2013 Vuelta a España - Tour of Spain

Peaking at 41... Wish I could say the same :

How can Basso get hypothermia when the rest are in summer kit with the occasional arm warmer? I'm getting too cynical with this Vuelta...

Back to Horner's appearance on the bike. He was sporting one overshoe at the finish yesterday. One black foot, one white... Quite disconcerting.

Basso out with hyperthermia

Hypothermia--if he had hyperthermia, he'd be too hot. :)

Big part of TdF overshadowing the Giro, let alone the Vuelta, is live TV coverage... Someone in the TV production team must have suggested this.

Nico trying... Getting nowhere, but at least he's trying.

Zaugg has dropped back, is Majka still up front? Theoretically it's got potential.

#wishfulthinking

Geniez is looking great I have to say, giving 100% on a technically hard descend.

Thought Zaugg, and Roche were giving it a go... apparently not the case.

#gohomeeurosportyouaredrunk

No apparently they are... Majka and Roche that is.

#shitcoverage

I think I may have broke the Vuelta. Been away, hearing how great each day has been. First day I watch and it's a bit meh. Sorry all.

Meh doesn't quite cover it...

I've just done a casual catch-up on the Vuelta. 'Surprising' doesn't quite cover it.

I know Spain is broke but have doping controls been scaled-down for the Vuelta this year?

Meh doesn't quite cover it...

Yeah. Apologies. I will try and switch off for another week.

In all fairness it started out good*... Then of course now the whole Horner business. I bloody well hope he's clean, but you just can't help yourself questioning his performance... Certain other top 10 riders as well if I'm perfectly honest, but frankly, same as always, it becomes rather pointless discussion when not backed with evidence.

*Entertaining from a spectators point of view.

"DS told me to hang back in the peloton and save myself for next week,but he told me the same the day I won my first stage so I went anyway"

Good day's racing among the breakaway and some late action from the peleton. Thanks for (presumably) not watching today Howard!

^^i'll bet when Uran caught him initially, he was not expecting to be lunging for the line in 2km's time!

Good day's racing among the breakaway and some late action from the peleton. Thanks for (presumably) not watching today Howard!

Tis true. Didn't watch today = nail-biting width of a tyre finish...

Hmmm - need to look back and see when I started watching live streams of the Tour too.. Might well have coincided with the 'death of exciting cycling'

Horner = redacted rider #15 in USADA report.

How do you make the connection? (not doubting you, just want to know if there's a science behind it or a strong hunch)

Levi Leipheimer said another US rider had told him in 2008 that they had doped to recover from injury in 2005 then ridden the Tour De Suisse. As did Horner, whilst riding for Saunier Duval.

Horner is also an Armstrong supporter, something that's quite hard to do and retain any credibility

that's a shame. it would be nice to see someone unfancied really challenge for honours against the favourites without cheating. and without the TT stage Horner would be leading (obv you could say that if nibali and others would have ridden differently if horner was in the lead going into the pyrennese...)

Yeah echelons!