La Vuelta a Espana 22/8 - 13/9 2015 (here be spoilers)

[mjr]

It's a moot point now anyway - a 30 second penalty for Aru wouldn't make any difference to GC.

Not now but would Astana have tried the same tactics?

 

[StuAff]

I switched from Eurosport's coverage to that of ITV4 a few days ago. I have to say I've been watching cycle racing since the great Hinault/Lemond Tour battle and I've learned more about tactics in half-a-dozen commentaries from David Millar than I've learned in the previous 30 years. His analysis of why it was Valverde's actions that enabled Dumoulin to take a few seconds was brilliant.

The Vuelta coverage, and the Beeb's excellent job on RideLondon, both show just how much better commentary can be without the deadly duo, not that I'm expecting them to get silenced any time soon (if only...). People who've been racing this century (or paying proper attention to it) actually do a better job, TV executives... Millar's been excellent as both commentator and analyst.

 

[Berk on a Bike]

The Guardian website reports a TT bike belonging to Orica Greenedge was stolen and turned up in a secondhand shop on sale for 120 Euros (actual value 12,000 Euros).

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/sep/13/vuelta-bike-secondhand-sale-police-recover

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

"Wow, that was a crucial moment, and thank goodness we have seen it..." Err, no, Carlton we didn't, we were watching an advert. We saw a slow motion replay with you being unable to identify the riders properly.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I'm not even sure Carlton knows any languages and when he does his "translation" bits he just makes stuff up - so when Vino says "We are all doping, haha, you suckers" Carlton translates it as "yes, we've had a lovely time - did you see those flowers by the roadside yesterday?"

 

[roadrash]

you mean .... did you see those flowers by the roadside yesterday near the salt evaporation lakes, the mans obssessed with them,,

 

[Hont]

Aru saved by a teammate not being very good at cheating?

That'll end any chance of a contract extension with Astana - not being very good at cheating.