September 4th - Stage 10 - La Vuelta

• Stage/Finish: Salamanca. VIII Centenario Universidad de Salamanca › Fermoselle. Bermillo de Sayago

• Distance: 177 kilometers - flat

• Weather: 81F/27C - sunny

 

Brent's Update:

Stage 10 was a good way to transition out of yesterday’s rest day. With a bunch sprint anticipated, most of us kept yesterday short and easy, but the risk that comes with that is the body shuts down after going full gas for nine days.

From the start of today’s stage, it was clear that the sprinter’s teams weren’t going to take any chances and only allowed two riders to slip away.   There was enough wind to keep everyone awake and a dicey downhill into the final climb and toward the end of the stage things heated up.

Despite not having a GC guy to protect or a sprinter to line it up for, I did my best to stay switched on and up front for this part, just to feel a little intensity of the race and stay focused.

After the climb, it was back to big roads. I needed a rear wheel change due to a puncture, but otherwise, it was an unusually relaxed roll into the finish.

Maybe on TV today looked boring to the fans, but they’ll be some action tomorrow and the coming stages between now and the next rest day, so sit tight!

Tomorrow is the longest stage of the race and looks to be demanding terrain--always up and down and twisty small roads. I think about 90 guys are thinking they will try for the break, so that will make for a tense start and unpredictable day.