Sports Eye
Tour of Spain still up for grabs
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
AS I write this piece on November 5, the race for U.S. presidency between Democrat Joseph Biden and Republican re-electionist Donald Trump was still hanging in the balance. The same was happening on the 18th day of Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain) after two weeks of cycling skirmishes. The thirteenth stage was a lucky day for the defending Primoz Roglic of Slovenia by winning the 33.7-kilometers race-against-the-clock event, dislodging arch-rival the 2019 Giro ‘d Italia winner Richard Carapaz of Ecuador.
Carapaz was leading Roglic on the 12th stage by just 10 seconds but the Latino rider unfortunately finished only seventh for the day, 49 seconds off Roglic. Yes, Roglic, who was badly beaten by compatriot Tadej Pogacar in the individual-time-trial event on the last day of the 21-day Tour de France this year, won the short but crucial stage by beating U.S. rider Will Barta by a mere second.
Carapaz now trails Roglic by 39 ticks in second place in the overall standing. Carapaz leads the surging and little-known 26-year-old Hugh Carty of Great Britain by just 10 seconds and Carty by just 47 seconds off Roglic after the 14th stage (won by the 29-year-old Belgian veteran rider Tim Wellens, his second win after the 5th lap). Surprisingly, unheralded Dan Martin of Israel is 1:42 seconds off the pace and in the fourth position. He’s also a big threat to the crown.
Unlike this year’s 21-day Tour of Italy, I was very right. when I predicted that after the 17th stage, the overall leader, 22-year-old Jao Almeida of Portugal, cannot win the race because of his lack of experience in multi-stage racing. Eventually, Almeida just landed fourth in the overall final standing, It was won by 25-year-old Briton pedal-pusher Tao Geohegan.
I cannot make any forecast this time on who might win the Vuelta title but I believe, being a 32 years veteran of this two-wheeled sport, any of the top four contestants in the overall classification after the 14th lap will win the tiara. But of course, I’m giving the slight edge to the defending champion Roglic and last year Giro titleholder Carapaz, but not in a way belittling the chance of Carty and Martin who are also now in the prime of their cycling career.
From 21 days in the previous years, ala TdF and Giro, the Vuelta this year is cut to 18 days of road hostilities which the organizers attribute to COVID 19 pandemic.
With 14 stages finished and 4 more days to go, the Vuelta title is still up for grabs. The 15th leg (tonight, PH time) is a lung-busting 230 kilometers race with four punchy category climbs to cross. Yes, based on my observation, Carapaz, has the slim advantage over Roglic and I think the 15th stage will tell a big story. Who knows? There could still be a big surprise like what happened in the 1965 edition of TdF when Italian rider less-skilled 22-year-old Felice Gimondi surprised the world cycling fans by winning it. And the same with Geogehan winning year’s Giro. Let’s just wait and see.
The TdF, Giro and Vuelta are the biggest sports spectacles in Europe during these days amid the coronavirus pandemic with large crowds at the start and finish line. Surprisingly, no social distancing is happening. Hopefully, Vuelta will not contribute the spread of this lethal disease.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Therefore, thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them which they will not be able to escape; and though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them.” JEREMIAH 11: 11
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