Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 20 Preview

THERE are some mountains in the cycling word who's merest name conjures up romantic images, wonderful scenery, amazing crowds and epic battles.

In France you have Alpe d'Huez where you think of Dutch Corner and of 1986 with Lemond and Hinault.

Mont Ventoux brings lunar landscapes to mind, as well as Tom Simpson and searing pain.

In Italy there is the Stelvio and the Zoncolan.

Spain has it's own mountain worthy of mention along side these greats.

The Alto de L'Angliru.

But there is romanticised talk when this is brought up. This is the type of mountain that is spoken of in hushed tones, in dark, dimly lit corners, well away from the public glare.

Mention it to any pro-cyclist and you'll see his face lose colour, beads of sweet form on his forehead and the religious types may even cross themselves.

For l'Angliru is a awful climb. Great if you're watching from the comfort of your armchair but an absolutely beast for anyone who dares conquer it's slopes.

The basic numbers just give a glimpse to it's severity. 12.2km long it has an average gradient of 10.2% (that's an average gradient of 10.2%) and it's maximum is a mind-blowing 23.5%.

Compare that to Alpe d'Huez. The Alpe is basically the same length but it's average gradient is 8.4% and it's maximum is only 11.5%.

But we still haven't really scratched the surface and as much as I'd like to, I don't think my words will ever do it justice.

So here's the profile of the climb:

Let that sink it. It's a daunting prospect.

 

But that's just the final climb. The stage is 142.2km long starting from Aviles and has three categorised climbs to get over before the final showdown, all of which are difficult climbs.

 

The Alto de la Cabrunana is a third cat, climbing for 5.2km at a gradient of 6.6%. It is followed by the second category Alto de Tenebredo which climbs for 3.4km but has an average of 10.5%, higher than the l'Angliru.

 

The final ascent before the finish is the Alto del Cordal. This is first category simply because it only goes on for 5.2km. It's average gradient however is 9.6%.

 

On their own they would have made for a monumental stage. And all three have just as savage descents as ascents.

 

Chris Horner will go into this stage as favourite, and now is 3 seconds up on Vincenzo Nibali in the general classification.

 

Horner has looked by far the better climber throughout this tour and the steepness of the slopes should see him edge clear of Nibali.

 

Nibali therefore may not be able to wait until the final climb. Where he can really make a difference however is coming off the Cordal.

 

The Italian is one of the best in the peloton at going downhill fast. If he can get an edge over the top of the Cordal and hit Horner hard on the descent then he could arrive at l'Angliru close to a minute ahead of his rival.

 

It would put RadioShack under a lot of pressure and as Horner has only really had Robert Kiselovski as backup in recent stages, it may mean the American has to do a lot of the chasing himself.

 

Alejandro Valverde and Joaquin Rodriguez are third and fourth, at 1.06 and 1.57 respectively. Both will need to put some serious pressure on to take the overall win and it will probably be too much of a gap to pull back.

 

But they will both be fighting for a podium and as both can descend and climb, they too may be looking at the descent of the Cordal.

 

I really can't see the stage win going to anybody but these guys. And that's probably only right. The l'Angliru deserves the main men to be battling to it's summit.

 

The last two winners on here went on to take the overall title. If Nibali and co don't steal the initiative early, Horner could well complete the hat-trick.

 

It is fitting that the final climb of this epic Vuelta a Espana is itself an epic monument in world cycling. And if everything pans out as expected it could well see a man 39 days shy of his 42nd birthday taking the final Grand Tour title of 2013.

 

You've got to love this sport!

 

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 19 Preview

THREE stages to go and it's all about the GC now.

Today's stage up to Pena Cabarga made a serious impact into the overall standings. Chris Horner is now just 3 seconds down on Vincenzo Nibali with Alejandro Valverde and Joaquin Rodriguez also managing to sneak a few seconds back on the Italian.

Tomorrow the route travels 181km along Spain's Northern coast from San Vincente Barquera to the Alto Naranco, just outside of Oviedo.

For most of the day the profile is fairly flat but it does pick up towards the back end and the days three categorised climbs all appear inside the last 40km.

The first two are both third category. First up is the Alto de San Emiliano, which climbs 6.3km at an average gradient of 4.6. This has it's summit with 32.7km to go.

Second up is the Alto de la Manzaneda. This is just 3.6km long but has a higher average gradient of 6.2%. And it's summit comes just 12.4km from the finish.

The final climb of the day is the second category Alto de Naranco, our finishing climb. It is 5.7km long with an average gradient of 4.2%.

In itself it shouldn't pose too much trouble to the peloton. However if the pace is high (which it undoubtedly will be) it will feel a lot harder and could cause some problems.

The stage could go one of two ways. It could be like I predicted today would happen. The GC boys may want the bonus seconds before the drama that will be Saturday.

However the more likely scenario is a break disappears up the road and gains enough time to fight it out for the stage win while the big names ride their own race.

For the likes of Valverde and Rodriguez to gain significant time they may have to go long. But that is very unlikely considering what awaits on Saturday.

So it looks like the status quo will be maintained and the destiny of the race will be decided on the dreaded slopes of the Angliru. Or will it?

Nibali may feel he cannot wait until Saturday. Horner is clearly the strongest climber and the much more likely to have success on the final climb. So will the leader attack?

It's going to be another stage that probably leaves more questions than answers. But in keeping with this wonderful race there is bound to be some serious action along the way.

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 18 Preview

STAGE 18 is the first of three major climbing days, which will decide the winner of the Tour of Spain.

Time is running out for people to attack current race leader Vincenzo Nibali although Monday will have given them all a lot more confidence.

The race is now arguably between four men. Nibali, Chris Horner, Alejandro Valverde and Joaquin Rodriguez.

Two minutes 29 seconds separate the quartet with Horner now just 28 seconds adrift.

With time bonuses on the line can these four allow a breakaway to get too far up the road.

