The day before the first rest day in the Vuelta a España, the riders will cover another very hard stage between Lugones and Lagos de Covadonga. It will be an important day for the GC riders as they have to survive two major climbs in the final 40 kilometres. The uphill finish on Lagos de Covadonga, a HC-climb with parts up to seventeen per cent, will certainly determine today’s outcome.

Two categorized climbs are scheduled today so Thomas De Gendt might be able to maintain the mountains jersey. Nevertheless, it will be a hard task to fulfil this objective. Lotto Soudal ports director Marc Wauters gives a little preview.

“We are aiming to get a rider in the breakaway again today. That could be Sander Armée, Maxime Monfort or Louis Vervaeke. In the beginning of the stage the route goes downhill, so I also expect riders who aren’t climbers to get in the front group. If there is nobody in the break who’s a danger to GC, then one of the escapees could certainly win the stage. The GC riders can battle behind them for their positions. I think there will be another GC leader tonight.

"Yesterday it cost Thomas De Gendt energy to take the KOM points. Energy which he may have missed at the end. He now has the same amount of points as Alexandre Geniez. We’ll see how that classification will evolve today and in the following stages.

“Tomorrow the riders get the first of two rest days. That will be good for Bart De Clercq. He’s feeling a bit better every day. Today he just needs to focus on reaching the finish on time. He has been really persistent the past couple of days. We’ll see what he can still do later down the Vuelta.”