Vuelta a España 8: Valverde topples Contador

Valverde and Rodriguez pass Contador (AFP)

This article was originally published on Cyclingnews.com.

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) won stage 8 of the Vuelta a España atop the Collada de la Gallina in Andorra, snatching away what looked to be a sure victory for Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank). Race leader Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) finished second, as he and Valverde passed Contador within sight of the finish line. Sky's Chris Froome was unable to keep up in the last few hundred meters, finishing 15 seconds down.

Rodriguez maintained his overall lead, followed by Froome and Contador. Valverde moved up to fourth while Robert Gesink of Rabobank dropped to fifth.

The finale proved to be an exchange of blows by the top four riders, as they charged up the final climb. Froome did much of the early pace-making, as the three Spaniards were happy to let him do the bulk of the work. The Englishman attacked out of a curve inside the final kilometer, but Contador countered it with an explosive acceleration of his own. It looked as if he was going to take a comfortable win, but when he looked back with less than 100 meters to go, he saw his two countrymen rapidly approaching. They were both able to whip around him in the final meters.

Froome was the loser of the day, which seems an odd thing to say for a rider who is still in second place, but he saw his deficit to Rodriguez extend from 10 seconds to 33 seconds. More importantly, he was unable to respond when Contador attacked at the end, and could only watch the other two Spaniards take off to claim the two top spots on the day.

There were other changes in the top ten, as defending Vuelta champion Juan José Cobo (Movistar) and Sergio Henao (Sky) dropped out and Laurens Ten Dam (Rabobank) and Euskaltel's Igor Anton moved up. Rabobank now has three riders in the top ten.

An uphill day

One rider was missing at the start, as Yoann Bagot of Cofidis was out with a broken elbow. The pace was rapid from the moment the flag was dropped, as attack after attack looked to move clear of the peloton, but neither Sky nor Katusha was satisified with the make-up of the early breakaway attempts. Accordingly, the peloton covered over 52 kilometres in the first hour of racing, and a successful breakaway group didn’t stabilise until the 75km mark.

Mickael Buffaz (Cofidis), Amael Moinard (BMC), Javier Ramirez (Andalucia), Cameron Meyer (Orica-GreenEdge), Martijn Keizer (Vacansoleil), and Javier Aramendia (Caja Rural) formed the sextet which quickly built up a lead of 9:26. That was enough for Teams Sky and Katusha, who jumped to the front and picked up the speed, slowly bringing the gap down.

With 40km left on the stage, the peloton crossed the border into Andorra, by which point the field had reduced the gap to seven minutes.

Soon the first ranked climb of the day loomed, the Alto de la Comella. A category two, it featured fairly light gradients. On the ascent, Moinard kicked things up a notch, and Keizer and Aramendia fell back from the lead group.

Ramirez led Meyer and Moinard over the top, but the field had climbed up to only 2:34 down. Moinard then pulled away on the descent, but the other three caught him again.

The final climb of the day, which followed immediately, was a new one to the Vuelta, the Collada de la Gallina. The Gallina was not a long ascent, but had widely irregular gradients, with patches of up to 18% on the many switchbacks along the way.

The four leaders took about two and a half minutes with them as they started up the Gallina, with Sky still chugging away in the lead behind them. The two escapees who had earlier dropped back were caught along the way, with the leaders at only 1:24.

With about 5km still to go, Moinard finally had to drop back. Only about a minute back, Alberto Contador was holding steadily on to Chris Froome's rear wheel, with Rodriguez right behind them.

Meyer had the best legs from the remaining leaders and took off on a solo attempt.

Valverde was the first of the favourites to jump, with 3km to go, but he was soon joined by the three riders overall at the head of affairs. Froome and Contador then took off, and Valverde and Rodriguez had to scramble to stay in contact..

Froome and Contador caught Meyer on one of the steep sections, just beyond the two km to go banner. The young Australian hung on to the other two, and soon they were all joined by Valverde, Rodriguez and Daniel Moreno, as Rodriguez was the only one lucky enough to have a teammate with him.

The high-powered group of six ground its way up the Gallina, with Froome doing much of the lead work. Meyer finally dropped back, as did Moreno. Rodriguez then took over the lead, and led the four favourites under the flamme rouge.

