Vuelta Stage 11: Kessiakoff wins, Contador closes gap on Rodriguez, Froome drops to third

It's not because he's British that we're saying he's not doing well, it's because he isn't living up to what we expected pre-race (maybe expectations were too high but Sky set out to win), and certainly not what he suggested he was capable during his little spurts at the tour.

Nationality doesn't come in to it, Gesink isn't doing well either but most of us here are Brits so we're discussing the British riders. Froome is the best of them at the Vuelta and as he's involved in the GC he's the main talking point.

I agree that tiredness plays a part but I'm not sure how doping is playing into this, Contador was always a decent TT rider and this wasn't a standard TT course like the ones at the Tour or Olympics, this was a tough technical hilly TT that probably doesn't suit the likes of Wiggins, Froome and Martin who are good strong TT riders who like fast flat courses, just look at Kessiakoff and Inxtausti doing well, they're climbers and both beat Martin, a generally much superior TTer.

I've warmed to Froome, and he is clearly doing very well. It's not lost yet, and a podium finish would be marvellous.

Poor old Froome - its come to something that a Brit(ish) rider doing really really well in a very tough tour up near the end of tough season against strong (doping?) opposition is seen to be doing relatively badly.
He is a victim of our (as in British) success where anything but a win is failure.
He looked tired and pretty vulnerable today.

PASTAMAN - Well said Sir !

Contador is a confirmed doper, clearly welcomed back into the fold by the UCI. As Paul Kimmage has stated recently, the sport needs cleaning from the top down. This is clearly illustrated here for all to see. Ask Contador if he'll do a test at the end of every stage in the Vuelta ?
He is a drugs cheat. I remember watching him in the last Giro, flying up the mountains away from Nibali et al, very Armstrongesque, EPO'd off his teeth..........

A vile cheat applauded by the UCI and certain cycling hacks alike, free to go about his dishonest trade without the hurdles that should bar him from this beautiful sport.

That's unfair, Contador is pretty much the same as wiggins, a time trialled who happens to be able to climb.

Of course, wiggins can't dance up cols like Contador, but line them up and they're almost very the same.

Don't forget that Contador is also a totally unrepentant doper - today's result strongly suggests he's not changed a thing during his 6 month holiday - sorry I meant 2 year ban. I seem to remember there was a period a couple of years ago when his TT results were much more plausible I.e. coming in 30th or so ( as opposed to when he was in pomp when we were supposed to believe that a climber who weighed 10 stone dripping wet was able to put minutes into the likes of big guys like Spartacus). I'm sure someone can fill in the details here.....???

I feel sorry Froome in all this - the playing field is clearly is not yet level, despite recent efforts of USADA. What would have been nice would have been for the UCI to say this outrageous, we are determined to clear this up and starting from tomorrow there will be 5 year bans if you caught, reducible to 3 if you implicate everyone else involved. 6 months holiday is no deterrent at all as we can clearly see from this result. Rant over.

Yeah, possibly a race too far for Froome, especially up against much fresher opposition in Contador and Rodriguez.

Rodriguez wasn't supposed to be in Red, neither was Contador and Froome was going to put time into both due to his superior time trial skills, two to three minutes was estimated. Not knocking Froome but the 'experts' certainly got something wrong, while Contador got everything right.