Danny van Poppel joined a 13-man breakaway that formed early in the 168.3-kilometer ninth stage at the Vuelta a España, but when the steep finish climb arrived it was the GC contenders and puncheurs that starred in the finale.

“We knew that the break had a good chance to go to the end today, so the plan was to have someone there,” explained van Poppel. “It was there in one moment and I was going full gas and I made it into the breakaway and then I thought ‘oh no!’  But the breakaway went really easy so for me I think I spent less energy than the guys in the peloton, so maybe in the end it was not a bad choice.”

When the breakaway hit the climbs it spelled the end for Danny van Poppel and a few of his mates, and the gap to the remainder of the group was drastically cut; eventually they too succumbed to the pressure from behind leaving the final brutally steep four kilometer uphill wide open for the strongest takers.

“The first climb was really hard with all the climbers in the break and I had to do it full gas,” continued van Poppel. “Then I was dropped with a few other guys, but I think that’s expected with the strong climbers there.  But I feel good, every day I am feeling stronger, so that’s a good sign.

“I hope to ride back into the picture because in the first days of the Vuelta I was not good and I missed a few chances for a sprint and I was really disappointed. I need to show myself now in a breakaway, and of course I am looking to another chance in Madrid.”

On the final ascent, Tom Dumoulin (Ginat-Alpecin) attacked, gained 10-seconds to lead solo under the red kite. However, he was brought back, then somehow recovered and finding some hidden reserves stole the win in the last meters from Sky’s Chris Froome, who seemed on his way to the victory.

Riccardo Zoidl was the first across the line for the team in 30th place (+2’16”) and moves one spot forward in the overall classification to 24th.

Trek Factory Racing sustained a big blow in stage eight with the large pile-up that eliminated Jasper Stuyven with a fractured wrist and caused Fränk Schleck to lose over 11 minutes and put an end to his GC ambitions.  With Fabian Cancellara lost early to illness the team is down to seven riders.

Although the team can take solace in already pocketing a stage win with Jasper Stuyven’s first professional victory, there are almost two weeks left in the Grand Tour and plenty of opportunities remain - they are hungry for another. Each day is a new race and new chance and the goal will be to find ways to achieve another victory.

“We are still ambitious to go for another stage win. I told the boys to not spend too much energy [to get into a breakaway] but try to be there because it’s good to be represented,” explained director Dirk Demol. “And Danny made it. That was good. In the finale, Riccardo tried to be there.

“But I repeat: with Fränk, Haimar and Riccardo we have no more ambitions for the overall – well you never know of course if they can make a nice break - but once we pass the rest day, this race has been so hard already, that soon there will be big groups going up the road. And once we enter the real mountains they have to be there. This is the plan to get through the next days, and after the rest day we go again.”