T-Mobile's Bert Grabsch won the first time trial of the Vuelta today, clocking a blistering average speed
of almost 55 km/h, second-placed László Bodrogi (Credit Agricole) needed 34 seconds more for the 52.2 kilometers long course
from Cariñena to Zaragoza . For 32-year-old Bert Grabsch, brother of Milram's Ralf Grabsch, it was
his second victory this season after becoming German time trial champion in June and his first Pro Tour win.
"I knew I was in good form after the Tour de France. I had good legs, I rode well but the win still came
as a surprise," Grabsch said. The German rider added: "I've come fourth and fifth in time trials in the Vuelta before, so
it's nice that my time has come. There'll certainly be a glass of champagne with the team tonight!"
Like at this years Tour de Suisse, Vladimir Efimkin (Caisse d'Epargne) was forced to sacrifice his overall
lead at todays time trail. The young Russian finished 18 th, 3:22 off the pace and drops to third overall, 1' 28" behind
Stijn Devolder (Discovery Channel), who holds a 30 second advantage over Rabobank's Denis Menchov as the race hits the Pyrenees
tomorrow.
Menchov, like Devolder, started the day 1' 06" behind Efimkin and had a very strong start but faded somewhat
in the 30°C heat finishing with the fourth best time at +1'18". At the first time check he was just nine seconds slower than
Grabsch Menschov passed his two-minute man, Carlos Sastre, after about 25 kilometres. The sight strengthened the Russian's
resolve and he flew through the 27-kilometre time check in third place, 28 seconds behind but having the satisfaction
of passing Sastre. The Spaniard tried to stay close but eventually conceded over four minutes to Grabsch and 2'45" to Menchov.
Menchov's fine ride wasn't enough to deter the Belgian Devolder who after a slow start, gradually gained momentum
over the second half of the course to set the third best time, 48 seconds behind Grabsch. Crucially, Menchov gained on other
key rivals who failed to prosper such as Tour runner-up Cadel Evans (Predictor-Lotto) - 11th losing 2' 20" and Carlos
Sastre who lost 4' 03". Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne), said to be suffering from gastroenteritus, had a nightmare ride,
crossing the line 5' 08" off the pace.
Denis Menchov said that the track was 'fine.' "It was smooth and fair."
"Denis experienced more difficulties in the second part. De Volder turned out to be very strong, but we are
content anyway," smiled Rabobank's sports director Erik Breukink. "We are basing our current analysis mainly on Sastre and
Evans. He does very good business in the battle against them."
De Volder is the new aiming point for menchov. "He is not a favorite beforehand, but I must admit that he
is making a very strong impression. We will have to find a way to bridge that gap. But, Denis is in a much better position
after the time trial, which gives a lot of hope," said Breukink, who is looking forward to the upcoming two days in the Pyrenees.
"On Monday night, I do not expect there to be any conclusive light in the darkness with regard to the overall winner of the
Vuelta, but more will be clear about the potential and the opportunities of the top-class riders."
Carlos Sastre (CSC) lost a lot of time on Denis Menchov, Cadel Evans (Predictor-Lotto) and Stijn
Devolder. "First of all, I have to say that I don’t like to make any calculations at all before a time trial as to how
much time you can win or lose. That’s a waste of time and energy that I don't want to go into. I prefer to think only
about giving everything I have and that’s what I’ve done, although I have to admit the amount of time given up
to Menchov has been more than I expected". Continuing in the same vein, Sastre added: “Menchov caught me very quickly,
even before the kilometre 25 mark. The thing is I didn't let up so I could fall in behind him when he caught me. That worked
well for me for a few kilometres but it was a hard blow to my morale and got my spirits down a little bit in the end." Sastre
prefers not to make any predictions about Devolder: "We don’t have any references. The day of the Los Lagos stage he
reached the final climb two minutes in front of us and we wound up catching him up just ahead. He had a great day in the time
trial, but we have to wait and see how things shape up going up to Cerler and Ordino."
"We'd hoped to loose slightly less time today, but when we checked out the route this morning we knew it would
be extremely hard for Carlos. It couldn't have been a worse route for him. There was nothing resembling any kind of hill on
it and there were no technically difficult bits either, but still – it's the same for everyone. Madrid is still a long
way off and there are many battles to be fought and lots of excitement left yet," said Team CSC's sports director Kim Andersen
after the stage.
