Sunday, September 5, 2010

Vuelta stage 9


6 categorized climbs, it hurts just typing that. Six, because 5 yesterday was just not enough. Can I get a ...REALLY This has to be one of the days that a pro looks as the profile and thinks that riding a bike for a living IS a job. At what point does the fun leave? Category 3 climb? Category 2 climb? Do they have fun? After all they are riding bikes. Last place has to be thinking "I get paid to do this."

Fifteen guys got into the initial break and did some damage until Barrado was the "virtual leader", Euskaltel needed to do some work to keep Anton in red. With a 15 man break you can do some damage, but there is also a lack of defined leadership and teamwork. The break usually is unorganized and several attacks will form another break. Which it did.

David Lopez one of the Caisse d’Epargne riders who is not a GC favorite was in the break within a break and he attacked at the right time. Sometimes timing is what wins the stage, and David was a Swiss watch with his attack. With 1k to go it was in the bag. Nine stages and 9 different winners.

The GC group came in and there was some racing in there to change the red jersey, but across the line nothing changed.

Petacchi had to abandon the stage after his brush with the pavement yesterday. He said that the legs were coming around and he was disappointed to leave la Vuelta. He is coming off a win in this Vuelta and 20-something total for his career. I will miss him in the future flat stages, if there are any.

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