Vuelta a Espana 2007 Stage 15: Sammy sparrow flies the coop

Samuel Sanchez took the prize today, out-sprinting Beltran and taking time from the leaders. Mind you, the leaders have plenty of time up their collective sleeves and are clearly just hanging in, keeping a close eye on each other and locking it down. So when does someone actually upset this apple cart?

Via Cyclingnews, the top 10:
1 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 62.32.27 2 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne 2.01 3 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor - Lotto 2.27 4 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 3.02 5 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 4.01 6 Ezequiel Mosquera Miguez (Spa) Karpin Galicia 4.35 7 Manuel Beltrán (Spa) Liquigas 5.15 8 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne 6.17 9 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quickstep - Innergetic 6.22 10 Igor Antón (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 7.41

Seriously, it's hard to imagine the winner overall not coming from the top 4. Barring total disaster of course.

Vuelta a Espana 2007 Stage 12: McCartney top of the pops

Disco rider Jason McCartney attacked his breakaway and soloed to a great win. That's how to do it. Be strong (train heaps), be motivated (need a new contract) and be low on GC (otherwise you are followed at every move). Then attack your breakaway companions and keep them behind you (easier said than...).

CN reports...Discovery Channel's Jason McCartney put on an impressive show by launching a solo attack to win the Vuelta a España stage 14.

Sutherland tops US NRC

Nice to see 3 Aussies in the Top 5 US national bike racers. Canberra’s Rory Sutherland and his Team Health Net presented by Maxxis squad were crowned overall men’s USA Cycling National Racing Calendar (NRC) champions as the U.S. 100K Classic in Atlanta on Monday signified the conclusion of the season-long calendar. Links to nsw.cycling.org

Vuelta a Espana 2007 Stage 12: Petacchi pounces again

And again and again. Fron CN: Today was one for Petacchi's record books. Very few riders have won as many stages in the Vuelta as Ale-Jet has. Leaving the site of yesterday's sprint-stomping in Algemesí, he had 18 career wins in his palmarès, and 176 kilometres later it was to be 19.

He seemed happy about it. No real changes on GC.

Great Goss grabs a win

At the Tour of Britain, no less. From CN:Matt Goss (Team CSC) punched the air in delight as he crossed the finish line to win the third stage of the Tour of Britain into Wolverhampton on Wednesday 12th September. Goss proved he had the best legs from a group of six riders that had arrived at the city centre altogether after 152km of racing from Worcester through the tough Malvern Hills. Goss charged from the front of the group in the wide finish to hold off the challenge from Freddy Bichot (Agritubel) and Roger Hammond (T-Mobile).

Vuelta a Espana 2007 Stage 11: Petacchi finds form

It had to happen eventually. After his asthma medication 'bungle', lack of racing and loss of form, Alessandro Petacchi came roaring back. CN reports: Alessandro Petacchi marked a return to the big time with career win number 18 in the Vuelta a España. The Italian, who was hassled over the summer in a doping-related investigation, rode the wheel of Milram team-mate Erik Zabel through the final bends in the finishing town of Algemesí. World Champion Paolo Bettini's charge fell short, as the Italian from Quick.Step was only able to finish second. Zabel kept speeds high to finish third, over André Greipel (T-Mobile) and Carlos Da Cruz (Française Des Jeux).

Brown gets a win in Poland

Graeme Brown has taken a stage and the lead on GC at the Tour of Poland: Australian Graeme Brown (Rabobank) won the second stage of the Tour de Pologne by winning a traditional sprint on the streets of Olsztyn. He defeated Belgian Wouter Weylandt from Quick Step and Frenchman Said Haddou from Bouygues Telecom. (Cyclingnews.com)

Valverde: not guilty, but not welcome, either

Ah, the saga of the UCI vs Valverde continues. He's innocent, cleared of all matters related to Operacion Puerto one moment and then under the microscope again the next. Mind you he's not guilty - not yet, anyway. But we'll exclude him from the World Champs just in case. Of course. It's the cycling way.