The stage is a total of 186.5km long and travels northwards from Burgos to Pena Cabarga.

It takes in four categorised climbs. The first three are 3rd Cat, the Alto de Bocos (3km long & 6.6%), Alto Estacas de Trueba (10.9km & 3.2%) and Puerto de la Braguia (6.1km & 6.3%).

The next up is the second category Alto del Caracol, 10.6km and 5.6%.

They will be perfect places to soften up the field and for the challengers to try and isolate Nibali from his Astana team.

However the decisive moves should all come on the final climb.

At 5.9km long it doesn't sound too bad until you look at the gradients that it will tackle.

An average of 9.2% it only has around 1km where the gradient drops below this. And as the riders head under the red kite it maxes out at 20%.

All four are more than capable of handling that type of gradient but for me Rodriguez looks the strongest right now.

He has a habit of riding himself into a tour and he seems to be doing so again. He also has the most time to claw back so I imagine he will be very active on the climb.

If the four look at each other and ignore everyone else then look to the likes of Nico Roche, Domenico Pozzovivo, Thibault Pinot and Leopold Konig could all be involved.

But the top four will want the time bonuses. And if that is the case look to Purito to steal the day.

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 17 Preview

REST day over and the action continues with what should be the last chance for the sprinters to have their day.

I say should be. It won't.

The route has been so tough, and the Pyrenees in particular were brutal, that the number of quick men still in this race has dwindled considerably.

Michael Matthews is still in as is Maximiliano Richeze and Gianni Meersman but that is about it. Gone are Barry Markus, Geoffrey Soupe, Ramon Sinkledam, Andy Fenn, Baden Cooke, Greg Henderson and Graeme Brown.

It was also very noticeable in previous flat stages that the sprinters teams were struggling to control the race and the opportunists in the field, generally stole their thunder.

And with some teams nowhere near full strength it doesn't look like it will improve.

The rest of the Tour is also going to be decidedly difficult so don't expect the GC boys to want to have anything to do with today. A nice gentle day in the peloton will be their wish so their teams will be on shutdown.

So for the second stage running this has breakaway written all over it.

The route itself is 189km long and runs from Calahorra to Burgos.

Only two 3rd Cat climbs along the way but both out of the way with 50km to go.

The run-in is a bit twisty from about 8km out almost pan flat and if the riders can get navigate through that lot unscathed, the last kilometre is thankfully arrow straight.

I would expect the break to be quite sizeable with all teams trying to get a man away.

It makes picking winner even more difficult than Monday!

In another tour you could bet the house of the likes of Jens Voigt and David Millar being involved. But their not here so who will be?

Because of the two climbs I would expect Nicolas Edet to be there. He currently has a 6 point lead over Daniele Ratto in the Mountains classification so will want to keep that going. Ratto himself may want to get in too if he thinks he can mount a challenge.

Team Sky could look to the likes of Christian Knees, Edvald Boassen-Hagen or Dario Cataldo.

For Garmin who have had a wretched tour so far, it could be Alex Howes or Johan VanSummeren.

Vaconsoleil will proably have both Juan Antonio Flecha and Johnny Hoogerland on full alert.

Christian Meier could be the go-to guy for Orica-Green-Edge while Saxo Bank could have Michael Morkov on the move.

And don't be shocked if Fabian Cancellara wants to play. Although I can't imagine anyone will want to take him along on a breakaway adventure.

I'm not going to pick one but if any of the names above are there then VanSummeren, Flecha and Cataldo will all be capable of springing away in the final few kilometres and staying clear.

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 16 Preview

THE final day in the Pyrenees should be the least arduous of the three. But with the weather and the fatigue that will be setting in that may not be the case.

There are only two climbs for the riders to tackle before the finish, the 3rd category Puerto de la Foradada and the 2nd category Puerto de Cotefablo.

Neither should cause too many problems although they are both longer than usual for a lower category climbs. The Foradada is 5.9km long with an average gradient of 5.9% while the Cotefablo is 12.5km long with 4% average.

Once over these two, and 146.8km since they left the start town of Graus they will hit the final climb of the day up to ski station of Aramon Formigal.

That last climb is the Salent de Gallego, a first cat ascent which lasts for 15.8km and has an average gradient of 4%.

The reason for the low average is after 3km there is a 3km section which is almost flat before it descends for a further 500m.

It does kick up again, with a maximum gradient of 9.5% but it will take a serious attack to hurt most of the big names.

I get the feeling that this could be a day for the breakaway.

So it's pot luck time to try and see who will feature in the escape.

Euskatel will feature, possibly with Egoi Martinez. Others who no longer have GC ambitions will also try and infiltrate. Team Sky may look to Rigoberto Uran or possibly Vasil Kiryienka.

Michele Scarponi has looked quite frisky in recent days for Lampre but if not him they may look to Diego Ulissi. Caja Rural will have David Arroyo or Amets Txurruka.

NetApp-Endura may also be involved, possibly with Bartosz Huzarski.

For me though I would look to Belkin and Bauke Mollema in particular. He hasn't had the best of tours and currently finds himself almost an hour behind Vincenzo Nibali.

He is more than capable of going up hills quickly and this could be an ideal day for him.

But who knows with breaks!

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 15 Preview

STAGE 15 keeps us in the Pyrenees as we head out of Andorra, back into Spain before entering France for the day's finish.

It follows an absolutely brutal day today which saw no less than 16 men abandon the race and Vincenzo Nibali increase his advantage to 50 seconds over Chris Horner.

One of the pre-stage favourites Ivan Basso cited hypothermia as his reason for withdrawing and you would be very hard faced to disbelieve him.

And the bad news for those remaining is the weather doesn't look like getting any better.

Tomorrow's finish should cause outbreaks of deja-vu for most cycling fans, especially British ones.

Stage 17 of the 2012 edition of the Tour de France saw Sir Bradley Wiggins cement his position on top of the standings and almost guaranteed him the title, a fact he was well aware of as he crossed the line with a knowing grin.