Froome quickly attacked out of a curve, but that was to be his final flourish on the day. The other three easily caught him, and Contador then jumped into the lead on roads thronged with supporters. He pulled away easily and quickly built up a tidy lead, as the other two Spaniards did not help Froome with the chase.

Contador looked to have the win wrapped up, so he must have been shocked to peek over his shoulder in the final 100 meters to see Rodriguez and Valverde quickly approaching him. They passed him in the final meters, while Froome struggled across the finish line some 15 seconds later.

Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamBenat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar TeamIgor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiWinner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre - ISDRobert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamPrzemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISDAndrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - SharpNicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeRinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La MondialeLaurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamEros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleTomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamMaxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeMaxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-NissanSteve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing TeamCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeMarcos Garcia (Spa) Caja RuralSergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky ProcyclingBauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankAndre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralIvan Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiBart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneSergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamGorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiAmets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiJavier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaKevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana Pro TeamChristophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - SharpRémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ-Big MatJohn Gadret (Fra) AG2R La MondialeAlberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha TeamSerge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepTiago Machado (Por) Radioshack-NissanAndrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamJuan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiHernani Broco (Por) Caja RuralMikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiMikel Landa Meana (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiDaniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankLuis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneJan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-NissanJose Vicente Toribio Alcolea (Spa) AndaluciaJavier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Movistar TeamRichie Porte (Aus) Sky ProcyclingNairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar TeamJuan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Movistar TeamLaurent Didier (Lux) Radioshack-NissanJesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankArnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ-Big MatAmaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamPaolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRomain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel - EuskadiAndrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamMarco Marzano (Ita) Lampre - ISDMorris Possoni (Ita) Lampre - ISDCristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleNico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky ProcyclingJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralMartijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamChristophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeSergio Carrasco Garcia (Spa) AndaluciaMichel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - SharpAlessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing TeamSimon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeDario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-QuickstepJohannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos-ShimanoPhilippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamMauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing TeamBrent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing TeamFredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro TeamCayetano José Sarmiento Tunarrosa (Col) Liquigas-CannondaleRudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneJohan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - SharpAntonio Piedra Perez (Spa) Caja RuralBen Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La MondialeXavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha TeamJose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar TeamPablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar TeamJuan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling TeamDenis Menchov (Rus) Katusha TeamSergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankAngel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha TeamBruno Pires (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankStef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamBertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamVicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol TeamLars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamJurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamBenjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankMatti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling TeamMarkel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Radioshack-NissanImanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar TeamTony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickstepGrischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling TeamKevin De Weert (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepMauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleMatteo Tosatto (Ita) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankKoen De Kort (Ned) Argos-ShimanoBenoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big MatGrégory Rast (Swi) Radioshack-NissanRuben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiAdrian Palomares Villaplana (Spa) AndaluciaDenys Kostyuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISDKristof Vandewalle (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepMaciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-CannondaleRafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamTravis Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeMatteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La MondialeOleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISDSimon Geschke (Ger) Argos-ShimanoDaniel Teklehaymanot (Eri) Orica - GreenEdgeFlorent Barle (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneTiziano Dall'antonia (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleEgor Silin (Rus) Astana Pro TeamYannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing TeamPieter Weening (Ned) Orica - GreenEdgeXabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Sky ProcyclingKoldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin - SharpDavid De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Caja RuralKlaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing TeamJuan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky ProcyclingFrederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamGianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamDominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big MatGabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Big MatAdam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol TeamMartijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - SharpDavide Vigano (Ita) Lampre - ISDZdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepYukihiro Doi (Jpn) Argos-ShimanoGert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepDamiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISDPim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRaymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin - SharpPavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha TeamNicki Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankLinus Gerdemann (Ger) Radioshack-NissanDavid Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneJesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) AndaluciaThomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin - SharpElia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleNiki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-QuickstepIan Stannard (GBr) Sky ProcyclingGustavo Cesar Veloso (Spa) AndaluciaOlivier Kaisen (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamDavide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - ISDThomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamManuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralWesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeHayden Roulston (NZl) Radioshack-NissanAllan Davis (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeMitchell Docker (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeDanail Andonov Petrov (Bul) Caja RuralWouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamLloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La MondialeEgoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneFrantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepJonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar TeamLeonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneDanny Pate (USA) Sky ProcyclingJulian Dean (NZl) Orica - GreenEdgeStephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing TeamBen Swift (GBr) Sky ProcyclingGatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha TeamBlel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La MondialeMikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha TeamThomas Peterson (USA) Garmin - SharpJens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamAlexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamAlexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos-ShimanoThierry Hupond (Fra) Argos-ShimanoJohn Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-ShimanoWilliam Bonnet (Fra) FDJ-Big MatArnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ-Big MatMaciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-CannondalePablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) AndaluciaJuan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) AndaluciaJoost Van Leijen (Ned) Lotto Belisol TeamDaniele Ratto (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleAitor Galdos Alonso (Spa) Caja RuralDaniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-NissanAssan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamDennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamNacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big MatSprint 1 - La Seu d`Urgell, 124kmMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneMartijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralSprint 2 - Andorra la Vella, 144.9kmMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeJavier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaPoints - FinishAlejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamBenat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar TeamWinner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre - ISDRobert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamPrzemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISDAndrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - SharpNicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeRinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La MondialeLaurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamMountain 1 - Alto de la Comella (Cat. 2) km. 158Javier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeAmaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamMountain 2 - Collada de la Gallina (Cat. 1) km. 175Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamMost combative riderJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralTeamsVacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling TeamGeneral classificationJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankAlejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamRobert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamDaniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha TeamNicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La MondialeIgor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiLaurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamBauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamPrzemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISDEros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleTomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamSergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky ProcyclingWinner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre - ISDAndrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - SharpRinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La MondialeSteve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing TeamMaxime Monfort (Bel) Radioshack-NissanBart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamKevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana Pro TeamGorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiBenat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar TeamMarcos Garcia (Spa) Caja RuralAndre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralMaxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeJuan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Movistar TeamSerge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepAmets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky ProcyclingAndrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ-Big MatJan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-NissanMikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiAlberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha TeamSergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamTiago Machado (Por) Radioshack-NissanIvan Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiAndrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamJuan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiChristophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - SharpDaniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankRomain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel - EuskadiMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneLuis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneLaurent Didier (Lux) Radioshack-NissanRafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankJohn Gadret (Fra) AG2R La MondialeFredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro TeamHernani Broco (Por) Caja RuralCayetano José Sarmiento Tunarrosa (Col) Liquigas-CannondaleDamiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISDMarco Marzano (Ita) Lampre - ISDMauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing TeamMorris Possoni (Ita) Lampre - ISDAlessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing TeamPaolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamBrent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing TeamJuan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling TeamKevin De Weert (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepJohannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos-ShimanoDenis Menchov (Rus) Katusha TeamJurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamLinus Gerdemann (Ger) Radioshack-NissanThomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamJesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankCristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleZdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepNairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar TeamKoen De Kort (Ned) Argos-ShimanoVicente Reynes Mimo (Spa) Lotto Belisol TeamDario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-QuickstepMikel Landa Meana (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiJohan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - SharpAmaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamDenys Kostyuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISDKristof Vandewalle (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepPhilippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamAlexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamGianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamMichel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - SharpMatteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRichie Porte (Aus) Sky ProcyclingDavid De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Caja RuralSimon Clarke (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeJavier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Movistar TeamAdrian Palomares Villaplana (Spa) AndaluciaSergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankTony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickstepAlexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos-ShimanoGrischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling TeamThierry Hupond (Fra) Argos-ShimanoJose Vicente Toribio Alcolea (Spa) AndaluciaCameron Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeBruno Pires (Por) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankPablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Movistar TeamRuben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiJavier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) AndaluciaEgor Silin (Rus) Astana Pro TeamBen Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La MondialeJesus Rosendo Prado (Spa) AndaluciaJose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar TeamAntonio Piedra Perez (Spa) Caja RuralArnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneSergio Carrasco Garcia (Spa) AndaluciaMaciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-CannondaleGrégory Rast (Swi) Radioshack-NissanMarkel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Radioshack-NissanMauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleArnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ-Big MatSimon Geschke (Ger) Argos-ShimanoXabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Sky ProcyclingBenjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankGabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Big MatDaniel Teklehaymanot (Eri) Orica - GreenEdgeYukihiro Doi (Jpn) Argos-ShimanoJuan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky ProcyclingNiki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-QuickstepLeonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneNico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneYannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing TeamPieter Weening (Ned) Orica - GreenEdgeMatteo Tosatto (Ita) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankPim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamPablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) AndaluciaFlorent Barle (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LignePavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha TeamKlaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing TeamGert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepDavid Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneAngel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Katusha TeamLars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamChristophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeAssan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamGustavo Cesar Veloso (Spa) AndaluciaThomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin - SharpMartijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamXavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Katusha TeamGatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha TeamJohn Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-ShimanoKoldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin - SharpDominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big MatOleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISDAdam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Belisol TeamStef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamWouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamDavide Vigano (Ita) Lampre - ISDBenoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big MatElia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleJonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar TeamTravis Meyer (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeFrederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamWilliam Bonnet (Fra) FDJ-Big MatLloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La MondialeBlel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La MondialeOlivier Kaisen (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamDaniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-NissanDanny Pate (USA) Sky ProcyclingEgoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneDaniele Ratto (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleAllan Davis (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeThomas Peterson (USA) Garmin - SharpMaciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-CannondaleIan Stannard (GBr) Sky ProcyclingBertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamDennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamFrantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepHayden Roulston (NZl) Radioshack-NissanStephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing TeamImanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar TeamDanail Andonov Petrov (Bul) Caja RuralMartijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - SharpNicki Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankMitchell Docker (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeRaymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin - SharpDavide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - ISDBen Swift (GBr) Sky ProcyclingMatti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling TeamTiziano Dall'antonia (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralJulian Dean (NZl) Orica - GreenEdgeManuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Caja RuralWesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeNacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big MatJens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamAitor Galdos Alonso (Spa) Caja RuralMikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha TeamJuan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) AndaluciaJoost Van Leijen (Ned) Lotto Belisol TeamPoints classificationJohn Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-ShimanoAlejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar TeamJoaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha TeamChristopher Froome (GBr) Sky ProcyclingElia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleAlberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankAllan Davis (Aus) Orica - GreenEdgeDaniele Bennati (Ita) Radioshack-NissanGianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamSimon Clarke (Aus) Orica - 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ISDMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneLuis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneThomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamMikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha TeamMauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing TeamJose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar TeamLeonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneGert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepKoldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin - SharpDavide Vigano (Ita) Lampre - ISDJan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-NissanPim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamJavier Francisco Aramendia Lorente (Spa) Caja RuralPhilippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamTomasz Marczynski (Pol) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamSergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky ProcyclingRuben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiPablo Lechuga Rodriguez (Spa) AndaluciaDominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big MatBertjan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamJuan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Movistar TeamFrantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepSteve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing TeamAndre Fernando S. 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Schieffer, Crowley, Lehrer to moderate debates

