The Vuelta a Espana has provided a fantastic first fortnight, and is poised for a scintillating final week battle between Joaquin Rodriguez, Alberto Contador and Alejandro Valverde.
Rodriguez has a narrow lead over Contador, but with three summit finishes remaining (stages 16, 17 and the epic stage 20), the fat lady isn’t even tuning up yet.
This Vuelta has beaten the pantalones off the Tour de France for excitement, and the formula of plenty of summit finishes but not making the stages too long has produced a brilliant battle for the general classification.
It shows that if you want riders to attack, you don’t want them getting to the final climb half-dead with fatigue.
It gets better: as I write before stage 16 (which will have been raced by the time you read this), there are plenty of opportunities for Contador to continue his relentless attacks on Rodriguez, and he only has to crack him once to assume the lead.
Contador’s frequent accelerations have brought plenty of excitement to the race, but haven’t yet managed to dislodge his Katusha rival.
Contador looks slightly underdone to me, which is no surprise after sitting out the first half of the season, but his ability to maintain his attacks has been dulled. He still has the wonderful dancing acceleration, but he hasn’t been able to carry the acceleration through and really open up gaps.
Indeed, Rodriguez has repelled Contador’s attacks masterfully so far, letting him throw everything and the kitchen sink into multiple attempts at breaking clear, before reeling him in and shooting past within sight of the finish, to claim stage wins and time bonuses.
Rodriguez has nailed Contador inside the last kilometre in stage 14, stage 12, stage 9, stage 8, stage 6, and stage 3. Those time bonuses and handfuls of seconds are the reason why he’s still in the lead, despite coughing up 59 seconds to Contador in the individual time trial.
Valverde has also looked really good, and if he hadn’t lost 55 seconds to a crash on stage 4, he would be well and truly in the hunt.
The sight of the three Spaniards attacking each other on the climb to Lagos de Covadonga (one of the jewels of the extremely scenic province of Asturias) on Sunday was one of those beautiful, brutal cycling moments that we all love about this sport.
Until Chris Froome slipped off the back of the leaders’ group on that climb it was shaping to be a magnificent four-way duel for the overall win. Unfortunately for Froome, fatigue seems to have taken its toll after a gruelling Tour de France and Olympic campaign, probably leaving him too much to do in the remaining stages.
Fortunately, there is even more excitement to come: there are three more mountain-top finishes, and the race won’t be decided until the penultimate stage on Saturday.
Stage 16 from Gijon to Valgrande-Pajares will be decided by the time this piece is published, but has two Cat 1 and an HC summit finish. Gijon is a seaside city famous for its apple cider, which is poured from a height to aerate it and enhance the flavour.
It’s a shame the riders won’t have the chance to sample it, but if you’re ever visiting Asturias, I recommend you do.
Stage 17 from Santander to Fuente Dé is also summit finish, but only a category 2 and at a gentle average gradient of 3.9%, which probably won’t cause time gaps. It will be a good chance for another breakaway to succeed.
Stages 18 and 19 are flat, which will give the sprinters some consolation after a tough couple of weeks.
Stage 20 is the toughest stage of the race, featuring three category 1 climbs, and a summit finish on the 11.4km, 8.6% gradient Bola del Mundo. The whole shebang will be decided on these slopes, before the race cruises into Madrid on Sunday.
It should be a cracker. I think Rodriguez looks the goods to hold on.
liquorbox_
Roar Rookie
I dont think he will be upset, he has a job to do and has done it well. Many think that he could have won the TDF if given the chance, and I guess it is better to come second in a race when you know you were not allowed to win but could have rather than come second because you were not good enough.
sittingbison
Guest
I would have been pushing my bike lol
Justin Curran
Roar Rookie
I wonder what must be going through Chris Froome's head right now? After showing such scintillating form all season I wonder if he will look back on 2012 with a twinge of regret at what might have been?
Tim Renowden
Expert
Hands up if you watched stage 16 thinking "I really want to go there and ride, but it would probably kill me". That was the slowest finishing sprint I think I've ever seen from Cataldo. Loved it!
sittingbison
Guest
but having two long ITTs plus a TTT gives it on a plate to a specialist time trialler that can climb a bit (Big Mig anyone?) Before EPO and O2 vector it was the best OVERALL cyclist who won. Virenque even juiced to the gills couldn't manage a win, but Pantani did when he managed "miraculously" to pull out a time trail (after finishing 189th in the prologue). Big Mig suddenly managed to haul his large frame over the cols just enough to compliment ITTing ability. Armstrong came from an ok classics rider (nowhere) who couldnt climb or ITT to dominate everywhere. Pre-O2 vectoring did not really completely change the characteristics of the rider like it does now. Hinault, LeMond and Fignon offered extremely exiting and interesting racing.
Rhys
Guest
It's likely Richie Porte would have been with Froome on the final climb, had it not been for him having a puncture a few k's before the base of the climb. Having said that, Froome would also have needed both Rogers and Wiggans in the Vuelta and riding for him to have had any chance of staying with the relentless attacks from the front trio. Even then, Froome's outstanding work in the TdF looks to be catching up with him in the Vuelta. The Vuelta offered up another spellbinding stage last night and I've found it to be the most engrossing of the three grand tours this year.
Moses
Roar Rookie
Then every Grand Tour will be won by a specialist climber; not much variety there (I feel an article about that coming on...).
sittingbison
Guest
All three Spaniards had team mates at the start of the last climb - yet Vroome was badly let down by TeamSky. Nothing like the support for Wiggo at TdF. And the difference in racing (and viewing) between relatively equal GC riders without team domination (certainly not domestiques out performing the leaders) and USPS/Sky at TdF is startling. The lack of ITT makes for very compelling racing, there really should never be more than one stage, and certainly no TTT. Its make or break in the mountains.
Tim Renowden
Expert
Never criticising former drug cheats is a bit of a stretch!
liquorbox_
Roar Rookie
After this tour I have decided to never critisise any former drug cheats, they have brought back the excitement I love. Imagine this tour without Contador and Valverde! This is becoming the highlight of the season for me, every stage that has an incline has been awesome. Lets hope the organisers of the TDF and the Giro try to put on a better show next year.
Tim Renowden
Expert
Rodriguez has played it incredibly cool. He must have great confidence in his legs and ability to ride out the Contador attacks, then use his superior sprint to gain a few seconds. Contador must be tearing his hair out wondering what he needs to do - he's used his team, multiple attacks, the works, and nada.
Justin Curran
Roar Rookie
Rodriguez hasn't shown any signs of cracking yet, so on current form you would expect him to hold on for the win. Particularly since there is no more time trialling to come. He seems to have a knack for hanging onto Contador up the steep climbs then coming over the top in the last kilometre. The inclusion of time bonuses in this grand tour is enabling Rodriguez to build up a handy lead as a result. 28 seconds after last night I believe. There would have to be a dramatic change in current form to swing things in Contador's favour. But as you have mentioned before Tim, it only takes one of these steep mountain top finishes to bring one of the contenders undone.