Tag: Alberto Contador
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Joaquim Rodriguez and glorious failure
The three leaders finished stage 20 in reverse order, but it didn’t affect the standings. Joaquim Rodriguez made a valiant attempt to snatch back the red jersey, but couldn’t recoup the time he lost when the Great God Numb-Nuts visited him on stage 17 and demanded that he do His bidding. One dosy moment and…
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Alberto Contador finally shakes Joaquim Rodriguez
The 2012 Vuelta a Espana has featured a lot of Alberto Contador attacks. In pretty much all of them, he has appeared to tow Joaquim Rodriguez along behind him like a little Spanish caravan in a red jersey. However, today, on stage 17, Contador finally uncoupled his unwanted cargo – but how did he manage…
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How steep is the Puerto de Pajares near the finish?
Lungs of Indurain! Who put tarmac on that wall? The end of stage 16 was not all that friendly to a bunch of cyclists who’d already cycled 170km over several mountains and who were into the third week of a Grand Tour. The pace slowed to a degree that would have been comical if it…
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Alberto Contador and his mid-climb sprints
Yesterday’s Vuelta stage was about recovering from pain. A long climb creates deep-rooted, constant physical discomfort and then Alberto Contador garnishes it with sudden sprints that bring an extra layer of acute agony. There aren’t many sports where you have to recover from sudden intense activity while still putting in a reasonable amount of effort.…
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The urgency of the Vuelta
Bloody hell, my five riders to watch have already become three. Juan José Cobo lost almost a minute and will now support Alejandro Valverde, who’s in the red jersey; while Thomas De Gendt’s almost three minutes down. The Vuelta doesn’t muck about, does it? The Tour de France has frenetic cycling from the start, but…
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Five riders to watch at the 2012 Vuelta a Espana
It’s the Vuelta tomorrow. After so much excitement, it’ll be good to have some cycling to follow where I don’t have too much vested in the outcome. Eurosport’s David Harmon says he likes the air of melancholy that pervades the Vuelta. It’s a slightly sad sort of a race, coming after the Tour and marking…