AppId is over the quota

Updated 11:55 a.m. Eastern Time

The Commission on Presidential Debates have announced the moderators for the three presidential debates and the vice presidential debate set to take place in October. Among them is the first female presidential debate moderator in two decades.

CNN's Candy Crowley is set to moderate a town hall-style debate on October 16, the second scheduled debate. The last woman to host a presidential debate was ABC News' Carole Simpson, who moderated the 1992 debate between President George H.W. Bush and candidates Bill Clinton and Ross Perot. Three teenagers from New Jersey had pressed for the Commission on Presidential Debates to choose a woman moderator for one of the presidential debates.

Moderating the third presidential debate will be CBS News' Bob Schieffer, who moderated a 2008 presidential debate between President Obama and John McCain. Schieffer, who also moderated a 2004 debate, will lead the October 22 debate in Boca Raton. The first debate, on October 3 in Denver, will be moderated by Jim Lehrer of PBS, who has moderated 11 of the past 35 presidential debates. The vice presidential debate will be moderated by Martha Raddatz of ABC News.

"These journalists bring extensive experience to the job of moderating, and understand the importance of using the expanded time periods to maximum benefit," said Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr. and Michael D. McCurry, co-chairmen of the Commission on Presidential Debates.

The first presidential debate will focus on domestic policy. The second will be a town meeting-style debate, with undecided voters posing questions. The third will focus on foreign policy.

Alan Schroeder, professor at Northeastern and author of "Presidential Debates: 50 Years of High Risk TV," noted that Lehrer has moderated more presidential debates than anyone.