It is possible just as famous as being the stage that Chris Froome tried to drag his team leader across to the one man who had escaped the Sky duo. For a lot of the climb it seemed as if Froome could catch the escapee and take the day's honours.

However he played the part of loyal domestique and stayed with his team leader, gifting the win to the lone rider.

The winner of that stage is in this years Tour of Spain and will definitely fancy his chances of a repeat. But we'll get to him in a minute.

First up let's get the numbers and details out of the way. At 224.9km (139.7miles) long this is the longest stage in this year's Vuelta.

It takes the field from Andorra to Peyragudes. Four first category climbs, including the summit finish, stand in the way.

The first is the Puerto del Canto. This is the longest climb of the day at 24.4km but has the lowest average gradient at 4.2% and it's maximum is 'just' 10%, again the lowest of the four climbs.

That said it will still be a tough introduction to the days stage, starting as it does just 7km after the start. It won't affect the overall contenders who will want to keep their powder dry until later but it will probably see a sizeable breakaway disappear over the horizon.

The next climb is the Puerto de la Bonaigua, a 20km long slog with an average gradient of 5.5% and a maximum of 12.5%, appearing around halfway up.

From it's summit there are still 124km to race so don't expect too much action up here from the GC boys.

However once we hit the town of Mauleon Bauresse with 51km to go that could all change.

It is from this point the route mirrors that of the 2012 Tour and it also signifies the start of the Port de Bales.

The Bales climbs for 19.2km and has an average gradient of 6.2%. It actually starts off fairly serenely and the first 8km only average around 3%. From that point though it rarely drops below 8%, with it's maximum of 10.5% coming with around 3km to go to the summit.

The last climb is more or less just the Col de Peyresourde with a small descent followed by the last slog up to Peyragudes.

It is a total of 16.7km in length but only has an average gradient of 4.7%. However this is due entirely to the 2km of descending.

The Col de Peyresourde is 10km long and has an average gradient of around 7.5%. It's maximum gradient is 13.3% and is sure to be a test.

The last ramp up to Peyragudes is only around 3km long but it's average is 6.7% and has a maximum ramp of 11.7%.

The descent in the middle will play into the hands of Nibali. He is excellent when the road points down over and depending on how the stage is going could well use this, or the kilometre before it, as his springboard to get away.

The likes of Nico Roche and Joaquin Rodriguez should be able to keep him in view here so it will be up to the lighter climbers, the Chris Horner's and Domenico Pozzovivo's of this world, to attack on the steeper uphill sections.

And as I mentioned yesterday Euskatel will do something with any of their big hitters to the fore.

Four outsiders look towards the Colombian trio of Carlos Alberto Betancur of AG2R and Sergio Henao or Rigoberto Uran of Team Sky. All haven't been in the best of form recently but may see this as a chance to steal the glory.

However my favourite is the man who escaped the clutches of Wiggins and Froome in 2012.

Alejandro Valverde.

He will be able to match both the climbers and Nibali on both the ascents and descents. That victory in 2012 gave him so much self belief and was the catalyst for an upturn in fortunes and I believe it will act as a spur here again.

Movistar will also be keen to record a victory as they have yet to taste success so far in this Vuelta. And with the likes of Eros Capecchi, Benat Intauxsti and Sylvester Szmyd in their ranks, expect them to try and set something up.

If the weather doesn't beat them all.

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 14 Preview

THOSE people who watched the Tour de France this year will remember stage 8 and the first entry into the Pyrenees.

It saw Chris Froome and Team Sky destroy their opposition and ultimately set up his overall victory in Paris two weeks later.

Tomorrow sees the Vuelta a Espana enter the big mountain chain. And all expectations are it could be equally as explosive.

Stage 14 takes the riders from Baga and into Andorra, finishing 155.7km later on top of the Collada de la Gallina.

Along the route there are three climbs to overcome before the final dash up the category 1 Gallina.

First up is the familiar Port de Envalira. The hors categorie (HC) climb has figured many times in both Le Tour and the Vuelta. It was last used in 2009 at the beginning of a stage and fittingly it was Sandy Casar who crested it first, the Frenchman having just announced his retirement from the sport yesterday.

The last time it was used in the Vuelta was in 2003 as a stage finish and it was Alejandro Valverde had his hands raised in triumph that time, as he headed towards an overall third position.

The climb is a whopping 26.7km long with an average gradient of 5.2%. Now that might not seem a lot but if hits ramps of 9-10% in the opening 3km and maxes out at 15% towards the top.

It's summit here is 68.4km from the finish and so won't decide the stage outcome but it will begin the big thinning out of the peloton.

The descent off the Envalira takes us to within 47km off the line but there are still two category 2 climbs to come.

The first is the Coll de Ordino which is 8.8km and has an average gradient of 4.9%. The second is the Alto de la Comella, shorter at 4km but slightly more difficult at 5%.

Neither will split the field asunder but if the pace is kept high it will not only discourage attacks but also shell a few more out the back.

Once off the Comella there is only a short run through the valley before starting the final ascent.

The Gallina is 7.2km long but has an average gradient of 8%. It has a section in the middle which hits 15% while the final two kilometres hit 9% rising to 10%.

It will mean a tough run to the line and throws up many alternative winners.

Chris Horner has looked very strong on the climbs so far and I'm sure he will want to win the jersey back. Expect an attack at some point.

Vincenzo Nibali currently has that jersey and will want to defend it. He left his run a little too late to close down Horner on stage 10 and won't want to make that mistake again.

The two other big Spaniards may fancy their chances also. Valverde will like this finish although he may also have an eye on Sunday's stage.

Joaquin Rodriguez has the comfort of a 2.33 deficit to Nibali and this mean the top four riders may not respond as quickly if he attacked. If can get a gap he could be gone for the win. However he hasn't looked in the best of form recently but on his day, he would be the favourite.

