Joaquim Rodriguez did one of the best time trials of his life in today's stage of the Vuelta a Espana. However, the result could have been even better if a puncture had not forced him to make an untimely bike change.

It was a technical and testing day in a race against the clock for Tuesday’s stage 10 individual time trial in the 2014 Vuelta a España. Team Katusha’s leader Joaquim Rodriguez came to the time trial with the pure objective of not losing too much time in order to stay within reach of the general classification. A solid ride from Rodriguez accomplished those objectives.

"I knew I had to gain as much time as possible in the first uphill part and that’s what I did. I can be satisfied with my result. At the end of the TT I missed some power so perhaps I lost a little time for the GC but I really cannot complain about this result in a TT not suited to my strengths," said Joaquim Rodriguez.

"We wanted to do this time trial as well as possible. “Purito” did a very good first part and showed one of the best times over the top of the climb. Near the top Joaquim has got a flat tyre, so we had to change the bike because of this. He also did a strong downhill, taking some risks on the descent, which was necessary to get a good time. On the last part of the stage he pushed hard. This part was not his terrain but he did everything possible. He did a really good TT and I think we can be satisfied. He did a strong race and the Vuelta is still wide open," said team director José Azevedo.

The 36.7 km stage began in Real Monasterio de Santa María de Veruela and ended in Borja.  With the start order the reverse of the general classification, Rodriguez was on course sixth from the last starter under clear skies and cooler temperatures than previous days in southern Spain. The first part of the course rolled out of a monastery and then soon onto the category 3 climb. At the time Rodriguez came through the top of the climb, he posted the fourth best time of the day, continued on with a good ride for the downhill and the wide open sections in the last part of the course. His efforts netted him a finish in 17th place and kept him in contention for the overall race results.

Tomorrow brings another road stage and the third summit finish.  At 153.4 km, the stage begins in Pamplona and ends in San Miguel de Aralar (Navarre). It’s the first of six uphill finishes still to come, four of them coming between tomorrow and next Monday in a Spanish tour full of challenging climbs.