"There's a comfort level with him on the part of the debate commission but also the candidates, I would assume," he said. "He's been through this so many times."

He said the debate that Schieffer moderated in 2008 was the best of that year.

"His moderating of that final Obama/McCain debate was really a model for how this is supposed to be done," Schroeder said. "And Schieffer is particularly good in that kind of sit down, have-a-conversation format, which was the format of that debate."

Both Schieffer and Lehrer, he said, "understand the debate is not about them. You need people who understand you have to let the candidates have all the focus."

Raddatz, he said, was a surprise pick, "only because she's been reporting more Pentagon, more international affairs and has not been as active on the domestic news front - and this vice presidential debate will deal with both international and domestic topics." But he called her "a very solid reporter with an excellent reputation in the business."

Crowley, Schroeder noted, will have to deal with the added challenge of a town hall-style debate.

"In a town hall debate you're concerned about the candidates and time and content, but you're also concerned with a rather complicated process of getting the people in the audience asking the questions," he said. "But she has tons of experience in live TV and the interview format and all that so I'm not concerned that she wouldn't be able to handle it or anything."

Below, Schieffer and Lehrer discuss their experiences as debate moderators.

Catlike Whisper Deluxe helmet review

Tue 28 Aug 2012, 10:00 am BSTBy Triathlon PlusThis top-end lid is worn in the pro peloton and weighs in at a scant 260g for size medium. 

Despite the price, the MPS Fitting System, which does allow good horizontal and vertical fitting, is a basic ‘push together’ type rather than a dial, making on the fly adjustment tricky. 

We were also a bit disappointed by the sharp plastic strap clips under the ears, which needed a little bit of sanding down to avoid irritation. And the use of a comic-style font on the rear looks a little cheap on a premium product. 

Regardless of this, the helmet itself is light and comfy once fitted with a ‘forget it’s there’ quality that’s hard to beat. It’s also got exceptional ventilation, with 39 distinctive oval vents sucking in air even at climbing speeds to keep the head as cool as a helmet can. 

Catlike also claim the design of the vents means impact is absorbed and distributed more effectively in the event of a crash, while the low rear coverage is also a safety bonus.

This article was originally published in Triathlon Plus magazine, available on Zinio.

What's the score with BikeRadar reviews? You can find a full explanation of our ratings here.

What not to eat when you're training

What Not To Eat When You're Training - BikeRadar What Not To Eat When You're Training - BikeRadarSkip menuMain contentSub contentHomeNewsBikes & GearRacingRoutes & RidingFitnessForumVideoRoadNewsBikes & GearRacingRoutes & RidingFitnessForumVideoMountain BikingNewsBikes & GearRacingRoutes & RidingFitnessForumVideoCommutingNewsBikes & GearRoutes & RidingFitnessForumVideoBeginners & Family NewsBikes & GearRoutes & RidingFitnessForumVideoTraining & Events Search Training Advice Vuelta a España Magazines You are here: Home road fitness What … training What not to eat when you're training 1 comment By Cycling Plus | Sunday, Aug 26, 2012 8.00am

Deny your body the right foods and you won't be keeping up with the competition on your bike (Seb Rogers/Future Publishing)

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Many cyclists don’t realise what a huge part their diets play in their training and racing. It’s a cliché, but when it comes to sports you are what you eat. And if you’re out there cycling every day, you really can’t afford to get it wrong. We show you how to spot and avoid the top 10 most common diet mistakes… 

Before you get started, make sure you've got a BikeRadar Training account. This free online resource enables you to record and analyse all aspects of your training, log your training routes, get yourself tailored training plans, see how you're doing on our leaderboards, set goals and plan your season with a comprehensive events guide.

A good diet is about more than just staying slim. Yes, body composition is important in cycling, but it’s also about fuelling yourself correctly and eating the right blend of nutrients so your body can recover and grow stronger after training. If you make too many mistakes with your diet then you’ll undermine all the hard work you’ve been putting in.

Maybe you think that you’re eating well already, or you know that you’re getting it wrong, but you don’t know how to fix it. Either way, now is the time to find out with this list of the top 10 common diet mistakes that athletes make. The more of them that you ditch, the faster and stronger you’ll be.

No pre-ride breakfast

Your body has been without food for several hours overnight, so you can’t expect to get the best out of it in your training or racing if you are under-fuelling the session. 

