Jasper Stuyven sprints to 10th place as the crosswind creates an edgy finale for stage eight at the Vuelta a España. Panic ensued when the race entered the wide-open plains at the end of 207-kilometer flat stage eight.

The peloton split into three echelons, with some of the top sprinters and a few GC men caught precariously behind. By the finish the second echelon managed to rejoin and it concluded in the expected bunch sprint, but not before a nervous, frenzied fight created by the dangerous side wind.

Trek Factory Racing rebounded from yesterday’s big effort to rally around Jasper Stuyven today, and when all hell broke loose in the crosswind with over 20 kilometers to go the team was there. With the team’s help, and Jasper’s prowess at riding in such conditions, he maintained great position through the hectic final kilometers.

Jasper Stuyven was in good hands with the team's Classics' specialists rising to the occassion. The only thing missing was a technical corner or a tricky chicane at the end as the straight run-in made it more difficult for Stuyven –  fighting solo in the last kilometer - to grab the key position so necessary in a full-speed sprint finish.

Jasper Stuyven was unable to find an open door and when daylight finally appeared and he started his sprint he was too far back. Tenth would be the best he could manage.

Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ.fr) took his second win ahead of Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEdge) and Peter Sagan (Cannondale).

“We knew the parcours today, and after yesterday where we did a lot of work and had nothing to show at the end for it, today we worked for Jasper and almost the whole team was on the front when the winds began. We recovered well after yesterday. When we have such a strong Classics’ team here we knew we could give a good hand to Jasper,” Adriano Baffi said to the Trek website.

“It was not a great finish for Jasper because it was a long straight and he does much better if he has some corners. Tenth is not a result for Jasper, and we hoped for more, and we know that he is capable of better. But that is what we have. Without victories you are never completely happy but at the end we are very satisfied with how Jasper is doing.”

The overall GC remained unchanged at the top, and Haimar Zubeldia also maintained his 24th place despite arriving with the second peloton and losing 53 seconds. The wind was not his friend today, but tomorrow he returns to more favorable terrain with the Vuleta’s first high mountain finish.

Monday sees the first rest day of the three-week Grand Tour, a time to reflect on the opening nine days, which, has not gone as hoped explained Baffi, but there is a lot of racing to come and the team is in good morale.

“What is important is that today showed all the team is good. We believe we end our first week with confidence that everything will come back to normal. Now we look to the mountain stage tomorrow and then the first rest day and after the time trial. There is a lot of racing left, and a lot of opportunities for us,” Baffi finished.