As we had hoped the sun came out briefly to dry out the roads.  The temperature hovered around 75 degrees and the light breeze of about 5mph from the unusual NE direction.   The humidity was very high..  probaby north of 80%

Seven TTers rolled to the start line of the Race of Truth.   Mo was back after a four week hiatus. He took the FMT honors with an exceptional time of 25:31(23.51mph).    Hop had the fastest time in the Road category rriding what appeared to be a 90s vintage bike. He cruised through the course in a time of 26:28 (22.67mph). Jade worked in some over-unders during her TT effort and still achieved the FWT honors with a time of 28:37 (20.97mph).  Todd donned his speedy kit and blasted his PR by 21 seconds - 29:27 (20.37mph).   

Todd earns major kudos by hitting a PR on an evening when everyone else was approximately a minute slower.  

Vuelta a Espana low lights

Last Saturday - stage 8 -   Pogacar was in command with a lead of around 3.5 minutes.  He was riding about 4 rows back in the peloton in the left shoulder.  It appeared to be a beautiful newly paved road.  Suddenly he swerved hard to the right and slammed into the Visma rider to his right.  What happened ?  After some slow mo Zapruder-like analysis it was determine the culprit was a giant 4" rock in the middle of the shoulder.  His UAE teammate ahead of him was able to swerve around it, Pog swerved but slammed into the rider to his right.  He went down hard and his bike could be seen somersaulting in the air above the riders.   He suffered a complex fracture of his left clavicle.  .   

So now leader's jersey is up for grabs.   Enric Mas seems to have stepped up.    He won Sunday's difficult Queen's stage.  He gained 12 seconds on 4 time winner Primoz Roglic who sits in 2nd place 1:18 back.  Roglic has managed to remain relevant even though he was hit by a car three weeks before the start of the Vuelta and suffered extensive bruises.   The guy is a T-1000 cyborg terminator.  Mas needs to gain more time on him.  The last thing he needs is to lose the lead in the Time Trial next Thursday.

The Wout vanAert vs Pederson battle neve developed.  Pedersen seems to be tired from the TdF.

More to come.

Brian

Director de la Crono

315-727-1458