Caretaker

Stage 9

Moncoutie takes over the kom jersey. Great ride by Peraud takes him to 5th. Big crowds, great racing.

Everything seems to have gone quiet here. Has Universal Sports crashed?

rogwilco

I've watched it occasionally, but I have to admit I'm not a big Vuelta fan; those monotonous desert landscapes, endless highways with really nothing happening at all for hours. I tried getting into it, but I haven't really succeded so far.

TommyL

I went up to 15 thanks to Joaquin, but Anton is killing me. Now I'm 33rd. I'd be right up there if Rodriguez would just get the second! Oh well, it has sure been an exciting Vuelta so far.

It's funny, people say the Vuelta isn't as competitive, but if I can enjoy the competition of ToC, I can certainly enjoy this!

Kayce

I thought today's stage was the most boring of the entire vuelta. Still better than 2/3 of this years tour. But not as exciting as it has been.

Caretaker

Yes, I know. Really miss those airial shots of French chateux and picturesque villages but I watch on Eurosport and the live coverage is only the last 50km or so and commentary is expert.

VT Biker

I think you are missing out this year. They took a different approach, and more of the stages traverse smaller mountain roads, and they tried to avoid the monotonous desert highway.

Also - the racing has been really exciting this time around. Unlike the Tour, in which the first week is a sprinters parade, they designed each of these stages (well most) to replicate almost one day race course routes, with short, steep hills.

VT Biker

The big question now - can Frank Schleck recover, and can either of the two Americans (Danielson and T-Van) rise up to the challenges of the second week. I would like to see Danielson have one last, good race in his career, and he is in a good position, now that it is clear Van De Velde has no chance.

VT Biker

I think most people have limited experience watching the Vuelta, so are quick to pass on watching it. But the racing has been so much better than the Tour. I honestly cannot take the Tour's committment for putting in so many flat, sprinter stages. At The Vuelta has tried to put in more challenging, intermediate stages this year. The Giro will always be my favorite tour, but I am willing to give the Vuelta a chance to replace the TdF.

OrionKhan

The Vuelta is different from the TdF just like the Giro is different. This year's Vuelta has had some excellent racing. Its pretty wide open right now with no clear cut favorite. The finishes have been great. I think the toughest part for me with watching the Vuelta is that its at the end of a long season. With Universal Sports carrying so many races this season, I've been able to watch more cycling on TV than ever. But football season has started, my kids are in school now, I'm burned out from my own riding. Its hard to stay at peak interest in a sport from March through September especially when the premiere event was two months ago. That's not stopping me from watching though. And I'll watch the world championships. I figure if I stop watching Universal with aire more volleyball or women's rugby.

ScandiHo

A.Schleck and O'Grady kicked out of the Vuelta

News pending...

VT Biker

They had a drink. However, I am conflicted:

A) If Schleck were riding with his own team, and another rider did this, do you think Schleck is going to laugh it off. The fact is, O'Grady and Schleck are not really taking this seriously.

B) But - Schleck is working for his brother, and is really only charged with acting as a domestique, which Andy is clearly capable of doing, even after a drink or two each night.



Riis however needs to keep his team in mind in the future. If this is acceptable now, what about next year when Andy and Frank are gone. Riis needs to set a tone with the new team, and this was clearly an act of disrespect by Andy.

VT Biker

This is my point when people complain about the coverage. Cycling is a niche sport, that without cyclists supporting it from a viewership perspective, will put us back into the dark ages when everything was weeks old, and we would be lucky to get a 1 hour compilation of the action.

guadzilla

Yeah, but the Saxo Bank rules dont say "dont drink, unless you are a domestique who can do his job after a drink or two.". Andy broke the team rules - and one thing you have to be, as boss, is consistent. If he makes an exception for Andy now, what grounds does he have for holding someone else to the rule without looking hypocritical?

