Vuelta a España Stage 17: Calahorra to Burgos

So on the last stage before the rest day on Monday we learnt two things.

First that Vincenzo Nibali, despite having one of only two complete squads in this year's Vuelta can still be found vulnerable. Second Warren Barguil after his win earlier in the race doesn't know when he beaten, even if the rider who comes up behind him has been on the podium at the end of Grand Tours.

Monday's stage was the last of the Pyrenées stages and was relatively modest compared to the others. But on the back of two tough days there were a lot of tired legs out there. So it was that 16 men were able to stay away from the main contenders until the end.

A sprinter's finish on a climb!

On the final climb the young French rider Warrer Barguil (ARG) set off on his own, and only in the later stages did Rigoberto Uran (SKY),  Bartosz Huzarski (TNE) and Dominic Nerz (BMC) start to close him down. After one hair pin Barguil appeared to almost come to a stand still and then Uran pounced. But the young man fought to stay on his will. The two of them making their way up towards the line with the Columbian doing all the work. The other two almost got back to them with 200m to go before Uran launched his bid for the line only for Barguil to respond and win by centimetres on the line. He may well with his second more fighting win of this Vuelta have also ridden himself into contention for a spot on the French team for the forthcoming world championships.

Down the road behind them though there was a shake up waiting to happen. The first to attack was Alejando Valverde (MOV) but he was soon pulled back. Then it was the turn of Nicolas Roche (TST) to try and claw back a few of those seconds he had lost the day before. Joaquin Rodriguez (KAT) launched a bid over the top of him Roche responded with Domenico Pozzivivo (ALM). But behind Robert Kiserlovski (RSL) was applying the pressure for his team leader Chris Horner and finally the elastic broke on the race leader and Giro d'Italia champion. Horner ended up moving away with Valverde and Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) in his wheel but the red jersey was doing all he could to just stop losing too much to all his rivals (except Leopold Konig who was left with him).

In the end Rodriguez was the best of the GC contended some 1'41`" behind the photo finish for first. But these are the gaps that mattered:

• Joaquin Rodriguez (KAT)
• Alejandro Valverde (MOV) +3"
• Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) +6"
• Chris Horner (RSL) +6"
• Samuel Sanchez (EUS) +15"
• Nicolas Roche (TST) +22"
• Igor Anton (EUS) +23"
• Domenico Pozzivivo (ALM) +23"
• Leopold Konig (TNE) +27"
• Vincenzo Nibali (AST) +28"

It means that the men within 5 minutes of Nibali now are:

1. Nibali 64h 06'01"
2. Horner +28"
3. Valverde +1'14"
4. Rodriguez +2'29"
5. Pozzivivo +3'38"
6. Roche +3'43"
7. Pinot +4'37"

Worse for Nibali is that none of those gaps look insurmountable should one of his opponents have a good day and he finds himself on a bad one.

Today's stage is the last flat stage until the race enters Madrid on Sunday. So if there are any sprinters left in the field this is their chance to shine, providing the days in the Pyrenées and the rain and cold having affected them. When we say flat in the Vuelta there are tow 3rd category climbs on the route. But there aren't any surprises for them at the end as the last 5km into Burgos is a flt bit of road.

Giro d'Italia stage 15 (your guess is as good as mine)

Yesterday the Giro returned to the high mountains, but the weather was so bad with snow falling at the finish, freezing fog and heavy rain that there was very little to see on the peaks. TV coverage was next to non-existent so to try and tell you who attacked when and where is a hard task. Altough the reason we didn't see them climb Sestriere was because that ascent was removed for safety reasons.

However, what is known is that Luca Paolini (KAT), Sonny Colbrelli (BAR) and Daniele Pietropolli (LAM) were up the road before the last climb. But at some point on the climb of the Jafferau Franco Pellizotti (AND) went after them being joined by Segio Henao (SKY) and Diego Rosa (AND). However, by the time the mists cleared and we could see what was going on again Mauro Santambrogio (VIN) was at the front of the race followed by Vincenzo Nibali (AST). The Vini Fantini rider took line honours from Nibali, next through the murk was Carlos Betancur (ALM) 9 seconds later, some 26 seconds after the leader was Sammy Sanchez (EUS) 4 seconds ahead of Rigoberto Uran (SKY) who in turn was three seconds of the group that contained Cadel Evans (BMC), Domenico Pozzovivo (ALM) and Robert Kiserlovski (RLT).

Michele Scarponi (LAM) was 1'28" down but Robert Gesink who had also been in the top five at the start of the day was paced over the line by three of his Blanco team mates some 4'16" down. At the start of the day Britian's Robert Miller has abandoned. Further down the race the red jersey of Mark Cavendish was escorted by six of his Omega Pharma - Quickstep team mates over the line 22'31" down inside the cut off point.

So Nibali extended his lead over his rivals:

1. Nibali 57:20:52"
2. Evans +1:26"
3. Uran +2:46"
4. Santambrogio +2:47"
5. Scarponi

Today's stage was meant to pay tribute to the 100th edition of the Tour de France with the iconic finish on the Col du Galibier. But it was announced last night that the weather has mean that will not be happening. The last 4.25km have been removed from the end of the stage fnishing at the monument to Marco Pantani rather than the summit.

