From five stages in the red jersey, Alberto Contador has been followed by Valverde at 42” with Froome third at 1'13” and Rodriguez fourth at 1'29”. Rigoberto Uran is fifth at 2'07”, Aru sixth at 2'15”. Hard-fought and spectacular, the Vuelta, which will finish next Sunday, enters the last week of the race with all the best still enclosed in just over 120 seconds even after yesterday's tremendous ascent in La Camperona.
It is a pity that Nairo Quintana, the great favorite of the eve, dropped out of the scene on Wednesday due to a double crash, the first in the time trial at La Borja on Tuesday, a terrible carom when he was already in the red jersey, then the second – broken collarbone – in the stage won with an amazing stretch by Aru on top of the Sanctuary of San Miguel de Aralar. The withdrawal of the Colombian grimpeur has increased Contador's chances of final victory who also yesterday in the first of the triptych of mountain stages, defended himself from the attacks of his direct rivals, gaining 22 seconds on Valverde and about a minute on Uran.
But the Pistolero, although back in shape after the fear of the Tour, still can't feel safe: if Valverde gives something up, there is a Froome who – disappointing in the time trial, clearly struggling in some stages – yesterday found a more substantial recovering a handful of seconds (seven to be exact) on Contador. Rodriguez also appeared in the second half, finishing a second behind Froome and therefore gaining six on the red jersey. The stage was won by a gap from Ryder Hesjedal who hadn't tasted the joy of a victory since the 2012 Giro d'Italia. But the Canadian, admirable for his combativeness, has now been out of the standings for days and consequently also from the close marking of the big names .
Archived La Camperona – stage that marked the withdrawal of Peter Sagan, almost a ghost in this Vuelta – today is the turn of another historic finish on top of Lagos de Covadonga with the final climb at 17,5% after 12 km of ascent : for Contador it will be another day in which he won't be able to distract himself for a moment. It will certainly be a great show for cycling, which will experience another epic day in tomorrow's big stage: 160 km that won't let you breathe with four passes to overcome, all with peaks of over 15% before the finish line at 1705 meters in La Farrapona- Lagos de Somiedo. Up there, on Monday evening, it will perhaps be less complicated for the Vuelta to discover the identikit of its master. And it is not said that in the clash at the top even Aru cannot have his say. As he has already shown he can do with the fantastic shot towards the Sanctuary of Miguel de Alarar, making buckets Contador and the others.