Another rider who suffered a great setback today was none other than Oscar Pereiro, although the poor performance
of the Galician rider is more than justified. A virus left him with a fever and on the verge of withdrawing all morning:
"At 8 this morning, I didn’t think I was going to be able to start. My whole body ached and I had a fever. The doctor
gave me a medication and I slept the whole morning. I woke up at 12 noon and little by little, I started feeling better. I
was five minutes behind at the finish, but I saved the day and I'm feeling better all the time." Pereiro volunteered: "I’m
going to continue until the end. I’m part of a team and you have to set an example. There are people like Efimkin and
Karpets who are high up in the standings and I can’t let myself go away because I’m convinced that I’ll
be much better in two or three days. Cerler and Ordino? Well, logically I’m going have a tough time on those days, but
I'm preparing myself mentally to hold up through those bad stages and try to help my teammates, and also play for my chances
in the third week. The one thing that is quite clear is I'm going to fight on to Madrid."
Sunday's 174 km stage sees the riders tackle four climbs and finishes with a high altitude ascent to the ski
resort of Cerler.
Results
Stage 8
1 Bert Grabsch (Ger) T-Mobile Team
57.05 (54.87 km/h)
2 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Crédit Agricole
0.34
3 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.48
4
Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank
1.18
5 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Liquigas
1.37
6 Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Gerolsteiner
1.52
7 Jason McCartney (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 1.55
8 Joost
Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank
2.01
9 Dimitri Champion (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
2.15
10 Santos González (Spa) Karpin Galicia
2.18
11 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor - Lotto
2.20
12 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne
2.41
13 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 2.50
14 Maxime Monfort (Bel)
Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 3.00
15 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quickstep
- Innergetic
3.03
16 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) AG2r Prévoyance
3.12
17 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 3.21
18 Vladimir
Efimkin (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne
3.22
19 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
3.34
20 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quickstep - Innergetic
3.36
21 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
3.44
22 Damien Monier (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 3.56
23
Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC
4.00
24 Mickael Delage (Fra) Française des Jeux
4.03
25 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC
26 Stephan Schreck (Ger) T-Mobile Team
4.04
27 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Liquigas
4.08
28 Stef Clement (Ned) Bouygues Telecom
4.12
29 Maryan Hary (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone
4.13
30 Egoi Martinez (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 4.15
31
Carlos Castaño (Spa) Karpin Galicia
4.21
32 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Team CSC
4.22
33 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Française des Jeux
4.24
34 Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Spa) Rabobank
4.31
35 Ezequiel Mosquera Miguez (Spa) Karpin Galicia
4.33
36 Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2r Prévoyance
4.40
37 Bradley McGee (Aus) Française des Jeux
4.42
38 Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner
4.44
39 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Française des Jeux
4.46
40 Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
4.47
41 Christophe Kern (Fra) Crédit Agricole
4.55
42 Marc De Maar (Ned) Rabobank
4.59
43 Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) T-Mobile Team
5.00
44 Daniel Moreno (Spa) Relax - Gam
5.06
45 Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
5.08
46 Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Karpin Galicia
5.10
47 Sebastiaan Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank
5.11
48 Matej Jurco (Svk) Team Milram
5.13
49 Inaki Isasi Flores (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
5.14
50 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team CSC
5.17
51 Manuel Beltrán (Spa) Liquigas
5.20
52 Iker Camaño (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir
5.21
53 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
5.22
54 Carlos Da Cruz (Fra) Française des Jeux
5.27
55 Gustavo César (Spa) Karpin Galicia
5.33
56 Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas
5.36
57 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank
5.39
58 Cyrille Monnerais (Fra) Française des Jeux
5.40
59 Bart Dockx (Bel) Predictor - Lotto
5.42
60 David Herrero Llorente (Spa) Karpin Galicia
5.44
61 Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Gerolsteiner
62 Tim Klinger (Ger) Gerolsteiner
5.45
63 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
5.46
64 Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française des Jeux
5.48
65 Patrick Calcagni (Swi) Liquigas
66 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 5.49
67 Alan Perez
Lezaun (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
68 David García (Spa) Karpin Galicia
5.56
69 Davide Vigano (Ita) Quickstep - Innergetic
6.00
70 Igor Antón (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
6.01
71 José Ángel Gómez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 6.02
72 Alessandro
Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas
73 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Crédit Agricole
6.05
74 Elia Rigotto (Ita) Team Milram
6.06
75 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC
76 Stéphane Augé (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone
77 Andrea Tonti (Ita) Quickstep - Innergetic
6.09
78 José Luis Rubiera (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 6.10
79 Chris Horner (USA)
Predictor - Lotto
6.11
80 Jose Ruiz Sanchez (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur
