Wilco Kelderman slipped to eighth place in the Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco after crashing. Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s climber fell after 110 kilometres, but salvaged the day with a 14th place. Diego Rosa (Astana) won the stage and Sergio Henao (Team Sky) took over the jersey from Kelderman.

“We had the situation under control for a long time,” Sports Director Addy Engels said. “We let go a very big breakaway on purpose because we thought that it was easier to take control over a big group of riders than having a chaotic situation in the peloton for a while. Everything seemed perfect until Wilco slipped in a curve on a descent.”

Bike change

Kelderman didn’t crash heavily, but he paid. “Victor Campenaerts took the turn first and he had to correct a little bit,” Kelderman explained. “I braked heavily and slipped away into the gutter. I didn’t crash heavily, but had to change bikes. I was in trouble on the penultimate climb. That was a long and steep one. I was a little bit behind on top of it, but was able to bridge immediately. I’m satisfied with the way I finished this stage, though. I’m still in a good position.”

The weather takes its toll

Robert Gesink came through the stage with more damage. “Robert came to the car suddenly and he was totally frozen,” Engels added. “He tried to put on some other clothes. At the foot of the climb, he was back in front of the group, but the cold gave him such a knock that he wasn’t able to deliver anymore. 

“We’re satisfied about this race, though. Until today, we had two riders in the top 10 and we still have one there. The team was strong and we played our role in one of the most difficult races of the year. Maybe Wilco can move up to the seventh place in tomorrow’s closing time trial.”

Specialissima

Kelderman rode the Bianchi Specialissima. The 780g frame sets the new standard for ultra-light bikes thanks to the use of Countervail® integrated vibration canceling technology.

Countervail® is a patented viscoelastic carbon material with a unique fiber architecture that cancels up to 80% of vibrations while increasing the stiffness and strength of frame and fork. The new Bianchi's Countervail® ultra-light carbon formula is specifically tuned for Specialissima to smooth out the inherent nervousness of ultra-light frames. Specialissima delivers excellent traction and stability at high speeds on any surface and is a super fast and reactive climbing machine. Relevant feature is the proven Racing Geometry made in Bianchi. The chassis guarantees optimal bike fitting and the best pedaling efficiency.

Specialissima is the choice of the LottoNL–Jumbo team leaders for the heavy mountain days thanks to its lightness and stability.