Nico Roche has been exceptional so far and is definitely having his best ever grand tour. He should be able to hold the others to a fairly reasonable gap but I can't see him challenging for the stage win.

Of the others, well look no further than Euskatel. This is their territory but following the takeover by F1 world champion Fernando Alonso they will be losing their Basque persona.

I'm sure the Basque fans will continue to support them as vociferously as before but I'm also sure the team will want to put on a show. Expect at least one in the break and if one of (if not all) of Igor Anton, Mikel Nieve and Sammy Sanchez don't appear at the head of affairs I will be most surprised!

Before the tour started I would have said David Arroyo would have been on the offensive in the mountains but he hasn't looked at his best so far. Don't count him out though.

Domenico Pozzovivo was amazing in the time trial and is more than suited to these type of steep climbs.  Has a chance.

Ivan Basso has looked really good as well in recent mountainous days. Can this be the day he makes an attack stick? He certainly will attack so why not.

Finally Carlos Alberto Betancur would have been a favourite for the Tour and this stage. But illness and a lack of competition put paid to that before it started. He will be getting better so expect at least one showing in the last week. The question is when. And why not today?

Lots of opportunities for a lot of riders. Whatever happens it will be exciting. You want me to pick one? I was afraid of that!

Joaquin Rodriguez then.

That's the mockers put on him!

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 13 Preview

TODAY was meant to be a day for the big bunch sprint and so it proved with Philippe Gilbert denying my pick, Edvald Boassen-Hagen.

Tomorrow however shouldn't see many of the quick men at the finish.

Starting at the town of Valls the riders will travel 169km in total to Castelldefels, just south of Barcelona.

The parcours will actually see the peloton roll through the finishing town after 108.7km. But it is the remaining 60km which will seal the fate of the sprinters.

There are two climbs en route, the first is the Coll de la Torreta, a 3rd category climb which starts just 13km into the stage.

At 10km long and with an average gradient of 5.8% it will be bit of a wake up call to the peloton but won't be hard enough, and comes way too early in the stage, to decide the destiny of the stage win.

It could well decide the make-up of the days break however.

The second climb will play a huge part in the outcome of the day.

The wonderfully named Alto del Rat Penat appears in front of the field with 54km to go. It is a mere 4.5km long and because of this it is only classed as a first category climb.

It's gradient however will strike fear into some. It has an average of 10.6% and hits ramps of between 14% and 16% in the middle two kilometres.

That will be more than enough to send the sprinters scurrying into the safety of the 'bus' and will see a very reduced field cross it's summit.

Expect attacks here. The likes of David Arroyo of Caja Rural and any of the Euskatel riders although Igor Anton seems the one with the most attacking intent so far in this race.

The big favourites will know there is a long run to the finish and with the race heading into the Pyrenees on Saturday they may not want to expend too much energy.

If one of them starts to suffer though, that could change.

The road then heads steadily downwards as we head back to the coast and Castellfedels. It may allow some to get back on and anyone with a half decent sprint may find themselves favourite for the win.

Into this bracket would be the likes of Gianni Meersman, Dominik Nerz and Reinhardt Janse van Renesburg.

The final few kilometres are along the sea front and so wind may be a factor, although current forecasts suggest only a slight breeze.

With 3km to go the road swings inland, past the 1992 Olympic Rowing strip and towards the final 300m.

I mention the final 300m for two reasons. One there is another roundabout to cross and once you have the road kicks up, not massively but enough to dull the legs.

It's going to be a fascinating stage and is really difficult to pick a winner.

I think there might be bid by someone like Alejandro Valverde. With bonus seconds on the line he may see this as an opportunity to win back some time on Vincenzo Nibali and the likes. Same applies for Nico Roche.

Don't be surprised to see the likes of Tony Martin or Fabian Cancellara contesting the finish. Martin had a little go today and they may see this stage as a chance to test their legs one more time prior to the world championships. Both will be dropped on the climb but both will be more than able to get back on.

Even prior to his win today my pick for the day would have been, and still is, the current world champion  Gilbert. He hasn't had the best of years in the rainbow bands but there were signs he was improving before he unleashed that wonderful sprint today.

He was pipped to the line on stage 7 and this finish will suit him as today's did. If he can get over the climb in a fairly good position and then get himself into a good group, he could easily make it back on and spring a double celebration.

In fact don't be surprised if his major challenger may be the man he defeated today, EBH. It's definitely coming for Eddie and if he can use today's disappointment as motivation, then he will be close again.

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 12 Preview

" I DON'T expect him to lose the leaders jersey however".

So spoke this 'oracle' about today's stage. Chris Horner actually produced a decent ride yet Vincenzo Nibali produced a even better one.

Nico Roche was also impressive but probably the star of the stage was the diminutive Domenico Pozzovivo who produced an absolutely sensational and still somewhat unbelievable ride to finish third on the stage.

It means the time gaps covering the top 10 is now 3.56. However the top four are separated by just 46 seconds.

But this time I'm going to say it. The leaders jersey should not change hands tomorrow. And that's because of one thing. One big, imposing, colossal thing. 

The Pyrenees.

Saturday sees the first foray into the famous mountain chain and with that in mind the organisers, for once, have been relatively kind to the peloton.

Stage 12 is a straight run to the Mediterranean. We start in inland at Maella before travelling 164.2km to Tarragona, just 100km south of Barcelona, where we head tomorrow.

There is just one climb along the route, the 3rd Cat Alto del Collet, a 7.5km climb which rises 275m at an average gradient of 3.6%.

It's summit is still 73.7km from the finish and with nothing between it and there, other than two sprint points, it should mean another bunch sprint and a day off for the GC riders, if such things actually exist in this Vuelta.

Because the route drops towards the sea it should mean a quick stage and the opening hour could be interesting as the 'right' break tries to get away.

