SPOILER ALERT!!! The stradegy deployed by AC was what a true racer will do. Brillant! He knew he couldn't ride Rodriguez or Valverde off his wheel on the climbs and he knew he could beat them all in a TT so he applied this and it worked BIG time. Go with your strengths and your opponets weaknesses. Everyone knows how bad Rodriguez is in the TT, so why not turn the stage into one? And it worked, he will now win the Vuelta.
Just when I thought this year's Vuelta couldn't possibly get more exciting, Alberto delivers today's incredible spectacle. I love Rodriguez's post-race quote "I had no idea of the disaster he was preparing." This is bike racing at its finest:clap:
+1 Wow, was it ever cool to watch. Leave it to Contador to pull this off - I was shocked to see him get away. Brilliant stuff. The Vuelta just keeps dealing it out. Just wish they would show more - Harmon said they network was surprised by how fast first 80 km's went (32 MPH) so that left only last 25 Kms. Contador is back - that was a memorable bit of riding. Great stuff.
That is what true champions are made of. He tried and tried in the mountain top finishes, and just when it looked like it was over, he pulls this trick up his sleeve. Amazing display of racing skills: tactical greatness, amazing strenght, and just pure guts. Yesterday, a well known cycling analyst compared Contador's racing style to the great Eddy Merck.
Lost in all the buzz was Valverde's attack. He was closing Contador down. Great effort to limit his losses and to pass Purito for 2nd GC overall. I'm certainly not the first to mention this but, this is about as skinny as I have ever seen Valverde. He came ready to race this year. Any love left for Menchov? The guy is a true enigma. Three Grand Tour victories and now pedaling off quietly into retirement as a domestique. I'm trying to remember if I ever heard him speak more than a minute on anything he's done - after winning the Giro he smiled a bit but just keeps it all down low and rambles on with a bunch of roady cliches. I'd be curious to see if Russian cylco fans still give him some propsz? I heard he has lived in Spain for a good number of years now and seems to be off the radar back home.
Homecourt: "This time, there are rumours flying around that Katusha could try an attack earlier on the stage (there are a mere three first category climbs and a second category beforehand). Valverde, too, has promised ‘war’, whilst Contador, currently focussed on defending his overall lead of 1:35, has said he is taking it for granted that both Valverde and Rodriguez will attack. For the tens of thousands of fans who are currently massing on the slopes of Navacerrada - many of them supporting Contador, who trains regularly in these sierras and who lives just an hour’s drive away - it seems all but certain they will see a spectacular finish to the race." - Cycling News
Ya, AC was feeling it today...sorta. He still had enough to hang and minimize losses. Can't remember ever seeing a Grand Tour finishing with top three seperated by <2". Menchov the Junkyard Dog - nice finish with Porte. EuroVision online feed for rest of lead group was broken up pretty much all the way up Bola del Mundo - can't say I saw much of Purito and Valverde & AC.
AC is the man... I'm sure he has urinated in about 10 cups this week. We'll here about his results in 12 years. Hope you had a nice run Wiggins.....AC is back...
