Dan Martin on the long hot Vuelta stage 5. He got caught out when a change in wind direction and Tinkoff-Saxo split the field. However, the Irish hope got across to the leaders in a group to keep his general classification plans intact.
Having been second and fifth already on stages in the opening few days of the Vuelta a Espana, Dan Martin endured a moment of panic on stage 5 today, Wednesday, as the riders took in 180km in scorching temperatures from Priego de Cordoba to Ronda.
The Garmin Sharp man, who is in this race hunting for stage wins and a good general classification ride, almost saw his chances of the latter disappear in the heat haze when Tinkoff-Saxo put the hammer down in the closing stages to try and distance some of the big favourites.
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Inside the last hour of racing, as the tailwind changed to crosswind and just Pim Ligthart (Lotto-Belisol) was up the road alone with two minutes; Alberto Contador’s men put the power down and did manage to distance some of the big names.
Martin and team mate Ryder Hesjedal were both among those caught the wrong side of the split, as was Giro king of the mountains Julian Arredondo (Trek Factory Racing).
While some mistakes can costs riders minutes unless they get back on terms immediately before the gap becomes insurmountable, Martin bridged to the front bunch in a small group, thus keeping alive his very real general classification hopes.
His Canadian team mate was not so lucky and lost three minutes, while Arredondo lost over 13 minutes.
Ligthart, who had been away with Tony Martin before a mechanical claimed his place up the road, was no match for the bunch in full flight, with the stage coming down to a bunch sprint involving some 70 riders.
It was won by yesterday’s victor John Degenkolb, with Martin in the group; albeit on the wrong side of a five second deficit thanks to a small gap opening in the sprint in the bunch.
Philip Deignan (Team Sky) was also in that front group, coming in just seconds behind it.
Stage 5: Priego de Cordoba to Ronda (180km)
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1 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano 4:41:47
2 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ.fr
3 Moreno Hofland (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
4 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing
5 Paul Martens (Ger) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
6 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
7 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team
8 Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) IAM Cycling
9 Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN - Qhubeka
10 Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre-Merida
11 Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica Greenedge
12 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol
13 Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) AG2R La Mondiale
14 Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits @5secs
15 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky
40 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin Sharp
72 Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky 0:00:19
General Classification
1 Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica Greenedge 18:12:31
2 Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:13
3 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:20
4 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step 0:00:24
5 Damiano Caruso (Ita) Cannondale 0:00:26
6 Jhoan Esteban Chaves Rubio (Col) Orica Greenedge
7 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Trek Factory Racing 0:00:29
8 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 0:00:32
9 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo
10 Robert Gesink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
11 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing Team 0:00:34
12 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team
13 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:38
14 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Shimano 0:00:39
15 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:41
19 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin Sharp 0:00:48
71 Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky 0:11:03
Tinkoff-Saxo - with Contador seen second wheel here - trying to split the field in the crosswind, though all of the big names eventually got back on terms.
John Degenkolb makes it two in a row despite a complaint by stage 2 winner Nacer Bouhanni that he was switched by the German.
Michael Matthews keeps the red jersey of race leader as the Vuelta heads for the first mountains tomorrow, Thursday.
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