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We posted the organizer's report with the results.
Here's the report from third-place Jordi Meeus' Team Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe:
Stage 8 of La Vuelta offered another opportunity for the fast men, with 171 kilometres from Puçol to Xeraco and a largely flat route leading towards the expected sprint finish.
After a largely controlled opening part of the stage, the race changed dramatically with just over 30 kilometres remaining when race leader Tadej Pogačar unfortunately crashed on the approach to the final climb. The Slovenian was unable to continue and was forced to abandon the race.

Tadej Pogacar just after crashing.
The peloton stayed together over the Puerto de Barx, with Jordi safely in the group as the sprinters turned their attention to the finish in Xeraco. A late attack was brought back in the closing kilometres, setting up the expected bunch sprint.
The finale was disrupted by a large crash inside the final 300 metres, which held up much of the peloton. Jordi was safely ahead of the incident and well positioned in the fight for the stage victory. Mads Pedersen opened the sprint, before Bryan Coquard came through in the closing metres to take the win, with Jordi crossing the line in third place.
It is Jordi’s second podium of this year’s Vuelta after his second place on Stage 5 in Roquetes.
Pogačar’s abandon also reshapes the general classification, with Enric Mas taking over the red jersey. Primož now sits third overall, 1:33 behind the new race leader.
Tomorrow brings the race back into the mountains for a demanding Stage 9 from La Vila Joiosa to Alto de Aitana. The 187.4-kilometre stage features more than 5,000 metres of climbing and six categorised ascents before the summit finish.
Here's the Vuelta stage eight report from fourth-place Ben Turner's Team Netcompany INEOS:
Ben Turner sprinted to fourth place into Xeraco following a crash-marred eighth stage at the Vuelta a Espana.
The powerful Brit was moved into position by his teammates on the run-in following a difficult stage, punctuated by crashes and a nervy peloton.
Oscar Onley finished in the bunch despite being caught up in a high-speed crash with 33 kilometres to go. The Netcompany INEOS rider was able to quickly remount, but not so fortunate would be race leader Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates - XRG). The Slovenian was unable to continue and was forced to relinquish the red jersey.

Vuelta stage eight gets its officlal start.
As a result the GC contenders all moved up one place, with Onley now fifth overall, 2:16 back on new leader Enric Mas (Movistar).
Carlos Rodriguez was also held up by a pair of crashes on the run-in but was able to finish the stage.
In the sprint it would be Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) who edged out the photo finish to claim his first Grand Tour stage win.
Here's the report from tenth-place Matthew Brennan's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
The eighth stage of La Vuelta had all the ingredients for another sprint opportunity. Starting in Puçol, the 171-kilometer stage headed towards Xeraco, featuring a flat parcours with just one categorized climb along the way. Bryan Coquard ultimately sprinted to victory, while Matthew Brennan finished in tenth place.
Today’s stage was anything but calm. Racing was nervous from the very start, with several crashes causing disruption in the peloton. The finale was no different, with riders having to remain alert at all times. Just over thirty kilometers from the finish, race leader Tadej Pogačar crashed heavily and was eventually forced to abandon the race. Ben Tulett and Sepp Kuss were also involved in the crash, but both riders were able to finish the stage.

Bryan Coquard wins Vuelta stage eight.
For Team Visma | Lease a Bike, the goal was to navigate the chaos as well as possible. With Matthew Brennan, the team once again had a strong chance in the sprint. The Brit, who had already won two stages in this Vuelta, was once again well supported by his teammates and remained alert in the peloton throughout the day. “There were a lot of crashes today, and I think that set the tone for the whole day,” Brennan said afterwards.
After a hectic final phase, the expected bunch sprint eventually took place in Xeraco. Bryan Coquard proved to be the fastest, while Brennan sprinted to tenth place. “The team tried their best again and I tried to follow Christophe, but in the end it was a bit too chaotic for my liking, so I lost his wheel,” Brennan explained. “I tried to get back, but then you’re not really in the ideal position to sprint. Of course, I’m quite disappointed, but we’ll just try again at the next opportunity.”
Wout van Aert made good progress in the points classification. The Belgian picked up more valuable points at the intermediate sprint and further strengthened his lead in the classification. Van Aert remains in green and will also start the next stage as the leader of the points classification.
And here's the Vuelta report from Team Soudal Quick-Step:
Stage 8 of the Spanish Grand Tour, between Puçol and Xeraco, should have been a pretty straightforward one, with just a third-category climb as the main difficulty of the day for the fast men who were targeting another bunch sprint.

The peloton speeds along the eastern Mediterranean coast. Sirotti photo
It came down to a mass gallop, but it was incredibly hectic, marked by several crashes, including one that took place in the neutral zone and another one with 300 meters to go, just as the sprinters were preparing to launch their effort. Alberto Dainese was in a good position, but had to stop after several riders hit the ground just in front of him, and couldn’t be a protagonist anymore in the finale of this stage won by Bryan Coquard (Cofidis).
Fabio Van den Bossche, a bronze medalist at this year’s Belgian Championships, was the only Soudal Quick-Step rider to be involved in the crash, fortunately without serious consequences, meaning he should be at the start on Sunday.
Before a well-deserved rest day, the race will schedule a hard summit finish on Alto de Aitana. The first-category climb, coming at the end of a stage featuring a total of six ascents, promises more fireworks in the battle for the general classification.
Here's the team's news:
The 95th Bretagne Classic – CIC will take place on 30 August in Plouay. The race organisers have revamped the route, with a challenging 228.3km course featuring 3,663 metres of elevation gain. Riders can expect windy conditions and numerous narrow roads throughout the race.
Alessandro Borgo and Alec Segaert will lead our team for the race. Alessandro showed strong form at the Renewi Tour, while the course suits Alec perfectly as a specialist in late attacks. Despite both riders making their Bretagne Classic debuts, they will be our protected leaders.

