2012 Vuelta a España - Tour of Spain

So Gilbert for the Worlds? Everyone's suddenly tipping him now he's got his first win in 2012, which is just crazy when you think about it. Wonder if he's being playing possum in order to make a challenge for the Olympics and the Rainbow jersey.

Very impressive from Rodriguez, carried his form over from the Giro and even able to put time into rivals on what should have been a relatively innocuous stage.

Go Phil! So happy with that. Like a boss.

gotta love this!

gotta love this!

Inspired comment. Can't wait to see your upcoming For Sale thread!

@ITV4: alright already with the bloody foozeball. It's not even bloody British clubs. Get on with the real sport and stop over analysing this load of old guff that no one cares about. You're already over running by 35mins so shut the **** up now and give us the cycling!! Or am I the only one thinking this?!

I was thinking the same thing.. but now im thinking is Ben Swift actually just not very good?

Yeah, not really worth staying up for was it. Especially as I'm up v early for work. All a bit predictable. Anyway, bed...

fucking stupid scheduling - Virgin media box recorded football instead of the cycling. tits

I was thinking the same thing.. but now im thinking is Ben Swift actually just not very good?

Swift has got massive potential. World Scratch Race Champion, which you don't win without being a very good bunch sprinter, and he's had some decent wins on the road this year too. The SDky train wasn't working for him, it was working to keep Froome out of trouble, so it promptly disappeared when they got to 3k. Yes he looked slow so that could be a form thing, a long season (including a winter of track) and a 3 week race and the legs look to be tired.

Massive form Degenkolb, 4 stages like a boss (thanks to Koen de Kort's leadouts)

Exciting stage today, 40km TT with a 10km climb. Guessing Froome should get this one...

I'm curious how Dutchies Mollema, Gesink & Ten Dam will do.

Aparently Froome is watching Ben Swift race from the team car. Interesting way to recce the course!

Froome 3rd at first intermediate! (13.5k)

Significantly down on Contador. Wonder if Contador has given up vegetarianism.

Current GC standings.

Rodriguez
Contador +0 second
Froome +16 second

Tomorrow’s mountains will make for a great stage.

Looks like Froome is tired. Thrown away the opportunity to win the Vuelta - mind you it would be nice if I am wrong.

Not quite enough beef then!

Lot of work for Sky to do if they want to get the jersey, are they trying to do to much leading out the sprints and chasing all day in the mountains

They'll need a break to win or a failure by Contador and Rodriguez. Contador is getting stronger. Good beef in Spain.

Don't quite agree with the assumption that Contador must be on the steak if he is beating Froome. Frankly, it would be astonishing (not to say bewildering) if Froome had held his TDF form right through the Vuelta.

Thrown away the opportunity to win the Vuelta.

How? He has done all he can.

Current GC standings.

Rodriguez
Contador +1 second
Froome +16 second

Saturday’s, Sunday's, Monday's and Wednesday's mountains will make for a great stages.

ftfy

I hope Rodriguez takes the overall. More time bonus opportunities for him tomorrow with a 2kn uphill sprint at the end.

Yeah Katusha are going to want to keep it all together for that.

If it's windy I wonder if Sky will try and break it up? It's flat, coastal and winding.

what a performance from rodriguez, that's gotta inspire his team for the mountains

How? He has done all he can.

He has done all he can but his opportunity to open a gap was the ITT. Losing time before it and losing time in it has probably lost him the chance to win the race.

World Scratch Race Champion, which you don't win without being a very good bunch sprinter

I do think he'll be something eventually including Sky's #1 sprinter next year but in fairness he won the scratch race bridging to a break and then dropping them with a lap to go - not out of a bunch sprint. His points race silver probably told more insofar as he led until Mayer got the lap up. Seems less of a pure sprinter and maybe will turn out to be something more like Goss, Zabel or Thor - the last sprinter to hang on on tough days.