country,” Jesus Gomez Peña, longstanding cycling correspondent of the biggest daily newspaper in the area, El Correo, and who has ridden up the ascent himself several times, tells Cyclingnews.
“It was onl🏅y when climbs like Monte Oiz” – tackled in 2018 by the Vuelta – “in some of the wildest areas of Euskadi began to be tarmacked that it lost that unofficial status.”
“But for years, when it was one of the main roads south befoꦦre the motorway was built, it was famous for being so steep and with so many hairpins that lorry and busdrivers called it ‘the gear-wrecker’.
7.8 kms long and tackled twice on stage seven this year, ‘the gear-wrecker’ is “relentlessly tough, with no rest𝄹ing places, or false flats” Gomez Peña says.
“It&rsq✤uo;s also very exposed at the top of the climb, which ends in the middle of some moorland, so the wind can make a big difference.”
Read Alasd𓃲air Fotheringham's excellent preview of the Orduꦡña stage to understand what racing it inspired in the past and the secrets of its steep gradient.
Double ascent of 'gear-wrecker' Orduña tests Vuelta a España peloton – Preview
After leading the Vuelta a from stage 1, problems wi𓃲th a rain cape and then some attacks from his rivals means Pr𓃲imoz Roglic is wearing the green points jersey. Combined with his yellow and black Jumbo colours have lead to some suggesting he looks like a Ninja turtle.
We'll let you decided on that.
Vuelve la batalla / Ready for the 2nd round 😉@rogla 🤜🤛@RichardCarapazM 📸: @charlylopezph #LaVuelta20 pic.twitter.com/IdZodqPNRl
We counted them at the finish on Sunday and the sam⛎e 163 riders a🌞re back racing today. There are no non starters on stage 7.
The flag has dropped 𒉰outside Vitori𒁏a-Gasteiz and so the 159.7km stage is underway.
There are immediate attacks but nobody can getaw♈ay for now🤡.
Chris Froome is i𓂃n the pac♛k and has a new bike.
Click this link to find out more and perhaps go onಌ to bid f💎or it in a charity auction.
Chris Froome rides pop-art Pinarello at the Vuelta a Espana
Now this is a @Pinarello_com that will stand out in the peloton at #LaVuelta20Designed by artist @brittopopart - it will be auctione𝐆d off later this year in support of @bestbuddies. Look after it @chrisfroome! pic.twitter.com/OqVpUMbygY
Rémi Cavagna (Deceuni💎nck-Quick Step) has attacked alone but only has a 15 second gap.
The opening 50km are on rolling roads, before a descent and then thﷺe steep Orduña climb.
Rémi Cavagna was perhaps hoping other riders would go with ℱhimꦯ but he pushes on alone.
The chase is on as other riders try to close down Cavagna and launch a different attack.&nb꧟sp;
The TGV of Clermont-Ferrand is using his TT skills to test ꦿthe peloton.
"You get so alone a🍸t times that it just makes sense"#LaVuelta20Photo: @GettySport pic.twitter.com/9vLU26vQL6
Cavagna is powering away up front but now Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek-Segafredo), Tosh Van der ☂Sande (Lotto Soudal), Jonathan Hiver𒈔t (Total Direct Energie) and Hector Saez (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) are trying to join him.
They are 10 seconds behind him.
125km to go
Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck🍃-Quick Step) is caught by a group of attackersꦉ but they in turn are also swept up by the peloton.
Gruppo compatto.
Ano💦ther attack but another chase after a༒ fast opening 40km.
Riders are trying to get in the break 🎀of the day before the⛄ climb of Alto de Orduña.
The steep climb will probably spark the first big selection and reveal if a break can get away or if the GC riders ไwant to fightౠ for the stage victory.
This is more like it. A group of big riders have got away and the pelot𒈔on seems happy to let them go.
In there are: Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma), Jannik Steimle (Deceuninck Quick Step), Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates), Niklas Eg (Trek-Segafredo), Michael Storer (Sunweb) Alex Aranburu (Astana Pro Team), Ide Schelling (Bora-Hansgrohe), Matthieu Ladagnous (Groupama-FDJ), Magnus C𝔉ort Nielsen (EF Pro Cycling), Dorian Godon (AG2R La Mondiale), Stan Dewulf (Lotto Soudal), Victor Lafay, Pierre Luc Périchon (Cofidis), Stefan De Bod (NTT), José Joaquin Rojas (Movistar), Niki Terpstra (Total Direct Energie) and Jonathan Lastra (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA).