I've predicted bunch sprints before only to see someone jump clear and deny them their day.

The run in does have a couple of tricky corners. With 1.5km to go there is a sweeping left hand hairpin followed by a tight left 90 degree corner just under the flamme rouge.

And with around 300m to go there is a roundabout which while not a tight bend will still cause some problems.

It's going to be require someone to be a little bit brave as they are going to have to be towards the front from the last 2km at least.

Michael Matthews has been the quickest around and with some sprinters having already gone home, he will go into this stage as favourite.

Again the likes of Lampre's Maximiliano Richeze and Omega-Pharma-Quicksteps Gianni Meersman should make top 10 without too much problems.

Also look out for the likes of Geoffrey Soupe, Tyler Farrar and Ramon Sinkledam from Argos-Shimano.

However I'm going to go for Edvald Boassen-Hagen.

Now I know that may seem like a strange choice. He hasn't been having an impressive tour so far considering he left the Tour de France early due to an injury.

He hasn't achieved a top 5 in a sprint yet either and today's TT wasn't up to his usual high standard. But I do think that on a day like tomorrow he could produce a strong enough effort to snatch a good result.

But then I was wrong today!

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 11 Preview

FIRTSLY, an apology. Totally mixed up when the rest day was and missed Stage 10's preview up a savagely steep final climb.

If it's any consolation I'd have probably gone for a Domenico Pozzovivo type and certainly wouldn't have picked eventual winner and new leader of the Tour Chris Horner.

Horner's ride has stretched the time gaps at the top. Prior to stage 10 the top ten was separated by 1.25. They are now covered by 3.28.

Two former Vincenzo Nibali is second at 43 seconds with Nico Roche third at 53 seconds.

It means that stage 11 will need to be pivotal for some, as it seems every stage so far has been.

Wednesday's stage is an Individual Time Trial, totalling 38.8km in length, and including the 3rd category Alto del Moncayo.

It should alter the overall standings once more as those riders who aren't pure climbers try to steal back some more time.

Nibali and Alejandro Valverde should be able to produce good rides as should ninth place Rafal Majka. All will be towards the top of the day's rankings.

Joaquin Rodriguez and Roche will see this as a chance to cement their

Roche has been particularly impressive during this Vuelta and is perhaps showing the grand tour form that a lot of people have expected from him. His time trialing ability has often been his Achilles heel so the climb should help him out.

Rodriguez though should be the big favourite from those in the top five and at 1.40 behind Horner he needs to put in a good ride.

Horner has been outstanding so far in this race and while he can produce a decent TT, he will need to tap into that top form if he is to limit his losses. I don't expect him to lose the leaders jersey however.

Outside of the top GC boys those looking for the stage win should be the likes of Janez Brajkovic, Roman Kreuziger and Sammy Sanchez.

Other outsiders would include the BMC pair of Marco Pinotti and Dominik Nerz and Lieuwe Westra of Vaconsoleil. All three have had indifferent form recently but are more than capable of doing something here.

It would also be remiss to not mention Fabian Cancellara and Tony Martin when taking about an individual time trial.

World Champion Martin put in that sensational effort on stage five as a test for the upcoming defence of his title. On that form alone he looks in tip-top condition. Spartacus is also aiming for a world title although he has his eyes on the road race rather than the test against the clock. This would be a perfect test for him to judge his form.

It has been a fantastic tour for the fans to watch so far and I can't see the twists and turns stopping here.

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 9 Preview

STAGE nine is classed as a medium mountain stage. But the last kilometre will see gradients as high as most climbs across the entire Vuelta.

The stage itself is one of the shorter ones, at just 163.7km long, so could be one of the quicker ones. It takes the riders from Antequera to Valdepenas de Jaen and only crosses one categorised climb, the category 2 Alto de los Frailes.

That climb is around 6km long and averages in the region of 5.5% to 6%.

It is a steady climb and with it's summit just 16.2km from the finish it is the perfect place to soften the peloton up at the very least.

The descent is fairly quick without too many technical sections so anyone who can descend well will be able to put some under a whole lot of pressure.

One man who can descend well is Vincenzo Nibali. I wouldn't imagine he will put too much hurt on the other favourites but he will be at the front of them all come the final slog up Valdepenas.

Having said that he didn't look good up the final part of today's climb, although there were reports of a slipped chain which hindered his progress.

The last 2km sees the road climb at an average of 6% but with the final kilometre hitting parts above 10%.

It is a finish which shares a lot of characteristics to those in Belgium and Holland and that are seen along the route of some of the Northern Classics like Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Tour of Flanders.

Nibali will be a very good bet for this stage as would the Colombian pairing of Carlos Betancur and Sergio Henao.

Joaquin Rodriguez and Roman Kreuziger are another two who have both been victorious in the Spring Monuments and will like the look of this finish. Kreuziger though wasn't comfortable today and unless he was taking it easy he may not be up for this.

For outsiders the two contested the finish a few days ago, World Champion Phillipe Gilbert and Zdenek Stybar are both more than capable of doing something here as is Nicolas Roche.

Roche took the red jersey today after a superb effort to latch on to the Ivan Basso attack. He has looked in the best form of his career and after promising so much in grand tours over the last few years could this be the time he actually delivers?

I get the feeling though that a breakaway may contest the finish today. Always hard to predict who will manage to get in there but riders from Vaconsoleil (maybe Tomasz Marcynski) and Euskatel (Igor Anton or Egoi Martinez?) will want to be part of it and Caja-Rural will always look to put somebody in there.

It is another stage which won't decide the destiny of this Vuelta. But it will put the hurt on a lot of riders. And that could be crucial come the last week.

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 8 Preview

STAGE Eight sees the focus switch from the sprinters back to the overall contenders.

The riders will travel a total of 166.6km from Jerez de la Frontera to Estepona - Alto Penas Blancas.

The climb up to the finish climbs 960m at an average gradient of 6.6% although after 2km it maxes out at a gradient of 12.5%.

