Deceuninck-Quick Step’s Fabio Jakobsen nabbed himself a second stage win on stage 8 of the Vuelta a Espana where a chaotic final kilometre was the only real highlight of the day. The lack of happenings ensures Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) wears roja for at least another day as the race heads for the hills tomorrow.
How it went down
Flat (adjective):
1 – Having a level surface
2 – Lacking emotion, dull and lifeless
It was a flat stage in all senses of the word. After stage 7’s “riders all over the shop” intensity, today was a day for recharging batteries, keeping safe and not much else.
Although INEOS Grenadiers decided today was the day to bring back the ice bucket challenge…
When the going gets hot 🥵take an ice bath 🧊🧊🧊 Egan Bernal preparing for a sizzling day in the saddle. ☀️🚴♂️🇪🇸
Stage 8 of La Vuelta a España is LIVE now on @SBSVICELAND + @SBSOnDemand + the SKODA Tour Tracker!
📎:https://t.co/hoD0W5lbOL#sbsvuelta #Couchpeloton #LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/EH4ODPsLSC— CyclingCentral (@CyclingCentral) August 21, 2021
We started with an all-Spanish breakaway, all from Spanish teams. The three riders were allowed a miserly three minute gap which was pared back to two minutes by the time the race hit 100 kilometres to go. I’m not saying it was an obviously ill-fated break, but it wasn’t even worth looking up the riders on ProCyclingStats.
The most entertainment from the early part of the day came from technical struggles at GCN/Eurosport. Problems so serious, the UCI had to step in. Sort of.
Please @gcntweet somebody tell @carltonkirby and @SeanKellyCC that we can hear both of them though they can’t hear each other!
— Brian Cookson OBE (@BrianCooksonOBE) August 21, 2021
With the peloton in a no-nonsense mood, even the Vuelta’s tractors couldn’t be bothered to form a recognisable shape… I mean, what is this?
What a day for twitter’s NYVelocity to be missing-in-action – Ed
26 x El Tractor is enough for a fine work of art. #LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/Wo1xAgNAB4
— ammattipyöräily (@ammattipyoraily) August 21, 2021
Much more successful was Romain Bardet (DSM) playing the “how many bottles” game. I’m impressed.
💧When the boys need water, it's time to load up.@romainbardet on teammate duty, but how many bottles can he get from the team car?! 🤔#LaVuelta21 @SanasEurope pic.twitter.com/9Q3t0j0TF8
— Team DSM (@TeamDSM) August 21, 2021
Euan’s fifth law of cycling: You know there’s not much going on when the TV helicopters start filming other TV helicopters
🚁TACATACATACATACATA
We see you, @HelicopteroLV 😊#LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/Y2sHekMTY1
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 21, 2021
Finally, some action!
The break was caught with around 35kms to go and it appeared we could be on for some crosswind induced action…
We spoke too soon! 💨💨 The break's caught as the pace is ramped up on the front of the bunch causing some splits in the peloton with 35km to race.
The guys are around @alberto_dainese up in the front group. 💪🏻#LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/EzXDzkGDpA
— Team DSM (@TeamDSM) August 21, 2021
Oh. My. Sweet. Echelon #LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/ckrfEFwp1c
— Katy M, La Vuelta Edition (@writebikerepeat) August 21, 2021
But the splits lasted about as long as Cofidis’s GC hopes, and it was soon all back together.
The final 10 kilometres featured a frantic battle for teams to assert themselves at the head of the bunch.
No other cracks in the bunch, but the speed is insane in the final kilometers of this #LaVuelta21 stage.
— Deceuninck-QuickStep (@deceuninck_qst) August 21, 2021
INEOS, UAE-Team Emirates, Groupama-FDJ and Astana-Premier Tech were all prominent at the front, but the order fell apart under the flamme rouge. From there it was a scrappy, every man for himself affair as the Vuelta’s grade A sprinters duked it out.
Etapa 8 – Stage 8 | #LaVuelta21
🇪🇸 Vive el último kilómetro de la segunda victoria de @FabioJakobsen gracias a @CarrefourES
🇬🇧 Live the last km. of Fabio Jakobsen's victory thanks to @CarrefourES#CarrefourConLaVuelta pic.twitter.com/d1OHFbEowB— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 21, 2021
A combination of placing and power let Fabio Jakobsen grab the win, but a special mention goes to Alberto Dainese who very nearly made it two for two for DSM.
4️⃣ on stage 4
🥉 on stage 5
🥈 on stage 8@alberto_dainese is closing in! 🙌🏻#KeepChallenging #LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/LiA1k82y1P— Team DSM (@TeamDSM) August 21, 2021
The victory means Fabio is back in the green points jersey taking it from Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix) for the second time in the race. I do hope they launder it before handing it over.
And that’s it. In the post-stage interviews, Jakobsen thanked his team, Roglic said he was ready for the mountains but so are others. As grand tour days go, you couldn’t get more standard.
As tight as ever 🤜🏻🤛🏻@deceuninck_qst's Wolfpack celebrate @FabioJakobsen's @lavuelta Stage 8 win! Champagne later… 🍾
_______#LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/SUNOD1hZAZ— Velon CC (@VelonCC) August 21, 2021
The only thing I’ll add is that in those closing kilometres you could feel the tension through the screen. This race means a lot of things to a lot of riders and we’re in for some battles over the next couple of weeks. (bring it on! – Ed!)
The final word (from somebody actually at the race)
Very happy today.
Shouted out congratulations on a great career to Fabio Aru, when he passed me.
Turned around shock his fist and said thanks man.
👏👏👏 Grande #LaVuelta21
— anenglishmaninspain (@AndyElche) August 21, 2021
All the results
Stage results
1 Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck-QuickSprint) 3:56:05
2 Alberto Dainese (Team BDSM) same time
3 Jesper Philipsen (Alpecin-Cats-Like-Fenix) s/t
4 Jordi Meeus (Bora-IdForgottenTheyWereInTheRace) s/t
5 Itamar Einhorn (Israel-Forgotten-This-Team Too) s/t
GC Top 10
1 Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) 29:14:40
2 Felix Grossschartner (BORA-hansgrohe) +0:08
3 Enric Mas (Movistar Team) +0:25
4 Miguel Angel Lopez (Movistar Team) +0:36
5 Jan Polanc (UAE-Emirates) +0:38
6 Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) +0:41
7 Jack Haig (Bahrain-Victorious) +0:57
8 Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) +0:59
9 Aleksandr Vlasov (Astana-Premier Tech) +1:06
10 Adam Yates (INEOS Grenadiers) +1:22
All the jerseys
🇪🇸 #LaVuelta21
Jerseys after Stage 8❤️🏆 Primož Roglič 🇸🇮
💚💨 Fabio Jakobsen 🇳🇱
💙⛰️ Pavel Sivakov 🇷🇺
🤍👶 Egan Bernal 🇨🇴 pic.twitter.com/3j4ZEwF59k— pro cycling trumps (@procycletrumps) August 21, 2021
Leader’s jersey : Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma)
Points jersey : Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck-Quick Step)
King of the Mountains: Pavel Sivakov (INEOS Grenadiers)
Best young rider : Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers)
Best team : Movistar (of course they are!)
For full race results, go to CyclingNews.com