There was also talk yesterday that the Col du Mont Cenis, the pass that some consider to be the way that Hannibal traversed and what would have been the entry into France would be circumnavigated, but at the time of writing after work overnight to clear it of snow it is still on the itinerary.

Giro d'Italia Stage 14 Cervere - Bardonnechia

I may have mentioned that yesterday's stage may not have been ideal for the sprinters. I may have said that Cavendish had a challenge if he was to claim his 4th stage of this Giro. But then after the stage the Manx Missile himself said:

"Today was a bit of a bonus but I'm so tired and I don't know how I'm going to get into the mountains. I had to go 350m out after that hard day and I'm on my knees. I didn't want to go for the sprint for today but the call came from the team so I had to go for it. Once again the team did brilliantly and I had to finish it for them."

So there you have it, Cavendish struggled over the hills and won the stage in the red jersey which he reclaimed yesterday. Considering only 87 finished on the same time and 57 of the 187 left finished 16'32" after Cavendish it really was a day that for Cav his Omega Pharma-Quickstep who sat around him to nurse him over the hills did a sterling job.

It was also the day that saw the departure of two Grand Tour Champions, both Tour de France Champion Bradley Wiggins and defending Giro Champion Ryder Hesjedal didn't take the start. Both have been under the weather (probably literally as it has been poor this Giro) and have withdrawn on medical advice. The French national champion who had finished second to Cavendish yesterday had announced that he was quitting last night, probably so he can give his best to the tour whose colours he has been wearing this year.

All those retirements don't affect the GC much as Wiggins had dropped to 13th yesterday and Hesjedal was a lot worse. But it means that for Sky Rigoberto Uran who is in third 2'04" will look for another chance to attack like he did on Tuesday.

Today might be just such a chance, though of course now he is the marked rider in Sky and there is no alternative.

But there isn't very much flat land in the stage. The first climb is a long haul, but only a category 2 up to Sestriere. It is 16.25km climbing a total of 617 metres of altitude. It has a sharp descent but Nabili and Evans will have a harder time shifting Uran off their wheel thah they had with Wiggins. However there will be a selection by the time they get to Sestriere, one thing I can predict is that Cavendish will not even by then be in with a chance of adding to his stage wins.

The final climb though is where the GC could still be shaken up today. In only 7.25km they climb 646 metres in altitude. There is a severe 14% section near the foot of the climb, but there isn't really much forgiving territory as they head up to the arrivo of today. The last km if nobody has been successful in making a move those far ramps up even more. Uran is going to be going after time, Nibali will probably also want a bigger cushion over Evans. As for the Australian he hasn't really launched an attack on his own yet in the Giro, at some point he may have to, but will it be today.

Outside the top three you can't rule out Robert Gesink or Michele Scarponi who are 8 and 9 seconds further back than Uran. Any of the top five could still win this tour and it all depends on where and when they attack and who, if anyone can match them. With so many tough mountains still to come this race is not over and  today and tomorrow are two tough days back to back. What happens today may well affect somebody in tomorrow's stage.

Giro d'Italia Stage 11 Tarvisio (Cave del Predil) - Vajont (Erto e Casso)

Yesterday the Giro hit the first of its big mountain passes. As I predicted at the end of the first ascent Nibali and his Astana team came to the front after Sky had ridden the tempo up to try and head down in the valley to see see if Bradley Wiggins could keep up. At that point yesterday he could, although one of his super domestiques Sergio Henao was less able to do so. Ryder Hesjedal (GRS) had already been dropped on the climb.

Then we came to the Altopiano and the climb to the line, Sky went on the attack with 8km to go, although it was in the shape of Rigoberto Uran and not his team leader, who seemed to be sitting comfortably in the pack alongside Nibali, Cadel Evans (BMC) and Robert Gesink (BLA). That is until they were within the last 3.5km when first Gesink and then Wiggins lost contact with a very elite group. He then cut a lonely figure as he attempted to time trial his way up the  rest of the slope to limit his losses, for once again that was what he would be facing. The reason that Wiggins had come under pressure was because Carlos Betancur (ALM) had gone off in pursuit of Uran and the others tried to respond to him. While neither effort was successful it did lead to two of the top four falling behind.

As it was Sky's Columbian won the stage, some 20 seconds ahead of Betancur who was a further 11 seconds ahead of the pack that was Nibali, Evans, Mauro Santambrogio (VIN) Rafal Majka (TST) Dominico Possivivo (ALM). Wiggins was a further 37 seconds down although with Nibali picking up time bonuses 49 down on him, which would actually put him one second behind Uran in the GC, with Gesink 8 seconds further back dropping behind both the Sky riders. Hesjedal lost 21 minutes yesterday and is certainly not going to defend his title.

Today is a medium mountain stage in that it only has two category 2 climbs, but once again the race will finish uphill. It may be interesting to see what people have left in the legs for the last climb. It is only 6.4km long but today's stage has the possibility of Sky with their many mountain domestiques being able to ride at tempo for much of the day to put pressure on other teams. They could reach the foot of the last climb with more riders around Uran and Wiggins than the other teams might have around their leaders. Ready to step up the power and the pace on the last climb and possibly try a classic one-two with Wiggins and Uran. They are now the team that can threaten on two barrels and could put lone riders under pressure. It would a different way for Team Sky to ride, but as they aren't dominating they will have to think outside the box. There are no more mountains until the weekend so they may as well make an effort today.