Angliru, with its breathtaking slopes, if it assigns the Vuelta to Chris Froome, delivers among the great cycling legends Alberto Contador, protagonist one day after his farewell to racing in an epic solitary ride to tame the infernal mountain and get the last and perhaps the most beautiful victory of an extraordinary career as a champion. We don't remember a champion who was able to end his competitive career with a feat bordering on the impossible like Contador's, a feat desired and dreamed of after days of continuous attacks and it's nice that right on top of a mountain that entered the legend of cycling, wrapped in fog yesterday, the Pistolero fired the last shot, sprinting immediately as soon as the road reared up.
He left the group of Froome and Nibali in the lurch and pedaling en danseuse he began to reach, one after the other, the leaders: Bardet, Yates, Soler tried to keep up with him but then they stuck, almost bewitched by that hero who was creating one of the most beautiful spots for cycling. A throbbing finale with the crowd going crazy for a champion who had Angliru as his last chance to win but who behind him saw the advantage over Froome shrinking, who with his partner Poels had set off in pursuit, detaching the rest of the company to put in he secured his red jersey by hitting the historic Vuelta double after winning the Tour. Contador's arrival was a triumph that thrilled everyone, not just his Spanish fans. Poels and Froome arrived 17” later. For the British it was the first triumph in Spain after three second places. At 35” it was Zakarin's turn who, with an extension in the last km, detached just enough to overtake Kelderman and secure third place which is worth the final podium.
Nibali, sixth at 51" preceded by his trusty Pellizzotti, defends his second place in the general classification - 2'15" behind Froome - even if he is once again defeated by Angliru as happened in 2013 when he failed to turn the rankings in his favor against another Christopher, the American Horner who on the threshold of 42 won the Vuelta by surprise. Losing the podium, on the walls at 23% of the last hairpin bends of the Angliru, was Kelderman who, finishing eighth at 1'11” from Contador, slipped to fifth place, also passed by the Pistolero. Disappointing Angel Miguel Lopez who immediately lost the wheels of the best, while for Fabio Aru it was a day to forget that saw him slip into the rear until he was more than 15 minutes late at the finish line, falling to 13th place in the standings with more than 21 minutes from Froome.