Eat enough carbohydrates the day before and find things that are easy to eat or drink and that sit well in your stomach in the morning. This could be a yoghurt smoothie, half a banana sandwich or a slice of toast with peanut butter and a glass of fresh juice mixed with water. 

Too long between meals

This sets up a starve-binge eating pattern. By the time you get your food you’re ravenous and more likely to overeat the wrong things. This creates an insulin surge, which sends fat storage into overdrive.

Plan your snacks so you never go without food or drink for longer than four hours. Good snacks include a pot of low fat yoghurt, a small handful of mixed nuts, fruit smoothies, fruit salad, good-quality bars such as Eat Natural or Nature Valley Chewy bars, malt loaf or Ryvita with cottage cheese and tomato.

Good-quality cereal bars make for excellent snacks between meals

Too much fibre

Here we’re talking essentially about ‘runner’s trots’. This is a really common problem in runners but it can also affect cyclists; in fact it can happen during any exercise when blood is diverted from the digestive system to the working muscles.

Eat bland, non-spicy, non-fibrous foods the night and hours before training and any big ride. Stick to meals such as white pasta with plain tomato sauce the night before, and in the morning have something like a small bowl of porridge or easily digestible cereal or some white toast with peanut butter.

Not refuelling on rides

You might think you can get away without gels or bars on shorter training rides, but if you’re out for a couple of hours then you need to keep your engine topped up. Work out how much carbohydrate and fluid you need and know how much is in the drinks and foods you’re consuming. 

You should aim for 30-60g of carbohydrate per hour (the smaller you are, the less you will need). 

Post-ride bingeing

Sometimes the last thing you want to do after a long session is to eat, but if you don’t, then subsequent training sessions will suffer and you’ll feel tired with heavy muscles. However, the other side of the coin is people who eat everything in sight, using the fact that they have done a hard session as an excuse to hoover up anything that falls in their path!

Plan your post-training and racing eating and make sure you have the right nutrition to hand at the finish. Chocolate milk is superb and slips down very nicely; have about 300ml with some salted nuts or a peanut butter sandwich and that should see you through until the next meal. If you sit straight down to a meal then have something like spaghetti bolognese made with lean beef or Quorn mince.

Eating too late

When you train in the evening you might not get home until after 8pm. A big meal afterwards will still be churning away when you go to bed and can affect your sleep and increase fat storage.

Have your main meal at lunch, then a small post-training meal in the evening. This could be beans or eggs on toast, homemade bean and vegetable soup with bread, sushi with a fruit smoothie or one of the good one-pot ready meals such as Innocent Veg Pots or a pot of Stewed!.

Overeating carbs

Many athletes overestimate their food needs and eat vast amounts of cereal, pasta, rice, potatoes and bread. Bread is a particular problem because it is made with fat and the gluten can cause bloating.

Calculate your daily calorie requirement, taking your training and normal daily activity into account. There are several tools on the internet for this. Looking specifically at bread, try to eat fewer than four slices a day because it has more calories than other starchy carbs. 

Pasta is a good high GI option, but don’t overdo it

Drinking coffee randomly

While caffeine has a proven positive effect on performance, it needs careful management. It can act as a gut stimulant and cause stomach issues. 

Work out your exact caffeine needs and take it before the session; its effects last for a few hours. Test in training and ease back on caffeinated drinks for a couple of weeks before a key race to increase its effects when you take it on race day.

Eating too much fat

Giving the body fat makes it very happy – it doesn’t have to do much to it apart from hide it away in the fat cells for storage. Fat is easy money for your body. It’s not quite as happy to spend that money though – the body is quite reluctant to let go of it.

Melt your spread or butter a little before spreading it so it spreads more thinly. Eat hard cheese only once or twice a week and even then only about a small matchbox-size piece. Don’t glug olive oil over everything. Stay away from things like crisps and biscuits. 

Measuring BMI not fat

Related articlesTeam Sky's training dietThe best carbs to eat for cyclingGuide to cycling supplements

Fat percentage is a better indicator of how lean you are than weight or Body Mass Index. Measure your fat weekly, when you’re at your most hydrated, using a body composition monitor (bear in mind it takes several months for fat percentage to show any realistic change). 

You can get these from any chemist (Boots has a selection). Figures to compare yours with are 15-18 percent for the average UK male, eight percent for the well trained rider, and four to six percent for an elite racer.

