Up and down all day and the race crosses above 2,000m, today’s stage has a y-axis of evil. Some are even calling it the hardest stage ever, a debatable idea but a sign that today’s route is something special.
Vuelta
Vuelta a España Rest Day Review
How far can Tom Dumoulin go? Once seen as a time trial specialist he’s proven versatile, aggressive and surprising. But as much as he’s been underrated by many this year the high mountains seem too much.
It’s been a week of surprises with a collection of riders finally getting the wins they’ve been promising whether Dumoulin, Esteban Chaves or Caleb Ewan. Even Peter Sagan found winning ways again.
Vuelta Stage 10 Preview
A stage for the sprinters? The final climb isn’t too hard but the effect of recent crashes could be seen today with several teams having lost sprinters and with it a reason to chase down the breakaway.
Vuelta Stage 9 Preview
A flat coastal procession past white sandy beaches and inviting bays but it’s all a warm up for the double ascension of the Puig Llorença with its double-digit gradients and another Made-For-TV stage finish.
Vuelta Stage 8 Preview
A stage with a finishing circuit including two times over the tricky Cresta del Gallo climb, a narrow climb that’s chased by a steep and twisting descent.
Vuelta Stage 7 Preview
The race has had some uphill finishes, today brings the first genuine summit finish and with it the chance to discover who’s able to win the race outright. As well as the main contenders we’ll see how Esteban Chaves fares on a longer climb and whether he’s still smiling at the end of the day.
Vuelta Stage 6 Preview
The race heads into the mountains and the Sierra de Cazorla range but as lively as the profile looks this is merely a warm-up for the upcoming stages. It’s a day for the likes of Alejandro Valverde but can Peter Sagan track him again?
Vuelta Stage 5 Preview
Another day, another chance for Peter Sagan. Today’s stage has an uphill run to the line and it’s one for the sprinters rather than the climbers and if Sagan features, so should John Degenkolb and, injuries permitting, Nacer Bouhanni.
Vuelta Stage 4 Preview
The Sagan stage? If Peter Sagan could design a stage he might pick today’s course with its uphill finish in Vejer de la Frontera. The profile looks flat but there’s a lively finish in store which suits Sagan but if he won yesterday here’s a different test that should allow a wide cast of characters from John Degenkolb to Alejandro Valverde to try for the win.
Nibali’s Drive Too Far
Vincenzo Nibali has been disqualified from the Vuelta after he was caught holding onto the Astana team car and the driver, Aleksandr Schefer, has been thrown of the race too.
President of the race jury Bruno Valčić said it was a hard decision to take but to have taken any other would have been harder. In a late night Facebook update (translation here) the Italian champion tried to rationalise it saying he wasn’t the first and won’t be the last to do this and he was only trying to make up for lost time. But he was caught twice over, first with irrefutable TV images and second because the attempt was so outrageously advantageous to him. There are times when you can bend the rules but this went too far.