Maybe Andy leaving made it a "no brainer" (Saxo isnt putting in any money next year, right? If so, no special need to pander to their interests anymore) - but it was still the right decision.

Rulz is rulz.

V.

collegeskier

Saxo is still the title sponsor next year with Sunguard upgrading its second spot and making the team Saxo-Sunguard. Professional sports is about looking the other way when a star does something. Does it make it right, no but Riis does not need pamper Andy because he is leaving. Andy did not have to worry about angering Riis because he is leaving. How to you keep order, then next time it happens, well next time you finish 2nd in the TDF and then drink during the Vuelta your not trying to win we can talk about what is fair.

In general I think it was stupid to go out on AC and O'Grady's part, but seems extreme to pull them from the Vuelta for it.

OrionKhan

Rolling in a 5 a.m. on race or game day would get just about anybody suspended for that event by the coach/manager regardless of the sport. Andy was over 37 minutes back through 9 stages. I know he had a tough TdF, but at his age, his results here clear indicated he was mailing it in. I know he didn't come to the Vuelta to win, but he hadn't really been putting out for Frank either. Andy seems to think he's a TdF specialist now that only needs to train for that race. That and the all important Luxembourg national title (no offense to the Luxembourgers).

collegeskier

What help has Frank needed? Has there been a critical stage that either Frank or Andy really could have done much on. We have 2 minutes over the first like 10 riders and the first real mountain stage with a selection is tomorrow.

Personally, I think the best punishment would be to make then just drive the peleton the whole day. Sort of mean to everyone else in the field but make two guys that partied all night drive a peleton along, seems like a great punishment to me.

VT Biker

FYI: I was unaware during original post that Andy was out until 5:00 AM. I was under the impression that he merely had a beer or two around dinner.

colombo357

Rules are meant to be broken.

OrionKhan

As you pointed out, there weren't huge mountain stages yet. The point is that, no way should Andy be 37 minutes down by any stretch. Even if the team was set up for Frank this race. Andy was coasting. And based upon him also staying out til 5 a.m., he clearly wasn't serious about being in the Vuelta. Additionally, he was out with another teammate. He was the number 1 rider during the TdF. Andy is supposed to be a leader on the team. How would Andy had felt if a couple of his teammates were out till 5 a.m. drinking during the TdF? I don't think Riis overreacted.

DCnoJ

Agreed. I switch my stance on Riis overacting. And even without any major mountain stages, there were definitely times were Andy could've helped Frank close in on some of the time he was losing on some stages.

bhamlax

I'm not sure why you all are so willing to take Riis at his word, both Andy and Stuart deny being out that late. Riis is a known doper so it's not like his moral rectitude is beyond reproach. That being said rules are rules and kicking them out is his prerogative. I'm betting the rest of the vuelta will continue to be good TV regardless.

collegeskier

Nice finish today. Seems like the potential winners are become more select. Too bad to see Menchov being dropped. Seemed like it must have been a pretty hard day. The Vuelta is shaping up to be more interesting then the Tour I think. Seems pretty open and more attacking. I hope it keeps up. And we finally have a repeat winner. Not bad for variety if nothing else.

rogwilco

Very interesting stage today, I really didn't expect Anton to pull this off - nice pokerface.

Kayce

In my eyes the Vuelta is Anton's to loose. He has been looking good since the start, and was pretty dominant today. He only has 45 seconds on Nibali, but looks to be in much better form. I was very surprised by Tondo, he was only 10 seconds down in the stage and moved up to 1 minute 4 down overall.

Caretaker

Stage 11

I thought the last 5km was very exciting with Nibali and Mosquera attacking then Mosquera dropping Nibali and finally Igor Anton timing his attack beautifully to take the stage and the overall lead. Anton now holds three jerseys, red, green and white.

Great ride by Danielson at +41 and also by Nicolas Roche +51.

Big loser today was Denis Menchov coming in over 5 minutes down on Anton. I think we can safely rule Menchov out for this years Vuelta.