El Pistolero is back in command. Photograph: Bettini
While most of the cycling world have been off reading more stories about Lance Armstrong, Tyler Hamilton's new book, and whatever other doping story of cycling's dark past that we're all too aware of by now anyway, a brilliant Vuelta a Espana has been unfolding around us. What started out as a four way race between Britain's Chris Froome and three Spaniards, Alberto Contador, Joaquim Rodriguez and Alejandro Valverde, whittled its way down to a three man race last week, a two man race by the weekend, and as of this past Wednesday, a one man victory.
The two man race was established between Rodriguez and Contador heading into last weekend and with a couple of huge mountain stages ahead. It's seemed to me like almost every day of this tour has finished a-top one climb or another. Either a short but steep and punchy climb or a drag to the top of a brutal mountain pass, but flat days for the sprinters have been few and far between. I like a good bunch sprint, but it's good to see that this Tour has -- as some tours have in the past -- not been dominated by them, in particular the first week.
Over the weekend Contador tried and tried again to go on the attack on the steepest parts of the toughest stages. He could break everyone except the man he needed to break who would follow his wheel each and every time and then, as if to stick in the knife, he would attack himself to win the stage and take a couple more seconds out of Contador.
Rodriguez had gradually and patiently built his lead over Contador to 30 seconds. Not much at all in the Grand Tour scheme of things, but given how close the pair had been and how inseperable they were over most of the climbs, it did seem like a massive gap. As the weekend came to a close -- a weekend which included a stage finish so steep that the riders almost came to a stand still in their slog to the finish line -- it looked like Rodriguez was on the verge of his first Grand Tour victory. He had a couple of big mountains to navigate, but he looked strong and he was facing a few easier days in which he could compose himself for the final battle.
Then Contador gambled on an early attack on a stage that, while hilly and with a summit finish, was far from the kind of savage days we've seen in the big mountains recently. He rolled the dice, aware that he couldn't leave it until the final days of this Tour when Rodriguez would likely be able to make his every move once more, and he attacked.
Rodriguez either didn't or couldn't follow and it split the field. Contador got into a large group full of strong riders and as the kilometers went by the gap increased. By the time it hit two minutes, Rodriguez had to be in full panic mode. At the foot of the final climb Contador set off alone, Valverde attacked out of the Rodriguez group and the later went to pieces. Contador tired on his way up to the line and Valverde along with a few others almost caught him, but Valverde -- who last week was the third man in the three week race -- has long since become an outside threat to Contador. It was Rodriguez he needed time from and on top of the time-bonus on the line, he got what he needed and then some. Rodriguez came across in 10th, 2-38 behind the new leader and now odds on favorite to win this Tour. The tables have turned; it's a one man race now and Contador's to lose; and he no longer has to try attack Rodriguez.
Yesterday was at last a sprinters stage so no change to the overall which, after the top three -- a top three which has seen Rodriguez slide to third -- has got huge time gaps.
General classification after stage 18
1. Alberto Contador (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank in 72-25-21
2. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team at 1-52
3. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha Team at 2-28
4. Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling at 9-40
5. Daniel Moreno (Spa) Katusha Team at 11-36
6. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team at 12-02
Others:
12. Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale at 16-22