It does level out somewhat after this but the final 8km has an average gradient of 7.8%. And it climbs for the last 5km at an average gradient of 6%.

It means that if one team can get the speed high and keep it at that level, then it will be a very reduced peloton.

Movistar are the obvious team to do this. They have brought a squad filled with climbing super-domestiques, the likes of Sylvester Szmyd, Eros Capecchi and Pablo Lastras.

They should be able to keep the speed up to allow Alejandro Valverde to make his move.

The problem will be how many of his rivals will they get rid of.

Vincenzo Nibali should be able to stay with them. Joaquin Rodriguez should also manage to handle the intensity. However after that it depends on how much people have recovered.

The likes of Sammy Sanchez, Sergio Henao and Carlos Betancur have all been suffering with various ailments. Henao blamed stage two's travails on the 'knock'. Betancur has been ill and not raced since the Giro. Sanchez is another that hasn't raced much and is struggling for form.

But they have now had a week to recover and have the ability for certain to be close.

It will be very interesting to see how the Saxo-Tinkoff trio of Nicolas Roche, Roman Kreuziger and Rafal Majka go. All three, and Roche in particular, have looked very good so far. Roche is having his best tour of his life and this may not be the stage he struggles on.

Others to look out for are Euskatel's Mikel Nieve, who may be heading towards the leadership of his team, and Caja-Rural's David Arroyo. This shouldn't be the stage where we see them make their big moves but if they are there for the finish, expect them to have a go for the stage win.

Belkin's Laurens Ten Dam, by his own admission, found the opening climb tough. He has been coming into form so may look at this as being a stage to go for.

Lesser names to look out for are Domenico Pozzovivo and Ivan Santaromita.

But for outsiders look towards the Sky duo of Henao and Rigoberto Uran. The younger Colombian lost a lot of time of stage two and is now in 41st position, 2.59 behind Nibali. His more experienced team mate has taken the de-facto leadership of Team Sky and sits 7th, just 28 seconds behind. If anybody wants to disrupt Movistar's train then these two could be the ones to do it.

Expect Henao to go and if he gets caught close to the line, expect Uran to jump and go for the win.

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 7 Preview

ONE thing we haven't seen a lot of in this Vuelta has been crashes.

Now don't get me wrong. Of course that's a good thing! But it is very rare for a grand tour to be without pile-ups and for pictures of various riders sporting 'road rash' to be seen.

This stage could change that.

The route itself is another one which should end up in a cavalry charge from the bunch and the sprinters taking the honours.

It is 205.9km long and heads to Andalusia, travelling from Almendralejo to Mairena del Aljarafe, a small town just outside of Seville.

Again there is no categorised climbs along the route and nothing that should prevent the peloton arriving into the last 5km together.

But it is that last 5km which will be crucial.

Just under the 5km to go banner there is a right hand bend followed by a full 360 around a roundabout. 

A number of roundabouts will follow before a 90 degree left hand turn with 2.5km to go.

Another 90 degree turn happens with 1.5km to go with a final sweeping bend with 800m to go.

Positioning will be vital, not just for the sprinters teams but also for the overall GC riders who will want to stay out of trouble.

This will create plenty of nerves and I think it will be very surprising if everyone gets through unscathed.

But if fate is kind then we will be in for another sprint and the last one for a week.

Maximiliano Richeze took second again for the second successive stage and has been impressive so far in this tour. Can he finally go one better tomorrow?

Michael Matthews has been the quickest sprinter this week but his chaotic lead-out could only bring him sixth today. Expect better tomorrow.

Tyler Farrar did well today and finished fourth. His lead-out looked a little bit more organised and he has the speed so he could end up top five again at least.

Gianni Meersman ended eighth today but considering team tactics that may not be a bad result. Another who should expect better tomorrow and at least a top 10 finish.

I did speculate that a break may make it all the way today, although I didn't expect such a move and such an effort by Tony Martin. With the mountains appearing again on Saturday the favourites will not want to over exert themselves so I don't imagine an escape succeeding today.

But then successes tomorrow may just be returning in one piece.

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 6 Preview

AFTER a very tough opening to this years Vuelta a Espana, the overall contenders can definitely have a quiet day today.

Stage six will follow the usual fare for an opening week grand tour stage.

It's 175km long and takes the riders along the western edge of Spain from Guijuelo to Caceres.

No categorised climbs either to tax the field so expect the usual structure of breakaway followed by chase and catch as the sprinters look to take the honours.

The finish is slightly uphill so if it does come down to a bunch sprint it will be one more suited for the stronger sprinter.

It is also a tight and twisty finish with a number of 90 degree corners and roundabouts to deal with.

The final 90 degree bend comes with about 600m to go so it will be important to be in a good position coming out of it. Again being in the first half dozen places or so will be vital.

Favourites are pretty much the same names as mentioned yesterday.

Omega-Pharma-Quickstep will look to Gianni Meersman while others will be Tyler Farrar, Anthony Roux, Nikias Arndt and Edvald Boassen-Hagen.

Today's winner though probably tops the list. Michael Matthews has looked the fastest in the peloton so far and all things being equal should take another win tomorrow.

However there is the possibility that a break may make it all the way. Astana just have to keep the break in check, it will be up to the sprinters teams to get organised and finish the job off.

OPQS have experience of leading a charging peloton and if they feel Gianni Meersman has a chance they will be able to bring things back together.

But if they think it is a forlorn task then responsibility will fall elsewhere and there doesn't seem to be many who will want to take up the mantle. Garmin-Sharp maybe but that will depend on the legs of Farrar.

Sky have the firepower but will they want to save some legs for the big mountain stages?

If it does come back together though and you want an outsider then look to Maximiliano Richeze of Lampre. The Argentinian took second place today and may be able to do enough to upset the favourites.

Vuelta a Espana 2013: Stage 5 Preview

FINALLY!

