Rodriguez opens up a gap on the stage and the GC. Photograph: Sirotti
Joaquim Rodriguez who managed to fight off his fast rivals against the clock yesterday, extended his lead today and now sits in prime position to win his first Grand Tour. There's a lot of racing still to go and enough climbs for a bad day to be had, but one thing is clear, the terrain ahead is all to the liking of Rodriguez and his victory today showed why he's looking confident.
Yesterday's individual time-trial was the best shot for Chris Froome to win this years Vuelta. He needed to go out and ride like he did in the Tour and at the Olympics and put serious time into his opponents. Alberto Contador would always be a tough nut to crack, but this is where his Vuleta would ultimately be won and lost. And as it turns out, it would appear this is where it was lost.
To be fair to Froome he came out of that time-trial just 18 seconds behind race leader Rodriguez, but with no time-trials to come and Rodriguez looking as strong as anyone in the mountains even that gap was going to take a big effort to overcome.
That sounds crazy but it was shown today when Froome lost another 23 seconds to Rodriguez who won the 'flat' stage that was flat for all but the two kilometers and which seen a brutal rise up to the line at an average gradient of 13% with some parts topping out at 20%. Even Contador couldn't stick with Rodriguez and lost 8 seconds.
I should however not be so quick to write off this Tour as being done, or being that of a two man race as much as it's beginning to look that way. There are some huge days in the mountains ahead and any one of the top four are capable of having a brilliant day or a disaster. Rodriguez could yet lose minutes, likewise could Contador, or either of them could break the rest to take further minutes.
It's become a fascinating Tour and while Rodriguez and Contador now look like the favorites what with Contador 13 seconds behind Rodriguez who gained a time-bonus for winning today, with Froome and Alejandro Valverde sitting 51 seconds and 1-20 back respectively, all Froome can keep doing is pressuring, attacking and hoping that one or both of them snap. It was always a big ask for Froome to do what he did in France last month, then at the Olympics, and then come in here and win this, but he's hanging in there despite the two Spaniards surging on today's climb.
And who do you pick as favorite now? Sure Rodriguez looks the strongest after taking time from Contador today, but that could all change tomorrow. Contador has the experience of winning a three week Tour and he'll have to call on that experience over the next week and a bit. This weekend will reveal a lot about where this race is going, and it's going to be great to watch.
Stage 12 result
1. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha Team in 4-24-32
2. Alberto Contador (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank at 8 secs
3. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team at 13 secs
4. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team at 20 secs
5. Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling at 23 secs
6. Daniel Moreno (Spa) Katusha Team at same time
General classification after stage 12
1. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha Team in 44-50-35
2. Alberto Contador (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank at 13 secs
3. Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling at 51 secs
4. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team at 1-20
5. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team at 2-59
6. Daniel Moreno (Spa) Katusha Team at 3-29
7. Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale at 4-22
