Vuelta - **SPOILER**

[Simba]

I personally don't know how much I can stomach the poor commentary and the studio mongs.

 

[rich p]

You lot need Eurosport with the knowledgeable David Harmon and Brian Smith doing their usual efficient job.

 

[wildjetskier]

You lot need Eurosport with the knowledgeable David Harmon and Brian Smith doing their usual efficient job.

Much better today on Eurosport, good coverage

 

[wildjetskier]

Cav just tweeted

Hard finish! We were riding for young Degenkolb for jersey, but we couldn't quite get organised. I could only get him to 700m

 

[Simba]

You lot need Eurosport with the knowledgeable David Harmon and Brian Smith doing their usual efficient job.

Well I have the full Sky Sports package and for some reason don't get Eurosport

 

[raindog]

Cav just tweeted

Hard finish! We were riding for young Degenkolb for jersey, but we couldn't quite get organised. I could only get him to 700m

Thanks for that! Cav could be seen shouting at the train at 10ks to go, presumably because they were going too fast, too early - Harmon had mentioned Degenkolb being well placed to take over the race lead, in the end he finished 10th.

I thought the stage was a shoe-in for Sagan, but he got 11th - strange how these things turn out. Must've been the short steep hill and the funny, wiggly finish, but it's nice to see things get shaken up a bit.

 

[rich p]

It's hard to get excited by the Vuelta in the first week usually as it bores its way through the hot flatlands on motorways but today sees it going up into the Sierra Nevadas for the first mountain-top finish.

Wiggo tested his legs yesterday so it'll be good to see how he goes.

 

[accountantpete]

Apparently Scarponi's tyre exploded before the off - are they using some Halford's in-house products?

 

[accountantpete]

Cav detached and working his way back to the Peloton. No team mates sent back to help!

 

[rich p]

Hardly worth it today I suppose. He may not make the cut-off at this rate

 

[accountantpete]

He didn't bother to wait for the end - abandon!

 

[raindog]

Dan Martin just took the bunch sprint for third!!

 

[woohoo]

The aussie (anyone know who he is?) is good at live commentary, much better than the commentary feeds from the studio (esp. as Matt Rendell has an awful droning voice! A voice suited to writing )

Quite enjoying the stage when Aussie bloke is on...

I think it's Mark Keenan. It can't be easy doing the whole session on his own. He certainly knows his stuff and explains the potential impact of any of the moves/attacks very well.

.. and Cav looked "cooked" pretty early on today.

 

[Simba]

Anyone know why cav abandoned?

 

[monnet]

He says he's drained and going to have tests to find out. Possibly feeling over raced? It looked like the Tour took a lot out of him and he's dead set on the World's (apparently he didn't even party in Paris). I'd guess he needs a couple of easy weeks to recover and then get back into shape for the World's.