After four very difficult opening days the day that all sprinters have wanted has finally arrived.

Usually the start of a grand tour is recognisable from the number of flat, sprinters stages.

This year's Tour of Spain has been different. The uphill finishes have meant the pure sprinters have had to disappear into the safety of the autobus while they waited for their time to shine.

Tomorrow should see them spread their wings and fly.

I say should as although the race book says it is a flat stage, it isn't exactly pan flat.

From the start in the beautifully named town of Sober the route races 174.3km to the Lago de Sanabria. Along the way the route crosses two Cat 3 climbs, topping out 1,030m higher than the start town before finishing 720m above Sober.

The climbs of Alto de Cavela and Alto de Padornello may see one or two drop of the back but with 31km to go from the final summit to the finish line, they shouldn't be enough to destroy the chances of the quick men.

This Vuelta does not have the likes of Mark Cavendish or Marcel Kittel in the peloton. So the victory on this stage should go to one of the lesser lights.

My favourite yesterday was Omega-Pharma-Quickstep's Gianni Meersman. He ended up finishing fourth and despite his quickness he isn't fast enough to pip the real big sprinters. If the big boys don't make it over the climbs however Meersman could be the man. Whatever happens expect a top 10 finish.

The Belgian was beaten across the line by Michael Matthews of Orica-Greenedge today and the Aussie is another who should be guaranteed a top 10 finish tomorrow. He will definitely be able to get over the climbs and his 'victory' over Meersman will give him confident.

The real quick men in this tour are the likes of Garmin-Sharp's Tyler Farrar and FDJ's Geoffrey Soupe. Both have the ability to be there at the finish but neither have shown a lot of form recently.

There are two outsiders for the stage in my eyes.

The first is Vanconsoleil's Barry Markus. All of the Dutch squad are looking for rides next year as the sponsor is pulling out of cycling. Markus is one they could benefit from both the lack of the real quick men and that desire to do well.

The second 'outsider' isn't one that would normally fall into the category.

Sky's Edvald Boassen Hagen crashed out of the this year's Tour and is using this race as a reintroduction to the pro peloton. His form is therefore a subject for debate. Even before the crash he wasn't in the best of shape and results haven't gone his way.

However a sixth place today may indicate a return to better fortune so do not write him off.

One thing that shouldn't happen today is a change in the race leader.

But I said that today and a small split in the front group meant Chris Horner's tenure in red was short-lived. Vincnezo Nibali is now back in the leader's jersey and all things considered, he should not let it go for a little while.

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 4 Preview

AFTER three tough days the organisers of this years Vuelta seem to have gone easy with stage four. In the roadbook it has this stage classified as flat.

But as we know from experience 'on paper' doesn't always match reality.

The stage marks the last day in Galicia and starting from the town of Lalin it will travel 189km to Finisterra. It's name comes from the Latin 'finis terrae' meaning end of the world. And that gives you a clue as to the locale of the finish line.

Sitting on top a rocky outcrop sticking out into the Atlantic, the final 2.5km will see the riders climb almost 100m up another narrow road.

There should be a fairly reduced peloton even by the bottom of the climb as a third category climb just 36km from the end should send a few riders out the back door.

As far as the stage win goes though it will be those last few kilometres which will de the key.

Speeds will be high on the run in and as the course hugs the coast, any crosswind could split the field.

For me this has Gianni Meersman written all over it. He can get over the lumpy stuff and has the speed to vanquish most of the others. The big question is whether OPQS can deliver him into a good position.

The stage itself is also not enough to challenge the main contenders and won't result in big time gaps.

However with the time bonuses that are available in this years tour it is possible the red jersey may change hands again.

Chris Horner took the jersey from Vincenzo Nibali following a well timed attack today and those extra seconds on offer over the line.

Bonus seconds are available for those crossing in the top three places. With 10 seconds on offer to the winner the likes of Alejandro Valverde and Joaquin Rodriguez could see this as the last chance until the weekend to reduce the deficit to Nibali, who despite losing the jersey today remains the de facto leader of this Tour.

Movistar have been the biggest aggressors in keeping the pace high in the peloton but RadioShack should help in that respect tomorrow.

For the outsiders look towards Argos-Shimano's Micheal Matthews or Simon Gerrans. Neither have been in great form but this finish may be ideal for them.

And if RadioShack don't have to put too much into any chase of the breakaway there is a chance Ben Hermans may be up there,

Final outsider is Belkin's Luis Leon Sanchez. After a difficult season he finished 17th yesterday and he will like the look of this finish.

It's warming up in Spain and I don't just mean the temperatures!

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 3 Preview

STAGE 2 answered a few of the questions about who is or isn't in form.

And in the case of Sammy Sanchez and Sergio Henao the answer is clearly that they are not in form.

Both were distanced on the final climb and rolled in 2.41 behind stage winner Nicolas Roche.

As it is still so early in the race neither man can be considered out of contention for the overall win but both now find themselves in the 'very unlikely' category.

Another Colombian Carlos Alberto Betancur finished in the 'bus' losing just under 10 minutes, proving that, as expected, the illness and lack of racing means he will not be a contender for the overall victory.

They will hope for a quiet day hidden in the peloton as they lick their wounds and try to regain some form.

And for the most part they should find it. Stage three runs 184.8km  from Vigo to Mirador de Lobiera and follows a fairly flattish route around Galicia.

The finish however takes the riders up a cat 3 climb starting around 4km from the finish.

Their are a couple of tricky bends just before the finish which people will want to get into first.

It is very similar finish to what you find in most classic races in Northern Europe, maybe without the extreme steepness.

It will lend itself to the opportunists and classic riders as well as those sprinters who can go up hill fairly well.

This would mean the likes of Gianni Meersman of Omega-Pharma-Quickstep and Janse van Renesburg of Argos-Shimano.

Both finished in the bus today but both will have had one eye on tomorrow.

