Madrazo proves confidence again
27 August 2011

Young Spaniard from Movistar Team goes on the attack through first ascent at demanding finish in San Lorenzo del Escorial; Pardilla and Bruseghin stick to the fore In his GT début at the age of only 23, Spaniard Ángel Madrazo was the most lively face from Movistar Team as he went on his second breakaway in the 2011 Vuelta a España on stage 8, a 177k trek from Talavera de la Reina to the hellish finish of Cañada Nueva in San Lorenzo del Escorial, preceeded by a final 40k of steep climbs that put once again the GC riders into their red zone. The telephone squad's youngster tried his way out the group with 9k remaining into the slopes prior to the finish, reaching and dropping the previous leader Taaramäe (COF), who kept the pace after the 4-man early break dominating the way home was caught, and started a fast descent to the line that was only caught into the final approach to San Lorenzo.

“I’m happy because at least I could show the team colours again,” explained Madrazo after the stage. “The finale was really good for me, but I chose to take a try from a bit further because fighting with the GC guys was gonna be difficult. I’ll have time during my career to contest a finish like this with them. Taaramäe attacked and then I saw that it could be a good moment for me. I launched it along with Moncoutié and Bakelants, but they dropped. When I took over Taaramäe, the ideal thing would have been to stay with him, but he also lost terrain and you had to go on full steam there. The bad thing is that I didn’t thing that there was such a long plain between the climbs and that you could chain the two of them. I make mistakes as a debutant, but i’m trying to do the best possible for the team. I said I’d be trying again and I’ll keep trying from here. I came here to learn and be as much combative as possible in his Vuelta. I’ll try to get into the break again tomorrow because the ITT will be my first rest day. If I can’t, I’ll be helping Bruseghin and Pardilla, our GC guys. Until now, the most of racing I had done was nine consecutive days in the Tour de Suisse, but I’m feeling better and better every day.”

Catalan Joaquím Rodríguez (KAT) imposed his quality again into a finish suiting him and took the red jersey lost by Chavanel (QST) as well as his second victory in this year’s Spanish grandtour. Behind him, Marzio Bruseghin -with a notable 1th, just 20 seconds off Purito‘s pace into a climb not favouring him really much- and Sergio Pardilla -who came across the finish alongside Pablo Lastras, 41″ after the winner- saved their privileged overall places -the italian is now 11th, with the Spaniard in 15th place- before another mountian-top finish on Sunday, the ninth stage in the 2011 Vuelta with 183 kilometers from Villacastín to the skit station of La Covatilla, prior to a long ITT in Salamanca that will close down the first half of the race.