CN reports here: The public tug-of-war over Spaniard Alejandro Valverde's participation in the World Championships reached a new level of intensity on Saturday after the UCI upheld its decision to exclude the rider from the race in Stuttgart at the month's end. The UCI reiterated that Valverde is officially under investigation for alleged doping, and according to the organisation's rules, he cannot compete. This comes one day after Spain defied the UCI and registered Valverde to ride despite the UCI's insistence that he was not allowed.

Bad taste for Bruyneel, what about us?

If Le Tour was a win for Disco and Contador it still left some bad tastes in many mouths... and for Disco's win to be followed by the sponsorship pullout and total disbandment of the team verges on... well, it's unusual, to say the least. And Bruyneel himself moving to the trouble-plagued Astana outfit? Possibly with Contador? Does anyone feel uneasy at all, whether justified or not?

Johan Bruyneel had some interesting things to say to CN here: Johan Bruyneel accompanies his star rider Alberto Contador to the USA for the Discovery Channel team's final race this weekend, the Tour of Missouri, bringing the Tour de France champion and a tinge of bitterness along for the end of an era. After eight years directing the organisation which was more successful than any team in modern memory, Bruyneel has eight Tour de France victories to remember but leaves with a bad taste in his mouth. Bruyneel became familiar with the whispers of doping which follow every modern Tour winner, having stood by Lance Armstrong as he fended off one doping accusation after another through press releases and lawsuits, but this year's Tour was too much."They have not let me enjoy Contador's victory in the Tour," the Belgian told Marca, complaining of the accusations of involvement with Operación Puerto which followed the Spaniard's victory. "With that atmosphere, it has been the worse Tour of my life," Bruyneel lamented. Not one month after the end of the Tour, the team's owner, Tailwind Sports, announced it would end its bid for a new title sponsor, effectively disbanding the organisation. Bruyneel hastily announced his retirement along with the news. He blamed the atmosphere surrounding Contador's win for his decision. "All of that was the main reasons why I did not desire to continue.

Vuelta a Espana 2007 Stage 10: Menchov of the mountains

Denis Menchov affirmed his leader's status with a fighting win in the mountainous 10th stage. We saw Sastre repeatedly attack, thinning the field, and Piepoli returned yesterday's favour by "possibly" pacing Menchov at times. Who knows, it look like some inter-team teamwork but then again... there's no sure way of knowing unless they admit to it. Evans tried to take the stage but Menchov countered. Efimkim hung in there too, so it's Menchov, Efimkin and Evans, 1-2-3.

From CN: Denis Menchov put a golden stamp on the Vuelta a España leading into its first rest day. Clad in the maillot oro of race leader, the 29 year-old Russian of Team Rabobank won the stage to the top of Arcalís ahead of Australian Cadel Evans (Predictor-Lotto) and Spaniard Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi). "No, I think it's not that way," said Menchov answering a question about whether he was aided by Piepoli in the finale. "Truly, we didn't talk about anything for today. Leo always rides this way; he tried to change the tempo many times. I followed him just in case, to see if someone stays behind. Leo tried to put a strong rhythm."

Vuelta a Espana 2007 Stage 9: Piepoli in the Pyrenees

Piepoli, then Menchov. Evans again loses some time but stays calm, moving into 3rd place on GC. Horner is still with him. What a double act, 2nd Grand Tour in a row. It was tough mountain stage and the climbers were out in force, moving up the GC. Menchov is not a pure climber but a strong all-rounder with something to prove. He moves into the leader's jersey, but can he hold onto it?

Sadly both McGee and Pereiro are out.

CN reports: Leonardo Piepoli (Saunier Duval-Prodir) earned a well-deserved victory atop the ski station in Cerler with relentless attacks that shattered the group of favourites, leaving only Rabobank's Denis Menchov able to stay in contact. Menchov did not put up a fight for the finish, and was instead content to relinquish the stage to the Italian with the knowledge he would don the jersey oro. Previous leader Stijn Devolder (Discovery Channel) did not have a good day and lost contact at the lower slopes of the climb, losing nearly five minutes and his leader's jersey.

