14 September 2010

The good thing about the Vuelta

Is that the wealth has been spread around
Have you noticed how many different riders and teams have won of stage of the Vuelta a Espana this year? That is simply good stuff. Because a stage win in a Grand Tour is a really big deal for a cyclist. Here is how it looks right now, and there is more to come.
Stage 1 results TTT
1  Team HTC-Columbia (Mark Cavendish race leader) 
Stage 2 Results 
1  HUTAROVICH, Yauheni (Française des Jeux)
Stage 3 Results
1  GILBERT, Philippe (OmegaPharma - Lotto)
Stage 4 Results
1  ANTON HERNANDEZ, Igor (Euskaltel - Euskadi)
Stage 5 Results
1  FARRAR, Tyler (Garmin - Transitions) 
Stage 6 Results
1  HUSHOVD, Thor (Cervélo Test Team)  
Stage 7 Results
1  PETACCHI, Alessandro (Lampre - Farnese Vini)
Stage 8 Results
1  MONCOUTIE, David (Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne)  
Stage 9 Results
1  LOPEZ GARCIA, David (Caisse d'Epargne)
Stage 10 Results
1  ERVITI OLLO, Imanol (Caisse d'Epargne)  
Stage 11 Results
1  ANTON HERNANDEZ, Igor (Euskaltel - Euskadi) 
Stage 12 Results
1  CAVENDISH, Mark (HTC - Columbia)
Stage 13 Results
1  CAVENDISH, Mark (HTC - Columbia) 
Stage 14 Results
1  RODRIGUEZ OLIVER, Joaquin (Katusha) 
Stage 15 Results 
1  BARREDO LLAMAZALES, Carlos (Quick Step) 
Stage 16 Results
1  NIEVE ITURRALDE, Mikel (Euskaltel - Euskadi) 
All that variety and Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (of Spain) is in the (red) leader's jersey ahead of Vincenzo Nibali (of Italy) by only 33 seconds with the Individaul Time Trial coming up (Nibali is favored), exciting stuff. It is a rest day today. The riders, teams, and fans will return on Wednesday for 5 more stages; finishing this Sunday in Madrid, Spain. 

Ah, Madrid! Tapas, wine, the Prado, Botero (who was Columbian), football and the home country of Rafael Nadal, who yesterday became the 7th man in history to complete the Grand Slam of tennis.