(We borrowed this image from pacmac. Hope that's OK!)
Since we have previously written about the 2015 editions of both Il Giro d'Italia and Le Tour de France... Well, we have mentioned them at least. Anyway we thought that consequently we should also mention La Vuelta a España 2015. Especially because this year is la Vuelta's 70th edition. And because la Vuelta is a bit "the forgotten race". We're pretty sure it's big in Spain, but in the rest of the world... Here in Sweden the results of yesterday's stage are printed in the sports section of most newspapers and if you have Eurosport you can watch the race on TV. But that's really it. And if you talk to regular people, i e people who are not into bicycling they usually know that there is a bicycle race in Italy called Giro d'Italia and a bicycle race in France called Tour de France. But they usually don't know that there is bicycle race in Spain called Vuelta a España. Let's change that!
Because we like Spain and we like la Vuelta. And what better day to mention this bicycle race than today, on what might possible be the hardest stage of the race? Today's stage runs between Luarca and Ermita de Alba, Quirós, and the last mountain in the race is a real killer. It's just under seven kilometres long and averages 11,2 % grades - there are slopes up to 21,67 %! We wonder if the riders even will be able to ride up those slopes, considering that they will have ridden 177 kilometres already, over five hills... Well, they should be able to do it - it's what they're paid to do. (And if not, they still have our respect.) We'll watch it in a couple of hours.
Other than that you have to say that this year's Vuelta has been affected by bad luck and drops by big names. Vincenzo Nibali was expelled after the second stage, for having hanged on to his team car. Fabian Cancellara has withdrawn, as has Tejay van Garderen and 20 other riders. Peter Sagan was hit by a service motorcycle (we thought he was hit by a medical car...) in the eighth stage, finishing the stage with his shorts ripped to shreds and with a big graze on his leg. (And he was furious!)
(Peter Sagan finishing the eighth stage. (We borrowed this picture from La Vuelta. Hope that's OK!)
Christopher Froome did not start at stage 12, after having fractured his foot in a crash. Our favourite Jussi Veikkanen, of FDJ team, withdrew after stage 11. Our favourite team - Movistar - has so far avoided any big accidents (touche du bois!) but Nairo Quintana apparently caught a cold a couple of days ago... And there has been a lot of crashes!
Alejandro Valverde followed by Nairo Quintana, both of Movistar team. (We borrowed this picture from La Vuelta. Hope that's OK!)
Well, today's stage, a rest day, five more stages and then the riders can have a rest. Until the next race begins...
Ride safe!
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