Vuelta a España 2008/18. stage

Result of the 18th stage
First		Imanol Erviti	GCE	3:53:17 h
Second		Nicolas Roche	CA	equal time
Third		David Herrero	XAG	+ 0:01 min
Fourth		Vasil Kiryenka	TCS	+ 0:05 min
fifth		Karsten Kroon	CSC	+ 0:10 min
Sixth		Greg Van Avermaet	SIL	+ 0:13 min
seventh		Enrico Franzoi	LIQ	equal time
Eighth		Paolo Bettini	QST	equal time
Ninth		Andrij Hrywko	MRM	equal time
Tenth		José Ruiz	ACA	+ 0:20 min
Intermediate results after the 18th stage
Overall rating		Alberto Contador	AST	73:54:38 h
Second		Levi Leipheimer	AST	+ 1:17 min
Third		Carlos Sastre	CSC	+ 3:41 min
Scoring		Greg Van Avermaet	SIL	130 p.
Second		Alberto Contador	AST	110 p.
Third		Alejandro Valverde	GCE	99 P.
Mountain scoring		David Moncoutié	COF	143 P.
Second		Christophe Kern	CA	90 p.
Third		Juan Manuel Gárate	QST	89 P.
Combination scoring		Alberto Contador	AST	7 p.
Second		Levi Leipheimer	AST	13 P.
Third		Ezequiel Mosquera	XAG	19 p.
Team evaluation		Caisse d'Epargne	GCE	221: 00: 51 h
Second		Team CSC-Saxo Bank	CSC	+ 34:44 min
Third		Euskaltel-Euskadi	EUS	+ 36:43 min

The 18th stage of the Vuelta a España 2008 on September 18th led over 167.4 kilometers from Valladolid to Las Rozas . There were two sprint classifications and a third category mountain classification on the program.

After a high initial pace of 50 kilometers in the first hour of the race, an eighteen-man top group was finally able to break away: Nicolas Roche , Cyril Lemoine , Iñigo Cuesta , Karsten Kroon , José Vicente Garcia Acosta , Imanol Erviti , Alan Pérez , Iñigo Landaluze , Paolo Bettini , Andrij Hrywko , Juan Antonio Flecha , Wassil Kiryjenka , David Herrero , José Ruiz , Enrico Franzoi , Renaud Dion , Jelle Vanendert and Greg van Avermaet . Van Avermaet secured the intermediate sprints and Cuesta the mountain classification. Since none of the front riders played a role in the mountain classification, David Moncoutié could theoretically no longer take the red jersey after this stage . Van Avermaet also extended his lead in the points classification to 20 points. The way to the goal was marked by many attacks and ultimately a quartet stood out a little: Erviti, Kiryjenka, Herrero and Roche. Erviti won the stage ahead of Roche.

tasks

• 094 Philippe Gilbert
• 136 Manuel Quinziato
• 143 Tom Boonen
• 147 Andrea Tonti
• 148 Matteo Tosatto

Sprint ratings

• 1st intermediate sprint in Sanchidriám (kilometer 80) (920 m above sea level)

First		Greg van Avermaet	SIL	4 p.
Second		Nicolas Roche	CA	2 p.
Third		Andreas Klöden	AST	1 P.

• 2nd intermediate sprint in Villacastín (kilometer 100) (1,100 m above sea level)

First		Greg van Avermaet	SIL	4 p.
Second		Nicolas Roche	CA	2 p.
Third		Juan Antonio Flecha	RAB	1 P.

• Finish in Las Rozas (710 m above sea level)

First		Imanol Erviti	GCE	25 p.
Second		Nicolas Roche	CA	20 p.
Third		David Herrero	XAG	16 p.
Fourth		Vasil Kiryenka	TCS	14 p.
fifth		Karsten Kroon	CSC	12 p.
Sixth		Greg van Avermaet	SIL	10 p.
seventh		Enrico Franzoi	LIQ	9 p.
Eighth		Paolo Bettini	QST	8 p.
Ninth		Andrij Hrywko	MRM	7 p.
Tenth		José Ruiz	ACA	6 p.
11.		Jelle Vanendert	FDJ	5 p.
12.		Juan Antonio Flecha	RAB	4 p.
13.		Iñigo Cuesta	CSC	3 p.
14th		José García Acosta	GCE	2 p.
15th		Alan Perez	EUS	1 P.

Mountain ratings

• Alto de los Leones, 3rd category (kilometer 128.5) (1,510 m above sea level)

First		Iñigo Cuesta	CSC	6 p.
Second		Paolo Bettini	QST	4 p.
Third		Jelle Vanendert	FDJ	2 p.
Fourth		Alan Perez	EUS	1 P.