Another sprint finish awaits but the pecking order for the sprinters has yet to be established meaning uncertainty right until the finish line.
Vuelta
Vuelta Stage 5 Preview
For all the red ink above this is not a mountain stage, the climbs along the way are steady pace and we should get the first bunch sprint of the Vuelta. Without any big name sprinters in the race the prize of a stage win is there for the taking.
Meanwhile Vincenzo Nibali is back in the overall lead normally something to celebrate but almost a burden given the duties it imposes.
Vuelta Stage 4 Preview
Almost a flat finish, today’s stage would suit the sprinters were it not for the Mirador de Ézaro, a vicious climb placed 35km from the finish. It will certainly thin the field but can it determine the result?
That’s up to the riders but this is a harder stage than it looks.
Vuelta Stage 3 Preview
Another day, another summit finish? Yes but today is much shorter than yesterday’s climb which was enough to eject Janez Brajkovič out of the overall lead and exposed a few riders, notably Sergio Henao and Samuel Sanchez. Today’s finish should offer excitement but probably less relevance to the overall outcome.
Vuelta Stage 2 Preview
The first road stage and the first uphill finish and this is a climb that’s 11km long with Alpine-style gradients. However the steep sections are short and so this should be a stage for the punchy riders who, to borrow Kipling, can keep your head and position when all about are losing theirs.
It promises an early selection by elimination and if the process of discovering the eventual race winner will need much more time, today’s stage is a high pressure moment.
Who Will Win The Vuelta?
A long list of contenders, few races in the run-up to help gauge form and rider with motivation levels ranging from desperation to indifference all makes picking the winner of the Vuelta a tough task.
Can Vincenzo Nibali cope with the heat to land a grand tour double in the same season? What of Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez, can their form last from June to September? And what of younger riders like Dan Martin, Bauke Mollema and Thibaut Pinot?
The Tour de France was enjoyable but Chris Froome was everyone’s pick and duly delivered. Here we have many questions and the welcome uncertainty suggests three weeks of discovery and entertainment await.
The Jerseys of the Vuelta a España
There are four jerseys in the Vuelta a España: red, green, blue polka dot and white. Unlike the Tour which has been trying to engineer the points allocation to provide distinct winners the Vuelta sees a big correlation where the leader in one competition is likely to be leading another competition and possibly all four at the same time.
As well as the jerseys, here’s a look at the cash prizes available in the race.
Vuelta a España iCal
You can download the stages of the 2013 in Vuelta a España for your electronic diary organiser, phone, computer.
Vuelta Power Analysis – What the Watts Say
The cheerily-named French website cyclisme-dopage.com has been hosting research by engineer Frédéric Portoleau who estimates the power needed to ride with the leaders over the main mountain passes.
The estimates suggest the Vuelta saw some of the highest power-to-weight numbers of the year. Some will use this to draw conclusions but for me it’s more a tool to analyse the racing.
Vuelta Verdict
Having looked at the racing and Alberto Contador’s victory yesterday, time to look at the race itself. It’s been a successful tour with big TV audiences, as you’ll see below. Were 10 summit finishes necessary? Was there a big contest for the points and mountains jersey? What can the Tour de France organisers ASO learn from this race?