Thursday, March 28, 2024

La Vuelta a España 2014 – Stage 20; Santo Estevo de Riba de Sil – Ancares, 163.8 km. Contador Dominates

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HomeRaceRace ReviewsLa Vuelta a España 2014 - Stage 20; Santo Estevo de Riba...

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Samuel Sanchez summed it up best in the BMC press release for Stage 20 to Ancares;

“To understand how was hard it was, you only have to look at the riders’ faces.”

That was certainly true of Chris Froome, his face ashen, skin tight on his skull, eyes popping, gasping for air like a dying fish.

Not just from the effort but from the disappointment of having burned his Sky team to last match head then given his all, only for Alberto Contador to sit there as cool as a glass of Pimm’s on a summer’s day, soak up all the punishment then put 16 seconds into the Englishman in the last few hundred metres.

To use a Sean Kellyism, the smiling man from Pinto was; ‘moightily impressive.’

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Alberto Contador shows his dominance. Photo©Unipublic

Depending on your point of view on these things, the Puerto de Ancares was either a fitting and symbolic ‘high’ to mark the end of the race’s climbing days, or, as young IAM rider, Marcel Aregger said;

“A final climb like I have never seen before – it was pure madness!”

We can rest assured that VV’s answer to Nostradamus, Viktor will be with Aregger on that one.

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Contador consolidates his lead over Froome and everyone else. Photo©Unipublic

But back to Froome, there can be little but admiration for the way he attacked and attacked again but whilst it’s easy to be a ‘SDS’ – that’s ‘sofa director sportif’ – maybe he shouldn’t have committed his boys from quite so far out?

It would have been better to have more support at the death, surely?

But he tried hard and gave us a great race.

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Froome used his team and rode as best he could, but it just wasn’t enough to overcome Contador. Photo©Unipublic

Fourth placed Joaquin Rodriguez is being criticised for his attack on Ancares; but again, he rode, he tried, he didn’t just sit there and wait on the inevitable Froome/Contador grapple to the death from which he was always going to get shelled.

Of the three ‘Bigs’ who sustained injuries earlier in the season – along with Contador and Froome – the little Catalan is the one who has found it toughest to get back to full fitness.

As we say in Scotland; ‘old age doesn’t just come on it’s own…

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At least Purito gave it a go and wasn’t afraid of losing GC places as a result. Photo©Unipublic

Valverde defended the sixth Vuelta podium placing of his long career and whilst he bears the stigma of ‘bad doper’ because there’s been no remorse filled book/tearful confession or ride with Saint Jonathan’s Garmin, you have to respect the man – he’s a bike racer.

His season isn’t just about one or two three week periods.

He opened the year with victories in the prologue, two stages and the GC in the Ruta Del Sol; then there was the Tour of Murcia, Lazio, GP Indurain, Fleche Wallonne, the Spanish TT Champs, fourth in le Tour and San Sebastian.

This Vuelta has yielded a TTT and individual stage win, a spell in the red leader’s jersey and (God willing in Santiago) Valverde’s sixth appearance on a Vuelta final podium – quality.

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Valverde rides at a high level all through the season. Photo©Unipublic

Astana’s Aru confirmed that he’s an exciting prospect for the future with his two stage wins but, as in the Giro the tank was rapidly draining on the last day, however he fought and fought up Ancares finishing totally drained but conserving fifth on GC.

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Fabio Aru will be a name we’re talking about a lot in the future. Photo©Unipublic

Oviedo man Sammy Sanchez has to be due a round of applause, a rider who we thought might be past ‘sell by’ rode a good race for sixth spot on GC – albeit he’s in a different Vuelta from the first five, some six minutes behind Aru and ten behind Contador.

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Sammy Sanchez. Photo©Unipublic

Last words then must go to Alberto Contador – there’s little left for us say except that this Vuelta confirms him as one of the all time great stage racers.

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2004 Asturias and Contador is seriously ill.

Apparently I’m not supposed to mention that he came back from being ‘close to death’ – too close to Lance’s story, I’m told – but the fact is that he did, curled in a ball on the hard roads of the 2004 Vuelta a Asturias with blood seeping from his ears.

And on the subject of the The Texas Turd, when Contador was on Astana with Lance in the 2009 Tour the Madrileno not only had to beat all the other teams on the race, he had to fend off half of his own squad, too.

Six men in the history of cycle sport have won all three Grand Tours; Jacques Anquetil, Felice Gimondi, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Vincenzo Nibali and Alberto Contador – enough said.

And even though the race is won, I still wish I was going to be in Santiago de Compostella, this night.

Adios.

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Today’s amazing landscape. 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.

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