Vuelta a Espana 2007 Stage 8: Grabsch grabs the TT

Grabsch takes the TT win, Devolder the overall. Menchov gained time to close to within 30secs of the lead, and although he lost time today Evans cemented a top 5 placing. He's 1m 54 off the lead. Evans is either struggling a little, which would not be surprising given his strong TdF result, or is playing his usual waiting game and only doing enough to keep in the game. Or a combination of both, perhaps. Menchov looks the strongman, but can he keep it up?

From CN:German time trial champion Bert Grabsch confirmed his strength against the clock by setting a blistering 55 km/h pace to take the win in the stage eight time trial on the long, flat, draining course in Zaragoza. On a day which clearly favoured the time trial specialists, Grabsch edged out the Hungarian time trial champion László Bodrogi (Credit Agricole) by 34 seconds to take his first Vuelta stage win. "I knew that after the Tour I had good form, but the win does come a bit surprising," Grabsch told Radsportnews.com. "I had been fourth and fifth at a Vuelta time trial before. It's nice that it was enough this time to win."

Vuelta a Espana 2007 Stage 7: Zabel, Davis, Bettini

In that order. Petacchi down. Efimkin leads on GC. From CN: The Grand Old Man of German cycling can still do it--Erik Zabel (Team Milram) won the sprint in the seventh stage of the Vuelta a España ahead of Allan Davis (Discovery Channel) and Paolo Bettini (Quick.Step-Innergetic). It wasn't a mass sprint though, as a crash about two kilometres before the finish blocked the way for all but about 12 riders. There were no changes in the overall classification.

Vuelta a Espana 2007 Stage 6: Oscar is never boring

Although taking 3 stages is the sort of repetitive activity that may lead to some strain, especially if you are Boonen or Petacchi. Where are they? Davis has slipped away, too. Cadel remains high on GC.

Stuart Shaw leading Aussie at Tour of Korea

Drapac Porsche rider Stuart Shaw is just 35secs back from the lead on GC in the Tour of Korea... that's gotta be a good sign, surely, with APEC hosted in Australia right now? Maybe, maybe not.

Vuelta a Espana 2007 Stage 5: Oscar takes advantage

With no McEwen around to spoil the party, Oscar Freire is clearly taking advantage. Petacchi was well out of it, as was Davis, minutes behind. Strangely, Brad McGee was last in... wassup, Brad? Bennati and Bettini picked up 2nd and 3rd.

Vuelta a Espana 2007 Stage 4: Efimkin takes a minute or 2

Look what happens when the road goes up: Efimkin puts a minute into Menchov and 2 minutes into Evans. Wow. Of course there was a small trick to it - he escaped with the right bunch and the others had to play catchup. Still, he had the power to get away and stay away...

Vuelta a Espana 2007 Stage 3: Bettini swerves to victory

Nothing like pinning a faster rider against the fence, is there? Not as badly as he once did to Baden Cooke, however there was a deviation in line... but that's sprinting, isn't it? Bettini first, Freire 2nd and still in gold. Davis remains consistent. Evans remains close on GC.

Vuelta a Espana 2007 Stage 2: Oscar the cat pounces

Chalk a grand tour stage win up for Oscar Freire, and a golden fleece as well. It's his first. It's nice to see Freire take both the win and the lead overall. He is a rider who seems to struggle at times then suddenly crop up and take the unexpected, like his surprising first world road championship - let alone his 2nd! More here at CN.

Vuelta a Espana 2007 stage 1: Bennati takes sprinter's stage

Italian ace Bennati takes the first prize of this last Grand Tour of 2007, besting Spaniard Freire, Italian Petacchi, Aussie Davis and Belgian Boonen... nice to see so many sprinters from so many countries in the mix. Bennati of course won teh last stage of Le Tour, so he's very much picking up where he left off. CN report here.