It's not like the Vuelta to offer sleepy stages. But yesterday's one, 160 km from Motril to Antequera Los Dolmenes, risked being so and it was for a long stretch, with the group of captains who seemed to have made a pact of non-aggression for a day, totally disinterested in what happened ahead in a breakaway of a dozen non-ranking riders in search of a stage success, conquered by Thomas Marczynski, the Pole already victorious in Sagunto.
In the end it turned out to be one of the stages in which the Vuelta gave the strongest emotions thanks to a concomitance of episodes that took place in the last twenty km. with Contador breaking the hesitation by going on the attack, with Froome forced to put his foot down twice on the descent, first due to a jump on the chain and then due to a skid in a hairpin bend, a double injury which forced him into a frantic chase with which he managed to reduce but not close the gap from the group of the best with Nibali gaining 20 seconds, bringing his delay in the standings from the British red jersey back under the minute – 59” to be exact. An increasingly explosive Vuelta, ignited by the challenge between the "Martian" of many Tours and the Jaws, with Contador – still 3'13” away from Froome – but more and more the balance in this duo match.
To light the fuse on the not impossible but still grim ramps of the second pass of the day, the Puerto de Torcal, was again him, Alberto Contador, who with a dry and sudden attack left the group of big names and began a ride, only initially tailed by Nicholas Roche, who excited and sent Spanish fans and all those who love great cycling into a frenzy. The Pistolero was a show to be enjoyed, at the tip of the pedals, in his typical en danseuse action.
He had promised three weeks of dream before the farewell, but no one could have imagined that the monumental pride of this champion could push him to such a point. Contador was unable to catch up with the fugitives who were traveling 7 minutes ahead, but ahead of Nibali by 22" and Froome by 42" he continued his difficult but not impossible approach to the podium area, an objective strongly compromised due to the delay accumulated in the third stage in Andorra .
Today thirteenth stage from Coin to Tomares of 198 km, one of the few stages within reach of the few sprinters left in the race. Trentin could try the set. Then again a weekend in the high mountains, important for testing whether yesterday's complicated stage didn't leave waste in Froome's head and body. Certainly he left some regrets in Nibali who would have achieved a more rounded result if he had had some more help from the other captains when Froome was delayed.
