La Vuelta 2022 Stage 8 LIVE - Will it be another red letter day for Remco Evenepoel, or can Primoz Roglic rebound in Asturias?

“Lutsenko did a starting move and I was sort of in the wheel, so I decided to follow. After he pulled off, there was no indication he was going to do a second attack, so I decided 'it’s about a 25 minute effort from here, similar to what I did two days ago', so I decided to keep the pressure on. After about a minute and a half I looked down and there was no[-one on my] wheel. I forced myself to get to the next hairpin, looked back and there was no-one, so I kept going."

“We don’t have the strongest team so we don’t have to impose ourselves, we just have to pick our moments and be smart. Stay out of trouble, stay healthy. I would prefer to do a day like this 100 times than any of the first six stages.”

No shots fired from the Belgian, but no hits taken either. Evenepoel crosses the line ahead of Enric Mas and Primoz Roglic, and may have even managed to force a single second between them.

1. Jay Vine (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 4'05'25
2. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) +0'43
3. Rein Taarame (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert) +0'43

"A new star has arrived" says Robbie McEwen. There can be no question of that. What a ride from the Australian. He was steady, he was assured, he never went beyond himself. It never looked difficult. He just got the job done. Remarkable.

The Spaniard said goodbye to Pinot, and now has the Australian in his sights. Can he catch him? It's a big ask.

The GC group contains most of the riders you'd expect: Evenepoel, Roglic, Mas and Rodriguez. Jai Hindley (Bora Hansgrohe) is a bit further back with Simon Yates, Ben O'Connor and a few others others.

Wilco Kelderman is one who can't hack the pace being set and shared by Ineos and QuickStep. Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) are also gone from the group.

He careers over the rollercoaster section and continues on his way, already 30 seconds to the good. There's no stopping him.

Soler has clawed his way back to Pinot, while Taarame seems to be gone for good.

Thibaut Pinot (Groupama FDJ) and Rein Taarame are the only riders who can stay with him, until.. they can't. Soler is gone. Landa is gone. They're all gone. Lutsenko started it all, a few moments ago, and he's gone too. He's now up to one of the steeper slopes and barely seems to be slowing. This Australian is a very special rider, isn't he?

The World Champion increases the tempo, causing riders to be shelled out of the back of the bunch, and bringing the break back within three minutes. They haven't really started racing among themselves yet, though, and it can only be a matter of time.

Onto the final climb and, for what feels like the first time since the start, we have another team taking some responsibility in the bunch.

The Puerto Collau Fancuaya really is a monster. It may "only" average 8.5% but that mean hides multitudes. It's so irregular, with some shallow sections and some super steep ones in the first half, before levelling out and then becoming an eye-waterer for the finale.

They're not on the official climb yet, but the road is visibly rising, too hard for Mads Pederson with nothing left to play for for the Dane.

It's been a very good day at the office for the Trek-Segafredo rider. First to get in the break, then to make it over five climbs that were far from straightforward.

Bruno Armirail is also struggling to stay in touch.

We're into the final 20km and it's time to start thinking about that final climb. The gap between the break and the bunch has come down a bit and is now just over. It means, says, Sean Kelly, "they haven't got the luxury where they can ride at an easier pace". If the peloton decide to ignite the boosters, that could come down very quickly on the middle and upper ramps that rise up to and beyond 20%.

And, with that, goes into the virtual green jersey. Or virtually goes into the green jersey, as you prefer.

They let him have it, which only saves their legs and lungs, and leaves us with the same result as if they'd contested the sprint. It's Pederson's just reward for working so hard in the break throughout the stage.

Three more points at the summit take him to 30, and must make him a real contender to take the jersey all the way to Madrid. It all depends on his longevity, of course. We are still only in the first week. The gap to the peloton is still four minutes.

This one is shorter than any of the others so far, but it's steeper. The Puerto de Perlavia goes on for 3.8km and averages 7.8%. The intermediate sprint coming 14km later means we're unlikely to see any major moves from the breakaway, but it could mean the beginning of the beginning of the end for some.

Let's assume that the break is going to take it, because it increasingly seems like that's the way it's going to go. The best climbers, historically, are Pinot and Landa, but who would bet against Jay Vine after his performance on Thursday. Is it time for the old guard to give way to the new?

Two for Thibaut, and one for Alexey Lutsenko. That mathematically ensures Vine will be in the KOM jersey tomorrow, as long as he finishes today's stage.

Onto the 4th climb of the day. 5.9km long and with an average gradient of 5.4% it shouldn't shake things up too much. The second kilometre is the steepest, at close to 10% but once past that it gets a lot easier. The gap is locked at 4 minutes, though Cavagna has finally handed over to Pieter Serry for QuickStep.

I'll be honest, not a lot has happened for a while. The gap has remained constant, at 4 minutes, and Remi "TGV" Cavagna, continues to do the job on the front for QuickStep. He can't have much left in his legs, you'd imagine. The Belgian team do have plenty to take his place, though.

Two small climbs and one very big one to come.