Stage 1 - Pamplona - Team Time Trial (16.5km) Movistar wins; Sky finish 5th @ 12 secs. http://www.cyclingnews.com/vuelta-a-espana/stage-1/results
Wiggins is having a rest, but will ride in the Tour of Britain: Tour de France winner given extended break by Team Sky Bradley Wiggins will return to racing in front of his home fans at the 2012 Tour of Britain, which starts in the East Anglian town of Ipswich on September 9. Wiggins had originally planned to make his comeback at the Tour of Denmark but he has now been given extra time off by Team Sky following his season of unprecendented success. Since winning Paris-Nice in March, Wiggins has also clinched victories at the Tour de Romandie, the Criterium du Dauphine, the Tour de France and the 2012 Olympic time trial. His victory at the Tour, where he became the first Briton to win the coveted yellow jersey, meant that he became the first man in history to win Paris-Nice, Romandie, the Dauphine and the Tour in the same season. "I'm doing the Tour of Britain," Wiggins announced when addressing the crowd and competitors at his "Ride with Brad" sportive in his home county of Lancashire on Sunday morning. "It'll be nice. I'll try to stay fit between now and then so I don't embarrass myself. It'll be good." http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wiggins-to-return-to-racing-at-the-tour-of-britain
An interview with Chris Froome: Briton ready for Vuelta's first summit finish Britain's Chris Froome (Sky) says he is extremely satisfied with Team Sky's opening ride in the Vuelta a España where the team finished fifth,12 seconds after winners Movistar in Saturday night's team time trial. He is now looking forward to the first big mountain stage on Monday. "Considering how we were in Benidorm last year [in the opening team trial of the Vuelta 2011, Sky finished third last. - Ed.], I think we can be very satisfied," Froome told Cyclingnews at the start of Sunday's stage in Pamplona. "It's a vast improvement, and we still managed to get second and third overall [in Madrid] last year. It wold have been really something to win the stage yesterday. We had a great team, but obviously Movistar knew the course back to front, they're the home team. so it's a kind of poetic victory for them. It's also a nice story." Movistar has never won a team time trial in its 30-year history of Grand Tour racing. "For us, the main objective was not to lose any time on the other contenders and to stay upright and we did that, so we're really happy." "I had really good sensations, I don't know how much you can read into that in a 16-kilometre time trial, but I'm really looking forward to the mountains now." Monday's stage to the summit finish at Arrate, he agrees, will be a day where even though it is far too early to see who will be up there for the win, it will definitely be possible to see who of the top favourites is not up for the battle for the overall. "There won't be huge time gaps, but it's definitely one where we don't want to lose too much time. If I'm honest with you, we haven't looked at the finish yet. I've heard a lot about it, but we'll look at it in more detail tomorrow." As for Monday's run to Viana, he said, "Today we'll be looking to see what we can do with Swifty [sprinter Ben Swift]. With the time bonuses, he could even be in the leader's jersey tonight. He's very motivated, in great form, so we'll do the most we can for him and keep myself out of trouble in the final." http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/froome-prepared-to-do-battle-on-arrate
John Degenkolb (Argus-Shimano) won Stage 2 - Pamplona to Viana (181.4km) in a sprint finish. Ben Swift (Sky) was 3rd - at same time. Mountains tomorrow!
Wiggins and Cavendish have today been confirmed as riding for Team Sky next year. Not sure about Froome though.
Wiggins said he'd be prepared to ride for Froome. Cav signed a 3-year contract (for the £?) so - as in football - would have to have his contract bought out. Froome is in a good position - if he doesn't get what he wants from Sky, he'll be open to offers. He's a stronger rider than Wiggy, even if not quite as good at time trials. Another team might build a squad around him.
Stage 3: Faustino V to Arrate (Eibar) 155.3km Won by Valverde (Movistar); 2nd was Rodriguez (Katusha); 3rd = Froome and 4th = Contador. All same time. Overall Valverde leads. Froome is 4th @ 20secs. Contador 5th @ 24secs.
According to Wiggins, Cav may quit Sky: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/aug/19/mark-cavendish-team-sky-bradley-wiggins
Stage 4: Barakaldo to Estacion de Valdezcaray (161km) Won by Simon Clarke (Orica-Greenedge). Chris Froome didn't finish in the Top 10 but, overall, is now 2nd - at 1 sec behind Oliver Rodriguez (Katusha). Tomorrow - Stage 5 - is a 172km Time Trial (Logrono - Logrono). Froome should do well, and could be in the leader's Red Jersey by day's end.
Thanks for the updates stan, enjoying staying in touch with it though I don't have Eurosport and my laptop's buggered! So much appreciated
If your computer lets you - have a look at these: http://www.steephill.tv/vuelta-a-espana/ http://www.cyclingnews.com/
Would be good if ITV4 had coverage of this too so those with Freeview could watch a highlights package like with the TDF, a little more mainstream exposure to cycling outside of the few weeks of TDF could really help boost cycling's popularity and following on from the unprecedented success of the last 2 months there is no better time to do so
John Degenkolb (Argos-Shimano) wins his second stage (by half a wheel) from Daniele Bennati (Radio Shack-Nissan).
Stage 6: Tarrazona to Jaca (175km). 1st = Rodriguez; 2nd = Froome @ 5 secs; 3rd = Valverde @ 10 secs; and 4th = Contador @ 18 secs. [6th = Rigoberto Uran Uran (Sky) @ same time]. Overall, Rodriguez leads, with Froome 2nd @ 10 secs; Contador 3ed @ 35 secs; and Uran 4th @ 43 secs.