From the classic riders point of view there are a few potential winners, including the new race leader.

If it was a bad day for Sanchez and Henao then it was a good day for Vincenzo Nibali who has inherited the leaders red jersey from his team mate Janez Brajkovic.

The Italian finished in the front group and now leads Roche by 8 seconds.

Tomorrow's finish would normally be ideal for a rider like him. However he may be more content with just shadowing his rivals, people like Alejandro Valverde who is also suited to this type of finish. 

Saxo Tinkoff will look to make it two wins from two as Chris Anker Sorensen is more than capable of jumping away here. If not Chris Anker then look to young Pole Rafal Majka.

But for a bit of outsider I quite like the look of BMC pair Ivan Santoromita and Dominik Nerz. The finish does suit someone outside of the main contenders so Nerz, who is quick and can get up a climb, should be near the front.

If not Nerz then his Italian team mate Santoromita may get the nod. He will like this finish and finished comfortably in the main group today. Not a major challenger of Nibali yet so may be given a small amount of freedom.

It shouldn't see a change in the leaders jersey unless Astana want to give it away. If they do then a break has a chance of making it.

Mind I could be way out as, much like the riders, I am just finding my feet in this Tour!

Vuelta a Espana 2013 : Stage 2 Preview

THERE is definitely no gradual riding yourself in to this Tour, as stage two shows.

It's 177.7km from Pontevedra to Baiona Alto Do Monte Da Groba. For 167km it seems like a standard opening stage of any grand tour. An inevitable break will go up the road but be reeled in before the finish.

Along the way there is one 3rd category climb to overcome which has it's summit over 100km from the finish.

However it is the final 10km which will prove to be crucial.

The climb of Alto do Monte da Groba rises 620m at an average gradient 5.6% although it does reach a maximum gradient of 10%.

It could go one of two ways.

The first scenario is the big favourites may want to test each other out and gain as much time as possible over the others.

The second option is that nobody will want to lose too much time so it may be a case of everybody just looks at each other and doesn't attack until the stage victory is in sight.

Either way it will still be a reduced peloton that crosses the line.

The opening TTT has thrown up few surprises.

Astana, and Vincenzo Nibali in particular, were the big winners, taking the stage and opening some big gaps on the rest.

He now has 22 seconds lead over Sergio Henao, 29 seconds over Alejandro Valverde, 32 seconds over Roman Kreuziger and a whopping 59 seconds over Joaquin Rodriguez.

Others fared even worse. The Euskatal trio of Mikel Nieve, Sammy Sanchez and Igor Anton find themselves 1.14 down and Dan Martin of Garmin is already 1.41 back.

I can imagine Astana trying to keep the jersey for the moment. Janez Brajkovic is more the capable of recording a good ride overall and they won't want to surrender their well earned advantage,

I also imagine it will be tough for some to break clear and be allowed to stay there. One man who might is David Arroyo of Caja Rural. The small Spanish side will be active on most days as they attempt to get their name of TV as much as possible.

But in Arroyo they have a man who is more than capable of making the top 10 and even higher. Be warned. His is a name I will mention a lot during this tour as there is definitely a stage win somewhere along the line with his name on!

However he might be a little high profile to be allowed to get away so easily. In which case look to team mate Amets Txurruka as a potential winner of this stage. A good climber he will be on the break at least once and this stage could be made for him.

But it is still more likely to be one of the big guns who takes the honours. So Valverde, Rodriguez or Henao could be the ones with their arms aloft by the end.

Still so much racing ahead and still so many questions unanswered. Enjoy it though!

Vuelta a Espana - Stage 1 & Overall Preview

Just five weeks after Chris Froome raised his arms in triumph on the Champs-Elysees, the final grand tour of the year kicks off in the North West corner of Spain.

The Vuelta a Espana is probably the lesser of the three grand tours but it is possibly the toughest. Where the Tour de France had seven flat stages, the Vuelta has only six. 11 medium & high mountain stages in France are replaced by 13 in Spain.

The Vuelta will also see 39 mountain passes including some like the Alto de L'Angrilu, a 12.2 km long climb with an average gradient of 10.2% and a staggering maximum of 23.5%.

All in all it means a hard, tough but wide open race.

Giro d'Italia winner Vincenzo Nibali leads the potential winners but has company in the likes of Alejandro Valverde, Joaquin Rodriguez, Sammy Sanchez, Carlos Betancur and Sergio Henao.

This is by no means an exhaustive list because the likes of Domenico Pozzovivo, Rigoberto Uran, Mikel Nieve, Igor Anton, Jacob Fuglsang, Bauke Mollema, Laurens Ten Dam, David Arroyo, Ivan Basso, Thibault Pinot, Dan Martin, Michele Scarponi, Roman Kreuziger and Rafal Majka are all more than capable of recording a top 10 place, or higher.

A lot will depend on riders form. Some like Valverde and Rodriguez have come out of the Tour so questions exist in whether they have kept their fitness up. Others like Betancur and Nibali haven't raced much, or in Betancur's case at all, since the Giro so may be a little race rusty to begin with.

As I sit here now I cannot pick a winner, it is that open.

It is possibly why the organisers have thrown a difficult start at the peloton. The first chance for the sprinters doesn't appear until stage six. There are summit finishes which should stretch the time gaps out and give the GC guys plenty to aim at.

It all starts though with an evening Team Time Trial over 27.4km. Last year Movistar took the honours and have come to the Vuelta with a very strong team so it would be a massive surprise to see them out of the top three.

Other potential winners will be Garmin-Sharp and Orica Green-Edge who shocked everyone by winning the TTT in the Tour.

For me though Team Saxo Tinkoff look like the boys to beat. Kreuziger, Majka, have also got a strong team behind them with the likes of Nicolas Roche, Chris Anker-Sorensen and Nicki Sorensen and should put in a very strong performance.

It will be an interesting start to what should be a fascinating tour.