6.13
81 José Vicente Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
6.16
82 Mario Aerts (Bel) Predictor - Lotto
6.21
84 Angelo Furlan (Ita) Crédit Agricole
6.22
84 André Korff (Ger) T-Mobile Team
85 Juan Olmo Menacho (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur
6.25
86 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Quickstep - Innergetic
87 Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Crédit Agricole
88 Vincent Jérôme (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
6.26
89 Aitor Hernández (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
6.32
90 Martin Müller (Ger) Team Milram
6.35
91 Luis Perez Rodriguez (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur
92 Allan Davis (Aus) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 6.39
93
Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre - Fondital
6.40
94 Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Team CSC
6.41
95 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) AG2r Prévoyance
6.43
96 Wim Van Huffel (Bel) Predictor - Lotto
6.47
97 Francisco Jose Martinez (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur
6.48
98 Scott Davis (Aus) T-Mobile Team
99 André Greipel (Ger) T-Mobile Team
100 Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
101 Raúl García De Mateos (Spa) Relax - Gam
6.49
102 Andrea Moletta (Ita) Gerolsteiner
6.50
103 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 6.53
104 Christian Vande
Velde (USA) Team CSC
105 Marco Velo (Ita) Team Milram
6.54
106 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner
6.55
107 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas
6.56
108 Chris Anker Sørensen (Den) Team CSC
6.57
109 Roy Sentjens (Ned) Predictor - Lotto
6.58
110 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Bouygues Telecom
7.01
111 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas
7.03
112 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Team Milram
7.04
113 Josep Jufré (Spa) Predictor - Lotto
7.05
114 Nacor Burgos Rojo (Spa) Relax - Gam
7.08
115 David López (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
7.14
116 Erki Pütsep (Est) Bouygues Telecom
7.16
117 Rony Martias (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
7.23
118 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir
7.24
119 Philip Deignan (Irl) AG2r Prévoyance
120 René Mandri (Est) AG2r Prévoyance
7.25
121 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram
7.28
122 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance
7.29
123 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
124 Gustavo Domínguez (Spa) Karpin Galicia
7.33
125 Arkaitz Durán (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir
126 Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Française des Jeux
7.34
127 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Team Milram
7.35
128 Andreas Klier (Ger) T-Mobile Team
7.36
129 Christophe Brandt (Bel) Predictor - Lotto
7.41
130 Joan Horrach (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
131 Bingen Fernandez (Spa) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 7.42
132 Johannes Fröhlinger
(Ger) Gerolsteiner
133 Inigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
134 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quickstep - Innergetic
7.44
135 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 7.45
136 Ángel
Vallejo (Spa) Relax - Gam
7.47
137 David Loosli (Swi) Lampre - Fondital
7.51
138 Jesús Hernández (Spa) Relax - Gam
7.52
139 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir
7.53
140 Manuel Vazquez Huesco (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur
7.56
141 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Team CSC
7.57
142 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quickstep - Innergetic
7.59
143 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Crédit Agricole
8.05
144 Mauricio Alberto Ardila (Col) Rabobank
8.09
145 José Luis Carrasco (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur
8.10
146 Francisco Terciado Sacedo (Spa) Relax - Gam
8.11
147 Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Gerolsteiner
8.16
148 Claudio Corioni (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
8.18
149 Dionisio Galparsoro (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
8.19
150 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team Milram
8.26
151 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
8.28
152 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
8.29
153 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone
154 Ángel Gómez Gómez (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir
155 Ludovic Turpin (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance
8.41
156 Manuel Ortega Ocana (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur
8.42
157 Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner
8.50
158 Morris Possoni (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
8.56
159 Serafín Martínez Acevedo (Spa) Karpin Galicia
8.57
160 Jorge Garcia Marin (Spa) Relax - Gam
9.02
161 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Crédit Agricole
9.05
162 Addy Engels (Ned) Quickstep - Innergetic
9.07
163 Theo Eltink (Ned) Rabobank
9.17
164 Julian Sanchez Pimienta (Spa) Relax - Gam
9.18
165 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
166 Renaud Dion (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance
9.23
167 Ruben Lobato Elvira (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir
9.26
168 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
9.33
169 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas
9.36
170 Alberto Ongarato (Ita) Team Milram
171 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank
9.37
172 Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir
9.38
173 Geert Verheyen (Bel) Quickstep - Innergetic
9.40
174 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance
175 José Antonio Lopez (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur
9.47
176 Ian McLeod (RSA) Française des Jeux
10.14
177 Jean-Marc Marino (Fra) Crédit Agricole
10.25
178 Jesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) Andalucia - Cayasur
10.37
179 Santiago Perez (Spa) Relax - Gam
10.45
180 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Bouygues Telecom
11.15
181 Adam Hansen (Aus) T-Mobile Team
12.47
