Friday, March 29, 2024

La Vuelta a España 2014 – Stage 6; Benalmadena – Cumbres Verdes (La Zubia), 157.7 km. Alessandro Valverde Takes Over

-

HomeRaceRace ReviewsLa Vuelta a España 2014 - Stage 6; Benalmadena - Cumbres Verdes...

Alessandro Valverde

Alessandro Valverde was hugely impressive – not the shadow of himself we saw in the last week of the Tour. It’s like Robert Millar said; ‘there comes a day when you have to stop dreaming.

That day was yesterday for many as we were reminded of the savagery of professional bike racing at the highest levels.

There were no interlopers – just the best of the best, all of the pre-race favourites trying their best to waste each other on that horrible grind to the line.

It was a hard climb to deal with, not a long col for the pure climbers, or a ramp for the explosive guys – as Rodriguez discovered – but somewhere inbetween and very difficult to read, especially with the way it sliced straight across the hillside with nothing to break it up.

Alessandro Valverde
Valverde was impressive, driving the bus, covering the moves and winning the sprint. Photo©Unipublic

However he was back and winning in San Sebastian one week after he grovelled the Tour’s final time trial.

But the man is hugely experienced and his body and brain are like that of a race horse or a shark, designed to do one thing really well.

It was February 2002 when he made his pro debut for Kelme; since then there’s been two Liege-Bastogne-Liege wins, two Dauphine’s, a Vuelta and eight stage wins, two Fleche Wallone’s, two San Sebastian’s not to mention two World’s silvers and three Worlds bronzes – a record number of podium appearances.

But it’s still early days in this, the most unpredictable of the three Grand Tours.

Alessandro Valverde
Bonnet and Ligthart (again), off the front early. Photo©Unipublic

Up until the race hit the lower slopes of the Cumbres I was musing that it was your classic Vuelta scenario with all the ingredients there; baking heat, long straight roads, ghost town villages with no spectators, Caja Rural in the break and an escape with a seemingly unassailable lead which dissolved like a soluble Aspirin in a matter of a few kilometres as the ‘Bigs’ cracked the whip on their galley slaves.

But that finale really did sort out the serious players from the dreamers.

Alessandro Valverde
Garmin-Sharp worked hard in mid-stage to protect Dan Martin’s chances. Photo©Unipublic

The only name close to being a ‘surprise’ in the top ten now is GreenEDGE’s young Colombian, Chavez in fifth spot.

And good to see young French hope Warren Barguil in the top ten for Giant.

Cadel Evan’s and Samuel Sanchez’s chances took severe knocks, however – both great riders but there comes a day when…

Alessandro Valverde
Froome, Valverde and Quintana kept a watchful eye on each other. Photo©Unipublic

And another ‘Bad Day at Black Rock’ for Garmin as our tip for the day, Dan Martin slipped out of the lead group as Valverde did his demonic train driver thing.

And on that subject, some of the media amaze me in how they interpret things; Valverde rode tempo for much of the climb with Quintana looking comfortable until it all got really serious at the death.

Rodriguez attacked, Valverde countered and Quintana couldn’t – it wasn’t as if Valverde was going to think; ‘where’s Nairo?

He’s thinking; ‘I best nail that little beggar Rodriguez before he gets too far!

How that can be interpreted as divisive is beyond me.

Anyway…

Stage Seven, Friday, is 155 km from Alhendin to Alcaudete with two second cat. climbs along the way and a dragging finalé.

The break might just do it – or it could be a late counter move which the sprinters’ teams are too spent to counter?

Gilbert, Albasini – or even Yates?

Adios.

Alessandro Valverde
Today’s landscape shot. Photo©Unipublic
Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

Related Articles

Billy Warnock Memorial Road Race 2015 – Ben Hetherington Takes the Win

Ben Hetherington of Achieve attacked into the final drag maintaining a slender lead all the way to the line to take a strong victory with Jack Rees also of Achieve winning the bunch sprint.

The Scottish Road Race Championships 2008

"Yeah, I'm happy to have won, but I'm not happy at having to go back to Yorkshire again - I just came from there, last night! And I'm sick of eating pies!" The words of Plowman Craven professional Evan Oliphant after successfully defending the Scottish road race title on a deceptively tough course over 81 miles of the beautiful rolling Borders country around historic Hawick.

Giro d’Italia 2013 – Stage 18: Mori – Polsa (ITT) 20.6km. Vincenzo Nibali Supreme

The original plan for the stage 18 mountain time trial was to do a 'tech' piece on the bikes the top ten would be riding for the 'chronoscalata.'But with the number of Tifosi around the buses and the fact that the 'Bigs' kept themselves out of the way 'til the last gasp, we shelved that one. So we decided to do a piece on the aspects you need to make a time trial - percorso, hardware, fans . . .

Le Tour de France 2012 – Stage 1: Liège – Seraing 198 km.

As Dave said during the Tour de Suisse; ‘Sagan’s winning just for fun.’ And that’s how it looked today. It’s not just his speed in the sprint and up the inclines; it’s his ability to read the race - he didn’t waste himself by marking Chava but was on Cancellara like a ferret. Add to that the confidence which enable him to ignore Capo Cancellara’s flicked elbows and switches and you have all the ingredients off the most exciting prospect cycling has seen since V de B.

At Random

Dan Fleeman – Coaching in a Lockdown

In these ‘Strange Days of COVID-19’ if you’re a racing cyclist, what do you do about training? We asked ‘Dig Deep Coaching’ founder, Dan Fleeman for his advice on how to train in these trying times. Fleeman is a long-time friend of VeloVeritas, past winner of the British u23 Road race Championship, the Tour of the Pyrenees and rode as a professional with DFL, AN Post, Cervélo and Raleigh...

James Spragg – Getting Back to the Racing

It seems as if English pro James Spragg’s luck has finally turned. After a crash blighted 2011 and the all too typical broken pledges regarding a contract for 2012, Spragg has finally put pen to paper for Algerian/Belgian Continental team, Geofco Ville D’Alger.

Scottish Cycling Super 6 Series – Event 3, Greenacres

"I was needing a win! I've had too many second places!" was how Gordon Murdoch (Pedal Power) explained his strongman's victory over 62 windy, potholed, crash-plagued miles in Saturday's Dooley's Grand Prix, part of the Scottish Cycling Super 6 series, high on the bleak moors to the south west of Paisley.

Alex Coutts – Back to Giant Asia for 2010

Viktor calls; "That home page on the site hasn't changed for days. There's a Scottish pro called Alex Coutts out training in Spain, trying to get ready for the season, why aren't you talking to him?" Just one of the things that bugs about Vik, is that he's actually right a lot of the time!