Want to get more out of your training? Then head over to our new fitness site BikeRadar Training. It's a free online resource for you to record and analyse all aspects of your training, log your training routes, get yourself tailoredtraining plans, see how you're doing on our leaderboards, set goals and plan your season with a comprehensive events guide.

Thisarticle was originally published in CyclingPlus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

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AidanRPosted Sun 26 Aug, 4:49 pm BST Flag as inappropriate

Don't eat any fat, snack on cereal bars between meals to avoid insulin spikes (really?!), keep yourself continuously topped up with carbs... Rubbish.

If you're putting in a lot of miles on the bike you can get away with eating like this. If you're aiming for out-and-out performance and are backing that up with the necessary quantity and quality of training then it might (might!) be beneficial. But for many others it won't be.

Particularly for those who have taken to cycling to lose weight this is poor advice. Ultimately if you're losing weight you want to burn fat, and you aren't going to do this if you're constantly topping yourself up with carbs - your body will preferentially burn those instead. Moreover, the longer you go without food the more your body switches from glycogen to fat to fuel itself, so the advice to eat every four hours is counterproductive. Yes, you will get a big insulin spike if you don't eat for ages and then chow down on carbohydrates... so eat things that don't create such an insulin surge! For example, fat.

Fat (of the right type and quality) is not some great evil to be spurned. Yes, you don't want to go crazy on it because it has a high caloric density, but in actual fact it is more satiating per calorie than carbohydrate. And it's actually rather necessary for a properly functioning body. The ridiculous myth that all fat you eat finds its way directly into your fat cells is highly misleading. Yes, it can if you just eat a stick of butter and sit on your arse. But any excess calories will do the same (albeit in a slightly more circuitous fashion) - eat too much pasta and you'll get fat in exactly the same way.

Macronutrients are fairly simple, really. Eat a healthy, good quality mix of them, with a few more carbs on training days and fewer on rest days. And bear in mind the current paradigm (as espoused by this article) is quite heavily skewed in favour of carbs, so chances are you don't need more of them. The most important thing is quality - avoiding processed foods that have been engineered to be deliberately moreish, and this includes highly processed "sports" products in the form of bars, powders and gels.

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Eurobike 2012: KS eTen seatpost

KS ETen Seatpost - Eurobike 2012 - BikeRadar KS ETen Seatpost - Eurobike 2012 - BikeRadarSkip menuMain contentSub contentHomeNewsBikes & GearRacingRoutes & RidingFitnessForumVideoRoadNewsBikes & GearRacingRoutes & RidingFitnessForumVideoMountain BikingNewsBikes & GearRacingRoutes & RidingFitnessForumVideoCommutingNewsBikes & GearRoutes & RidingFitnessForumVideoBeginners & Family NewsBikes & GearRoutes & RidingFitnessForumVideoTraining & Events Search Training Advice Vuelta a España Magazines You are here: Home mtb news KS … 2012 KS eTen seatpost - Eurobike 2012 0 comments By James Huang in Argenbühl, Germany | Tuesday, Aug 28, 2012 4.10pm

KS adds a new bargain priced dropper seatpost, called the eTen, for 2013. Total travel is set at 100mm and it will be offered in both manual and remote versions. Costs range from US$150 to $US175 (James Huang/Future Publishing)

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Mountain bikers looking for the technical advantages of a dropper postwithout the price tag of one of the higher-end options now have a budget option from KS.

The new eTen seatpost offers 100mm ofdrop via air sprung and hydraulically locked internals similar to the company'sflagship LEV seatposts.

However, whereas the LEV has its guts built directly into the aluminumstanchion, the eTen uses a separate sealed steel cartridge for easiermanufacturing. Also, the eTen uses a more basic microadjustable single-boltseatpost head, as opposed to the LEV's twin-bolt setup.

Not surprisingly, the eTen is also quite a bit heavier at 643-723gdepending on size. But on the upside it's also quite inexpensive. The cableactuated remote version is just US$175, while the manual variant is cheaperstill at only US$150.

Related articlesNew TRS+ dropper post from e*thirteenCrankBrothers Kronolog dropper post reviewFox DOSS dropper seatpost – First ride reviewGiant Contact Switch dropper seatpost reviewJust in: KS SuperNatural dropper post

The KS LEV continues to be an appealing option for 2013

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