In the autumn of his career, Haimar Zubeldia appears to have made an uncharacteristic decision to get on TV. He was one of two riders to emerge from a really rather sizeable break on stage 18. The other was Nicolas Roche, who won the stage for all the Franco-Irish out there.
Roche generally rides well in the Vuelta. He even led it at one point in 2013. This year things haven’t panned out exactly as he’d have hoped – more through misfortune and team duties than lack of form – but a stage win’s a fair consolation.
Behind, Fabio Aru attacked Tom Dumoulin maybe half a dozen times. Dumoulin didn’t let him go, but you have to feel for him. He wants to ride at his own speed, at a steady, even pace. But when you’ve only got a three second advantage, you kind of feel obliged to follow the guy who’s threatening you. He had no success today, but Aru will keep doing this.
I think we’ve all imagined that we were Tom Dumoulin at some point or other. When I looked at the profile of today’s stage, I thought to myself: ‘I’d attack on the final descent’ – the thinking being, why not try and actually gain some time when the gradient isn’t against you?
Well apparently in this particular instance I am like Tom Dumoulin, for that is exactly what he did. He too failed to gain any time, but good on him.
Two more hilly stages await. May the fisticuffs continue.
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