La Vuelta a España 2014

Always heartening when Spanish riders are flying the day after a rest day.

Is there a different drug trial regime on rest days?

It's when you top up with a transfusion of your own blood. Allegedly.

Hopefully biological passports can detect those sorts of shenanigans.

Looks like Quintana is out https://twitter.com/grahamwatson10/status/507139366125592578

I was - I was in Valencia but came home Sunday. I detected a distinct lack of interest while there. On the Saturday I asked the proprietors of a bar whether they would mind showing the Vuelta - you'd have thought I'd asked for test cricket or some such. An older gentleman got it and I was duly obliged. For the hour and a half I was there, bar people and random passers by occasionally paused half-heartedly to take in the event; indeed, only Team Caja Rural seemed to inspire any real interest.
Valencia was cool though - had some great tapas.

So Valverde has a chance now to show for a second time why he should not be the team leader.

If only Wiggins were.... Never mind...

Oh dear. Nairo has succumbed to the topple virus. Such fashion victim

exactly this. It's rest day today and you've watched the typo-snake win yesterday's stage. Are you drunk? I hope you're drunk. #fail

I wish I had been - I'm on some pretty strong drugs though. I just turned on Eurosport after not watching any of the Vuelta so had no idea I was a day behind (they didn't mention it).

I did think it was an impressive performance two days in a row!

I watched the Tour of Britain afterwards. My money is on that Wiggo chap.

Hopefully biological passports can detect those sorts of shenanigans.

My understanding, and at best I'm an armchair haematologist, is that if you consistently extract and re-infuse your blood all year round, then it'll escape detection from the biological passport, i.e. as long as your values are consistent it's hard to detect if you are blood doping.

Haha. I have done similar during the spring, realising only in the closing stages I'm watching last week's Umloop van Wherever.

OPQS on the front? Boassan-Hagen still there but fading? Belkins everywhere? Are they allowed to ride on those paths? – same shit different rainy day.

Ah. Would really like to see kiri take this but aint going to happen :(

Are there some Sky tactics occurring?

Yes, they've dropped their leader.

The old drop Froome move is a classic ??

Piss Flume crackered.

not sure if froome is busted up or just playing possum..

wtf?

Froome had me fooled.

Bobby Gees to lose now I reckon. Martin nodding his way on, Froome looking at his stem... Valverde sucking harder than a Vauxhall rentboy just after payday.

ha! Contador having none of it.

Say what you like about Froome, but he can suffer like a bastard.

Balls out from Aru-fuck.

Well timed attack by Aru, he's got a bright future.

Amazing stuff by Froome though, talk about hanging in there.

Quintana has a broken scapula? Was his fall bad?

Which one? Yesterday's or today's?