They have quickly opened a 1:20 gap.
The 16 riders have pushed out their lead to almost 2:00. The break is on with 106Km left to ra𒅌ce.
100km to go
𓄧The break have descended into Orduña now. The town is surrounded by hills and cliffs on all sides, which is why the stage profile has that odd look – a descent from the plateau followed by a climb.
More riders are 🎀trying to get away from the peloton as the break begin the Puerto de Orduña. The climb is 7.8km long at an averꦛage gradient of 7.7 per cent.
The peloton start the climb now.
A chase group featuring Tim Wel🀅lens is 40 seconds behind the break. The peloton, led by Ineos, are 1:15 back.
Just a minute for the peloton now as the break re🔯aches the final two kilometres of the climb.
The large chase group which included Tim W🅷ellens has bridged to the ꦐbreak.
George Bennett (Jumbo-Visma), Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates), Juan Pedro Lopez, Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Rob Po🐼wer, Thymen Arensman, Mark Donovan (Sunweb), Omar Fraile (Astana), Michael Woods (EF Pro Cycling), Nans Peters (AG2R La Mondiale), Georg Zimmermann (CCC Team), Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), Guillaume Martin, Jose Herrada (Cofidis), Gino Mader (NTT), Jorge Arcas (Movistar), Romain Sicard (Total Direct Energie), Julen Amezqueta (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Angel Madrazo (Burgos-BH) are all up there.
At the top of the climb,🅷 the peloton will pass into Castilla y Leon and the province of Burgos. They'll then re-enter the Basque Country and loop back around to take on the climb a second time before finishing in Villenueva de🍒 Valdegovia.
Sepp Kuss and Guillaume Martin jump away from the break near the top, with the American collecting 😼10 points over the top to retake the KOM classification lead.
Rob 🥀Power and Nans Peters are up front with the duo.
87km to go
1:40 back to the peloton now.
The attackers are back in the break.
The climb of Alto de Orduña has shook up the race even🦩 further but Kuss, Peters and Power are back in the big front group.
Behind Ineos is leading the peloton while also🅠 causing some pain to their rivals.
The race is on, also because of some cross🌺 winds, but th🉐ere is still 82km to go.
This video confirms that Sepp Kuss was first to the t𓆉op of the climb.
🏁Etapa 7 - Stage 7 | #LaVuelta2020 ⛰️Paso por el Puerto de Orduña (1ª categoría)1. @seppkuss (Jumbo-Visma)2. @GuilmMartin (Cofidis)3. Rob Power (Team Sunweb)4. @NansPeters (AG2R La Mondiale)5. @alejanvalverde (Movistar Team)@loterias_es 👉//t.co/zqaO4Bw62K pic.twitter.com/yY6u3tvbMi
The presence of some strong ride🃏rs in the 36 attack and even some 🍎GC threats means Ineos is keen to keep them under control.
The peloton is at 1:45.
With so many riders up front, some are sitting in the wheels,🧔 while others are going on the attack.
The stage🅺 is finely balanced and could tip either way.
Threats up front include Alejandro Valverde (Movistar),
Guillꦇaume Martin (C🍸ofidis), George Bennett and Sep Kuss (Jumbo.
The breakꦐ hits another short, steep climb. This is going to be another painful day.
Valverde started the stage 3:00 down overall. If th🐎e break can stay away, he can pull a lot of that back🀅 today.
However Ineos refuse to ease 🐟up with Cameron Wurf doi🐬ng a big turn on the front.
60km to go
Crash!
A rider goes off the road into a field.
It's a Bora rider who seemed to go ff the road at speed.&𒁏nbsp;
Television identifies the riders as Jay McCarthy. 🤪He is moving but has some injuries.
Ineos are still leading the chase but the 🔴break is going away from them.
The gap is up to 2:45
Va꧅lverde clearly wants the red jersey♒ or is at least trying. He's on the attack from the break with Dorian Godon (AG2R La Mondiale) and Stan Dewulf (Lotto Soudal).
There's life in the old dog yet...
Chris Froome is on the🦹 front now. He is not back at his best but every day he goes deep and suffers, he seems to get better and better.
Riding and fi🐼nishing the Vuelta is vital to his recovery and for 2021 when he join🍨s the Israel Start-Up nation.
The Basque 🉐countryside🌃 is stunning today, with the stage passing through deep gorges and high exposed hills.
