It could all come down to the time bonus at the top of the final climb of the final stage. However Chris Horner is in the ascendant, he’s been putting time into Vincenzo Nibali in recent days and could extend his three second advantage.
But with rain a possibility Horner will find the Angliru so steep he cannot use his trademark out of the saddle climbing style for fear of losing traction.
Ahead of the long weekend of the GP Cycliste de Québec and the GP Cycliste de Montréal the event has held a sprint challenge where three riders are set off at a time and do a road version of a track sprint. It’s a novel format and a way to extend interest in the race given the riders are already on site in Québec. It is a stunt and only a step away from those cyclist vs horse shows we see.
But I keep writing Vuelta previews saying “tune in for the sprint finish” which sadly implies we should ignore the previous four hours of racing, I don’t mean to say this but know that viewers don’t have infinite time to watch the race cross landscapes. These sprints do focus the action and create a show.
Stage 19 and there are just three seconds between Vincenzo Nibali and Chris Horner, a mere time bonus separates the two and there’s an uphill finish today which is enough to change things even if tomorrow brings the mighty Angliru to settle things.
A mountain stage. The profile might not suggest this with the finish sitting lower than the start. But the final climb has steep slopes and it’s been a decisive point for the race in recent years.
With Vincenzo Nibali losing time the other day and the top-5 overall changing even on yesterday’s flat stage this promises an exciting finish.
Some are having trouble enjoying Chris Horner’s ride in the Vuelta this year. The 41 year old is riding high in the Vuelta. It’s attracting attention and praise but also questions because of his age and he seems to be performing at a level higher than before.
But what if the anxiety and suspicion expressed by some say more about the sport and how fans are still struggling to believe what they see, a mirror to reflect the viewer rather than the rider?
Back to the racing and the Vuelta heads across northern Spain with Sunday’s finish in Madrid on its mind. But there are stage wins at stake. With few sprinters left in the race and a tricky finish today’s stage promises some unpredictable racing as it loops around Burgos.
It’s hard to find a dirtier election contest than the battle to run the UCI. Overnight Velonews brought us enough allegations of shakedowns, cover-ups and bribery to fill a James Ellroy novel. You can see a three-page summary of a 54-page dossier that has existed since June containing potent allegations against Pat McQuaid.
But McQuaid has fired back today with allegations that he’s the victim of extortion and bribery attempts from unnamed “opponents”. These are equally bold allegations too. For all the stories we’ve seen so far regarding the UCI it’s now reached a new level with allegations of criminal conspiracy on both sides.
Two stage wins in the Vuelta means a remarkable début for Warren Barguil in the pro peloton. This time last year he was an amateur but with a difference as he’d just won the Tour de l’Avenir overall. And the mountains jersey. And the points jersey. And a stage win.
Before this he’d been national champion and first caught the eye of Argos-Shimano managers when they mistook him for a Colombian. Who knows where he’ll go but here’s a quick look at where he’s come from.
Another day, another mountain stage? Yes but this is a short stage and the gradients are not to severe so it offers a chance to everyone rather than being reserved for pure climbers and GC contenders only.
For all the talk of disc brakes being the future of road cycling, here’s the winning road bike from the Eurobike trade show. It’s by Factor Bikes and comes with integrated brakes. These are built-in brake calipers as opposed to the normal idea of bolting them on to the frame or fork. It’s not new, Lotto-Belisol ride often ride Ridleys with this feature too.