Roadside Vuelta: Ed Hood appears to be like again on the closing stage of the 2012 Vuelta in Madrid. ‘Ultimo kilometro!’ the ‘speaker’ bellows into his mic as up on the massive display screen, De Kort tries to make his legs overlook in regards to the Bola del Mundo. His ‘physique weight over the pedals’ fashion is just like his Capo, John Degenkolb who sits in his slipstream awaiting the conscious second. . .
“I’m by no means happier than after I’m writing.”
~ Ed Hood, as spoken to Martin Williamson from the passenger seat, driving alongside a stage route on the Tour de France.
Expensive Readers – Our beloved colleague and good friend Ed Hood suffered a severe stroke in February. We don’t count on Ed will make it again into our bunch, so we’ve began a GoFundMe web page to assist Ed together with his future. Learn the total publish right here – and please take into account donating.
** Click on this hyperlink to donate to the GoFundMe web page to assist Ed **
We’ll be posting a number of Ed’s work from the previous 16 years, as a result of nice story-telling by no means will get previous.
The timing have to be proper; Viviani is coming, so too are Bennati and Davis – males you’ll be able to’t grant liberties to. However De Kort is operating out of steam and the German can’t wait any longer, we’re at 100 metres to go and he’s already made the transfer, on the market within the wind – ‘Benna’ is on him and Viviani is coming. The Liquigas man is speedy; his pace honed on the observe and he makes floor quickly.
However once more, Degenkolb proves he’s grasp of the lengthy cost as neither Italian can fairly get to him – 5 phases, not a foul Grand Tour for Argos. However we’re forward of ourselves, once more – let’s journey again to this morning.
One of many Covadonga wolves has develop into a Vuelta fan and is down at Cercidella for the beginning of the final stage.
However howling wolves aside, the vibe is laid again in the beginning, Cuitu Negru stage winner Dario Cataldo ambles in to the village, we’re undecided why – there’s no free espresso.
However there are many fairly women – that’ll be it. And with reference to fairly women, the person who’s obtained extra pics of fairly women than I do of six day riders – Al Hamilton, has come to verify that we’re doing a great job.
Not simply consuming native cheese and lingering too lengthy in a wee espresso store in order that we almost get caught behind the race – as if we’d do this!
The vibe is mellow, the solar is scorching because the twenty first and closing stage of the 67th Vuelta a Espana prepares for the gently descending street to Madrid. It’ll be much less mellow for the 9 laps of the Paseo de Castellano because the sprinters have their closing say. Will Degenkolb make it 5 or can Swift save Sky’s Vuelta or Viviani do the identical for Liquigas? We’ll discover out later this afternoon.
The drive into Madrid isn’t essentially the most photogenic and we’re startled to seek out the roads 100% open to visitors with lower than hour ’til race time – I assume we get spoiled at le Tour?
I take a look at AS, the sports activities each day, which headlines, “La Mejor Vuelta De La Historia” – ‘The very best Vuelta in historical past,’ we’ll drink to that. It definitely made the Tour look like a procession; while Rodriguez, Valverde and Contador aren’t males to, ‘accept a podium place.’
They knocked lumps out of one another till the final metres of the Bola del Mundo, yesterday.
We’re on the motorway into Madrid now, but it surely’s closed for the day – simply our Panda and the white line heading for the guts of the town.
As we hit outskirts of the town, the picture ops get higher, wonderful trendy bridges and that factor the Spanish accomplish that nicely the place the previous sits completely with the brand new. Onto the circuit, abandon the automotive and get to work.
Custom has gone out of the window with one side of the Vuelta. Again within the ‘previous days’ after I used to return to Madrid to look at the end of the race; it was the factor for the race chief and his workforce to journey an ‘exhibition’ lap of the circuit earlier than the sprinters obtained severe. I keep in mind gold jerseyed Toni Rominger’s CLAS-Cajastur equipo streaming into the town with Federico Echave on the head of affairs – head band and lengthy hair streaming within the breeze.
Cool.
Not now, a Rabo and a Cofidis are first in to the town, however are quickly to be swallowed, spat and countered by a break of six with Sergei Lagutin giving his all.
They work exhausting previous the fantastic fountains; however we all know that it gained’t finish nicely – I can’t ever keep in mind something besides a mass cost on these lovely boulevards.
But it surely’s a great day for those who’re an Alberto fan – Pinto is the geographic coronary heart of Spain and never removed from Madrid.
In the meantime, we take a look at the Nationwide Library the place they’re celebrating Cervantes, the person who gave us Don Quixote.
The residents of Madrid are among the many greatest learn on the planet – cafe society thrives, with Cafe Gijon a legendary hang-out of poets, writers and artists.
And even the Vuelta 20 metres away can’t tempt some away from their sherry underneath the shelter of the timber.
In the meantime out on the recent tar, the break digs deep as we stroll all the way down to the fantastic constructing that was the publish workplace in Madrid – a beautiful background for footage of fellows on bikes.
Alberto appears to be like relaxed, and the paint job on the Specialised is discreet – we prefer it.
Understated isn’t a phrase which the noble architects of Madrid employed a lot – however underneath the blue, excessive plains sky and with the fountains, the timber and the warmth all of it matches in to the grand scheme of this excellent metropolis.
The laps depend down in the direction of the ‘ultimo vuelta’ as Sky take to the entrance. Deep carbon rims ‘clack’ as chains plonk down onto 11 sprockets and the jet wash off the string is refreshing on the pores and skin. The break has gone – it was all the time doomed.
And it’s all the way down to Argos; Degenkolb will nonetheless be sad that he blew it into Aguilar de Campo the place Bennati beat Swift. Liquigas are in there too, for Viviani – they usually’re studying the exhausting method that similar to the Champs Elysees, this circuit isn’t flat.
Degenkolb delivers, as behind him workforce mate Cheng Ji applauds the win – but it surely’s not simply Degenkolb who deserves it, the entire workforce do.
Alberto Contador cruises in – there’s pleasure, however not a bit of aid as he takes his second Vuelta. The Saxo-Tinkoff boys smile from ear to ear – all that prize cash to share and no tempo to journey, tomorrow.
The final males house are Orica-GreenEDGE’s Mitch Docker and Travis Meyer – a great Vuelta for the Aussies, with Simon Clarke’s stage win and King of the Mountains title.
# That’s Adios from la Vuelta! #
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