2014 Vuelta a España Stage 18: Aru doubles his pleasure, Froome now second
In Thursday’s battle at the top of the 2014 Vuelta a España, Italian Fabio Aru (Astana) and Briton Chris Froome (Sky) prevailed over the Spaniards, as Aru took his second win of the race and Froome’s runner-up result jumped him over Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) into second. Alberto Contador (Spain/Tinkoff-Saxo) still holds the race lead, but it’s now down to 1:19 over Froome.
Another Vuelta morning revealed another top 20 rider withdrawing from the race. Dutch rider Robert Gesink (Belkin), 7th on GC, did not start in order to be with his pregnant wife. Cofidis’s Daniel Navarro profited from Gesink’s withdrawal, moving up into the top 10, the Spaniard’s Vuelta goal.
A flat course led to a double ascent of Cat. 2 Monte Castrove in the final 30-km, including the uphill finish. It took a long time for a breakaway to stick, and in each failed effort was Johan Le Bon (France/FDJ). After 60-km the irrepressible Le Bon got away with King of the Mountains leader LL Sanchez (Spain/Caja Rural) and Herbert Dupont (France/Ag2r), who was in the break with Ryder Hesjedal on Stage 7 when the Canadian crashed and had to settle for second on the day.
Movistar ensured that the trio didn’t get much of a gap; in fact, when the break started the first ascent of Castrove, its gap was under a minute. This inspired a few men to spurt away from the field in attempts to bridge. Sanchez attacked in order to consolidate his blue polka dot jersey with the maximum points and then, as with the rest of the breakaways, he went back to the peloton.
Sky was in the lead on the circuit leading to the second clamber up Castrove. Froome flew ahead to try to take the maximum time at the day’s second intermediate sprint. A Movistar rider nipped him, but Froome brought himself within a second of second placed Valverde.
Three riders tried to get a jump on the final climb. This prompted Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain/Katusha) and Contador to try to get away. Valverde and Froome didn’t respond immediately. The big guns let the smoke clear and allowed the streamlined peloton to reform. Ninth place Warren Barguil (France/Giant-Shimano) kept trying moves. Just inside 5-km to go Jerome Coppel (France/Cofidis) accelerated up the road. Even after telegraphing his move, fifth place Aru successfully bolted to catch and dispatch Coppel.
Rodriguez had enough of the truce and attacked at 2.7-km remaining. Contador, Valverde and Froome followed and then Froome whizzed by them all along the barriers, reaching Aru with 2.1-km remaining. Valverde didn’t respond and Contador and Rodriguez were content to sit on. Contador lost patience and whipped up the pace at the 2-km mark, but Aru and Froome (Aroome?) still had an 11-second gap.
The climb peaked, descended through the red kite and then kicked up again. Aru dug deep to round Froome and win his third Grand Tour stage of the season by a second, but the Brit took the second time bonus. The trio of Valverde, Rodriguez and Contador finished 12-seconds behind Froome.
Fabio Aru (AST) gana la 18ª etapa de #LaVuelta en Castrove por delante de Froome (SKY). @alejanvalverde, 3º a 12”. pic.twitter.com/sWRSTj6UuR
— Movistar Team (@Movistar_Team) September 11, 2014
Friday’s 181-km course from Salvaterra do Miño to Cangas do Morrazo contains a couple of Cat. 2 climbs, but the route favours the breakaways or even the sprinters.
2014 Vuelta a España Stage 18
1) Fabio Aru (Italy/Astana) 3:47:17
2) Chris Froome (Great Britain/Sky) +0:01
3) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +0:13
42) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Garmin-Sharp) +7:10
136) Guillaume Boivin (Canada/Cannondale) +20:49
2014 Vuelta a España GC
1) Alberto Contador (Spain/Tinkoff-Saxo) 71:38:37
2) Chris Froome (Great Britain/Sky) +1:19
3) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +1:32
25) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Garmin-Sharp) +53:39
152) Guillaume Boivin (Canada/Cannondale) +3:57:18
