Following Wednesday’s epic stage, the peloton needed a day of transition.  But after 173 kilometers of road between Andorra and Lleida, the consensus is that there was no rest for the weary today, and the riders will have to wait before finding any respite. 

With an average race speed of 43km/h on Thursday, the peloton nevertheless still received a fright when it looked like the breakaway had timed it perfectly and would go all the way.  Finally caught within 200 meters from the line, the day’s leaders on the road had a front row seat to see Danny Van Poppel (Trek Factory) take the stage victory.  The 22 year old Dutchman nabbed his first WorldTour win ahead of Daryl Impey (Orica - GreenEDGE) and Tosh Van Der Sande (Lotto Soudal).

IAM Cycling also crept its way into the sprint with Vicente Reynes positioning himself well for the final gallop.  Unfortunately, he was blocked in the last 500 meters, and in the end could only salvage 14th place in a fast finish that featured many of the best sprinters who remain in the Vuelta.

Vicente Reynes’ strength lies chiefly in his ability to recover and adapt.  Always present to help his teammates when the roads kick upwards, the rider from Mallorca is also ready to play the leading role when it is his turn.  Even after a mountain stage as severe as Wednesday’s, Reynes was not too affected by the steep slopes that he had to endure. 

“Honestly, I was hoping for a better result.  I would have liked to have been a few places further forward,” Reynes explained.  “The team, particularly Sylvain Chavanel and Marcel Aregger, worked very well to place me in the lead up to the finish.   Unfortunately I got stuck up against the barriers in the last 500 meters, and that stopped me in my tracks.  At that point, I lost a few places, and then it was too late to get back on terms.  That said, I am pretty happy because my condition is improving every day.  I feel that my legs are beginning to respond as I would like.”

Good sensations come gradually, especially after an epic day of climbing.  That is apparent since not only did the peloton prove itself to be a tad nervous during the course of this twelfth stage, but it became obvious that some riders had not full digested the efforts the stage in Andorra required. 

Directeur sportif Eddy Seigneur certainly explained the situation as being along those lines:

“The eleventh stage left traces in the legs, and many riders were still tired Thursday. Vicente Reynes did a good sprint, but he also probably still had some pretty hard legs.  As for our riders who did not go for the sprint, they withstood a nervous day, and it allowed them to regain some strength.  We’ll see what happens in the coming days.”