Alessandro Borgo in 2025.
Matej Mohorič will take on the role of team captain, with Nikias Arndt, Kamil Gradek, Robert Stannard and Edoardo Zambanini completing the line-up. We have a strong and experienced group of riders who have raced this demanding race several times, and they will be tasked with supporting and positioning our young leaders during the crucial stages of the race.
The route features the Côte de Bon Repos (1.4km at 8%), Côte de Lezot (0.7km at 5.7%) and Côte de Marta (1.6km at 5.6%) on a 193km loop before the race enters the Plouay circuit for three laps of 16.6km. The return of the Côte de Ty Marrec, which has not featured since 2019, adds another key challenge. Meanwhile, the Rostervel climb, coming with around 9km to go, could play a decisive role in the finale.
With countless short climbs and consistently technical roads, positioning will be crucial. In recent editions, the race has favoured riders with strong Classics credentials, and we expect another hard-fought battle in Brittany.
Comment from Head Sports Director Gorazd Štangelj:
“The race itself offers plenty of opportunities to attack, and we can expect either a small group to fight for the win or a reduced bunch sprint. We have put together a strong and experienced team for this race, and we are ready for any scenario.
“Alec is our specialist for attacking in the late finale, while Alessandro is our fastest guy in a bunch sprint. Robert and Edoardo will be ready to follow the earlier attacks in the final. Kamil and Nikias will be our support riders through the complicated middle part of the race, while Matej will guide the team perfectly.
“Our goal is to finish in the top ten, but we are aiming for much more!”
Here’s the team’s announcement:
XDS Astana Team has signed experienced French rider Anthony Turgis on a two-year agreement covering the 2027 and 2028 seasons.
Anthony Turgis, 32, is a specialist in classic and one-day races. In 2022, he finished second at the Monument Classic Milano–Sanremo, while in 2021 he was runner-up at Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne. In 2024, he claimed a stage victory at the Tour de France.
This season, Turgis finished third at the Grand Prix de Denain, seventh at the Brussels Cycling Classic, eighth at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Heistse Pijl, and ninth at the Muur Classic Geraardsbergen.

Anthony Turgis wins 2024 Tour de France stage nine.
“XDS Astana Team is a serious project with a great history and an international roster of riders. For me, this is a new challenge in my career, and I believe it will give me new motivation and new goals. I’m happy to join the Astana project. I know that the team has been working hard on the classics, and that is important to me. I feel that I can still improve and that together with XDS Astana Team we can achieve significant results both in the spring classics and in other races”, – said Anthony Turgis.
“In recent years, we have been working extensively on the classics. We have made definite progress, with good results both last year and this season. Anthony is an experienced classics rider, so he can significantly strengthen our team for the spring classics. In addition, Turgis has extensive experience racing Grand Tours, particularly the Tour de France, and for us he can be a very valuable addition for the biggest race of the season”, – said Alexandr Vinokurov, General Manager of XDS Astana Team.
The team sent me this news:
Baptiste Veistroffer will remain with Lotto-Intermarché for the coming years. The 26-year-old Frenchman has extended his contract with the team until the end of 2028. Both parties will thus continue their collaboration after two seasons in which Veistroffer has established himself as one of the most aggressive riders in the peloton.
The Frenchman feels completely at home at Lotto-Intermarché. “My contract extension shows that there is a strong relationship of trust between the team and me. I feel really good within the team, and the team is also very happy with me,” says Veistroffer. “They know very well how to use my qualities, and it’s the perfect team to get opportunities to attack, try things and show myself.”

Baptiste Veistroffer wins 2026 Tour of Oman stage two.
That approach earned him his first professional victory at the Tour of Oman in February. After spending a long time in the breakaway, he rode solo to victory on the Yiti Hills. But perhaps nowhere was his attacking style more evident this season than at the Tour de France. Veistroffer joined the breakaway on several occasions and accumulated an impressive number of kilometres at the front of the race. He was named the most combative rider of the day three times. The statistics also underline his attacking mindset: in 2026, he has already spent more than 2,000 kilometres in breakaways, the highest total in the entire peloton. “Above all, I want to keep racing this way, enjoying myself in the breakaway and at the front of the race. I want to keep my temperament and, most importantly, not change who I am as a rider. It feels really good to have the team supporting me in that. And why not try to do the same again at the Tour de France next year?”
At the same time, Veistroffer sees his role within the team as broader than simply looking for breakaway opportunities. “I also get plenty of opportunities to work for our leaders in races. The team puts together a race programme that really suits me and includes a lot of great races.”
Kurt Van de Wouwer, Sports Manager at Lotto-Intermarché: “Over the past two seasons, Baptiste has shown that he has a very distinctive profile. He isn’t afraid to take risks, races with a lot of initiative and, in doing so, helps shape the race. At the same time, he knows exactly when to put his own ambitions aside to help the team. That combination makes him particularly valuable to us. We believe he can continue to grow, and we’re happy that we can give him the space to develop further over the coming years.”
Jean-François Bourlart, CEO of Lotto-Intermarché: “Baptiste is a rider who perfectly embodies the identity we want to project as a team. He races with courage, attacks and tries to influence the race. That not only makes him valuable from a sporting perspective, but has also helped him build a strong connection with the fans. We clearly saw that during the Tour de France. We’re therefore very happy that Baptiste has chosen to commit his future to Lotto-Intermarché. We have a lot of confidence in his qualities and are convinced that he will experience many more great moments with our team in the years to come.”