Belkin again showed that they are among the strongest teams in windy conditions when they managed to position their three GC riders Laurens Ten Dam, Robert Gesink and Wilco Kelderman in the first group in stage 8 of the Vuelta a Espana. However, Gesink admitted that it had been a big fight to stay with the best on a dramatic day in Spain.

The Belkin Pro Cycling Team had a key role in the eighth stage of the Vuelta a España today. The peloton split several times in the final thirty kilometres in crosswinds, but the team's overall riders Robert Gesink and Wilco Kelderman were partly responsible for the cracks. They ended up 21st and 20th, and remain seventh and tenth overall.

Laurens ten Dam also finished in the first group and moved up to 18th in the general classification. The stage was won by FDJ’s Nacer Bouhanni. Robert Wagner sprinted to sixth.

When the peloton broke for the first time, Gesink and Kelderman were partly in charge. With solid turns in the front, they truly contributed to the splits.

“We knew it was going to happen and in the end, we were in the right spot,” said Gesink afterwards.

The second time they managed to get in the front group thanks to another effort.

“We had to fight for it, but eventually Wilco and I were up there again,” continued Gesink. “We were able to connect at the very last moment. We’re looking very strong. This was a good final test for tomorrow.”

Sports Director Erik Dekker prepared the team well.

“We knew that the area was open and that there would be wind, and we informed the men as good as possible. We were not the only ones who knew about the cross-winds and so things got pretty hectic. A few of our men were eventually dropped, but that was after they had dropped off our overall men. The team performed really well today.”

Tomorrow’s stage starts in Carboneras the Guadazón and ends 185 kilometres later on the Aramón Valdelinares, a first category climb. On the way to the finish, the peloton also needs to tackle climbs of the third and second category.

“Tomorrow is going to be totally different than today,” said Dekker.