Vuelta stage 16

Bow to the Queen
Today was the Queen stage. The finish was 10k at 8% avg grade, that is something like 2,600' in 10K. Yes, curse words are appropriate at this point. If you don't like cursing try "WOW, that's got to hurt". This was after 170k of saddle time, and one cat 3 climb and two cat 1s. That's earning your contract.

All I have to say is that I was very entertained, not because I like to watch climbing, but because it was so animated. No boring climbing stage here. I can't do it justice by throwing words out.

Frank was the Frank that I love to watch, and he was even more punchy than ever. I think he attacked three different times. His last attack was a thing of beauty, it was so smooth. Frank can fly and he can turn a climb into a flat. Too bad Andy was sitting at home with Stuy drinking 40s, Frank would have had some fun if he had his brother there to play. I finally feel like I got my money out of Frank, he did not pull very much time back on GC, but he did slot up into 4th.

Euskaltel put on a show. After loosing Martinez and Anton the lithely built team showed what it is made of...a bunch of skinny dudes that can climb and race bikes very fast uphill. Up hills that make mortals cry for their Mommies. They had one rider in the ten man break, and then sent three across the gap. That takes brass ones. Check out the profile. They wasted one to get two across and then had another wait at the top of the last downhill. The three then proceeded to catch the break and then launch Nieve to his first Grand Tour win. I'm sure they were thinking about their teammates sitting in the hospital. What a way to show your mettle. Bon Courage

Oh yeah the other stuff...Nibali cracked lost time to an attacking Rodriguez and Mosquera. Rodriguez took the jersey and about 30sec.