It is grey with occasional rain bဣut the riders have little timer to notice or enjoy the views.
The front attackers♉ pass through the intermediate sprint point with 42km to go.🌌
However they are k♐een to 𓆏push on because the Alto de Orduña will begin with 28km to go.
Michael ♕Woods is also in the attack today. He could be a threat for the stage victory.𓆏
And as♛🦂 soon as we speak, three riders, including Cort, Bennett and Tim Wellens.
It's a triple 🔯high-speed pursuit match out on the road.
The peloton is accelerating as they near t🥀he climb. Ineos have been nudged off the front, with several teams fighting for position.
The peloton has quickly pulled a minute꧑🤪 back on the attackers.
Godon is pushing on up front. He faces a huge task to win the stage but he'🌊s going for it.&nbꦐsp;
He won🍌 Paris-Camembert just a few weeks ago and so has form. He could be the big cheese today.
The rest of the 35-rider attack are chasing him but a cross wind is making it hard for everyone🐭.
🇪🇸 #LaVuelta20 We're inside 30km to go and at the foot of the Puerto de Orduña for the second time today. Godon (ALM) leads solo with a 20" advantage over the Georg Zimmermann chase group. The reduced peloton is 1'38" behind Godon. pic.twitter.com/8cjkffDqxs
Here we go. The attackers hit the start of the Altജo de Orduña.
7.8 kms long and tackled twice on stage seven this year, ‘the gear-wrecker’ is “relent𓃲lessly 🐓tough, with no resting places, or false flats” local journalist Gomez Peña told Cyclingnews.
Dorian Godon is caugꦅht by the Movistar-led chasing grou🦋p with 25km to go.
The peloton is at 1:10.
The♐ strong wind is adding an extra difficulty today. And will d🍌o so much more over the top of the climb.
There will be 19km to go ver the top and so the wind could make it impossible for anyone distanced on the climb to close the gap. 𒉰;
Someone will surely be caugh🗹t out and exposed. Indeed, Tom Dumoulin is at the back of the ಌpeloton.
Theꩵ climb includes six sweeping hairpins. It's a fast but hard climb.
3km to climb but the final kilometre is at 14%ﷺ. Perfect for attacks from the strongest in the break.
Sepp Kuss and George Bennett (Jumbo-Visma) try to control the ꦰmoves but Woods attacks alone.
The views are stunning but there i🌼s n🍒o time to look around.
Nans Peters (AG2R) is trying to go across🌠 to Woods.
#LaVuelta20 The breakaway group are attacking each other with @NieveMikel keeping a watching eye on the moves.Woods (EF1) has now jumped away and leads solo with 2km left to climb ⛰ pic.twitter.com/3aYRhbFMlm
Boom. Valverde attacks behind in pursuit of Woo🌳ds.
Valver⛄de goes🌳 across to Peters as Kuss and Bennett lead the reduced attack.
Everyone is going deep in pursuit of Woods.
Th♓e hairpins are very st🌄eep now as Omar Fraile (Astana) jumps across.
Guillaume Martin goes 🤡deep to g🎃et across too.
Can they combine to c🦂atch Woods and fight for the💜 stage victory?
It's a strong headwind over the t🙈op but Woods pushes on. &nbღsp;
14km to go.
Woods has wisely eased up and is joined by the t🦹h👍ree chasers.
Other riders are 30 seconds behind, with the peloton at 1:40.&nbs🦄p;
The rider face a flat road now with one or two shꦕort🐲 rises before the finish.
There five riders up front:
Michael Woods (EF Pro Cycling)
Guillaume Martin (Cofidis)
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team)
Nans Peters (AG2R La Mondiale)
Omar Fraile (Astana Pro Team)
Ils ne sont plus que 5 à l'avant 🔥Allez @GuilmMartin 👏#CofidisMyTeam #LaVuelta20 pic.twitter.com/QScfTskKqu
10km to go
Who will win an eventual sprint?
Valverde? Fraile? Peters or Woods?
Bennett💟 and Kuss are trying to inspire the chase behind but others are playing games even if the gap to the 5 is down ꦚto 15 seconds.
The GC peloton is also chasing hard with Amador doing big licks for Ineos. They ar𓂃e only 1:10 behinds now.
The five up frontও keep attacking each other. But that is costing them precious seconds.
This is a thriller finish.
After Martin, Valverde accel♕erates ⭕but Woods chases him.
Valverde gets a gap but a descent alloᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚws the others tuck low and close the gap.
4km to go
The chasers are at 25 seconds.
Fraile makes an attack. Woods gets✤ on his wheel. This could be the move.
But Valverde closes the gap.
2km to go!
The chasers are at 20 seconds but🐎 its too late surely.&nbꦐsp;
The peloton is at 1:00.
Up front Woods attack alone!!
Hಞe's got a gap and only Fraile seems to have 𓃲any chase left.
He's going to win it!
Woods wins!
Woods managed to🃏 hold off the chase from Fraile and celebrated his solo win.
Chapeau to the Canadian for attacking hard at the right♕ time.
Woo🌠ds thanks Cort for helping him in the break and then is congratulated by Hugh Ca🎀rthy who finished in the GC group.
This is the top ten:
1 Michael Woods (Can) EF Pro Cycling 03:48:16
2 Omar Fraile Matarranz (Spa) Astana Pro Team 00:00:04
3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 00:00:04
4 Nans Peters (Fra) AG2R la Mondiale 00:00:08
5 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Cofidis 00:00:08
6 Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates 00:00:13
7 Alex Aranburu Deba (Spa) Astana Pro Team 00:00:13
8 Ide Schelling (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:00:13
9 Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Trek-Segafredo 00:00:13
10 Davide Fo𒅌ꦉrmolo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 00:00:13
Woods finished 4 seco෴nds ahead of Fraile and Valverde.
Woods was secon🃏d on Sunday's stage to Aramón Formigal but stepped up to win today.
EF also have Hugh Carthy in s🔯econd place over🐭all, only 18 seconds down on Carapaz.
This is the new General Classification:
1 Richard Carapaz (Ecu) Ineos Grenadiers 28:23:51
2 Hugh Carthy (GBr) EF Pro Cycling 00:00:18
3 Daniel Martin (Irl) Israel Start-Up Nation 00:00:20
4 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma 00:00:30
5 Enric Mas Nicolau (Spa) Movistar Team 00:01:07
6 Felix Grossschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:01:30
7 Marc Soler (Spa) Movistar Team 00:01:42
8 Esteban Chaves (Col) Mitchelton-Scott 00:02:02
9 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 00:02:03
10 George Bennett (NZl⛎) Team Jumbo-Visma 00:02:39
Woods was overjoyed to win the stage.
He fractured his leg in Paris-Nice befo𝓰re the COVID-19 lockdown but did the work to recover and won a stage at Tirren🎀o-Adriatico in September.
He wil🎃l move to Israel Start-Up Nation in 2021 and touched his EF jersey in a sign 🍷of respect.
"It was🥂 a special day - ama🔯zing to be racing in the Basque Country," he said.
He also explained how he won the stage.
"I got away with those four guys, t🌃hey were riding super strong, and I felt bad that I couldn't pull through. With Valverde in the group♕ I just couldn't pull through because we had Hugh Carthy in the peloton and I just couldn't give him any more time in the general classification. So I was able to sit in a little bit. Then I had a bit of luck, I had the legs, and I got the win.
"I pencilled in a bit, initially I was supposed to be witℱh Hugh and not in the break, but the꧅ race just got so crazy the group got so big, I had to go across to make sure that we had numbers in it. It paid off great for me."
And is he now looking for another win?
"I'm going to savour this one and after that I'll start looking at the race book," ♛he joked.
Here's the moment Woods won the stage.
This shot showsജ how Woods won alone with a late attack.
Fraile and Valverde were the bridesmai⭕ds today as Woods took the𝓀 win.
To read our full stage report and see the full results and g♔rowing photo gallery from the stage, click below.
Vuelta a España: Michael Woods wins stage 7
Thanks for joining us for today's live co🙈v♏erage.
The tapas racing 𝄹contin✨ues tomorrow with a real mountain finish at Alto de Moncalvillo.
The 164km stage starts in Logr🌃oño, the capita🎀l of the Rioja wine region.
The climb to the 1490m high finish is 8.3ܫkm long at 9.2%.
Dynamic racing brings gains for Jumbo-Visma on stage 7 of the Vuelta a España
Bennett jumꦗps into GC top 10 after ma🔯king break of the day
2020 Vuelta a España stage 7 highlights - Video
Watch Michael Woods win in V🦋illanueva de Valdegovia
Alejandro Valverde roars back in action at Vuelta a España
Spanish veteran in key long-distance break of day
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