“I’m by no means happier than once I’m writing.”
~ Ed Hood, as spoken to Martin Williamson from the passenger seat, driving alongside a stage route on the Tour de France.
Pricey Readers – Our beloved colleague and buddy Ed Hood suffered a critical stroke in February. We don’t count on Ed will make it again into our bunch, so we’ve began a GoFundMe web page to assist Ed along with his future. Learn the complete submit right here – and please think about donating.
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We’ll be posting a number of Ed’s work from the previous 16 years, as a result of nice story-telling by no means will get previous.
Roadside Vuelta: Ed Hood seems again on the last stage of the 2012 Vuelta in Madrid. ‘Ultimo kilometro!’ the ‘speaker’ bellows into his mic as up on the large display, De Kort tries to make his legs neglect in regards to the Bola del Mundo. His ‘physique weight over the pedals’ type is much like his Capo, John Degenkolb who sits in his slipstream awaiting the aware second. . .
The timing have to be proper; Viviani is coming, so too are Bennati and Davis – males you’ll be able to’t grant liberties to. However De Kort is working out of steam and the German can’t wait any longer, we’re at 100 metres to go and he’s already made the transfer, on the market within the wind – ‘Benna’ is on him and Viviani is coming. The Liquigas man is speedy; his pace honed on the observe and he makes floor quickly.
However once more, Degenkolb proves he’s grasp of the lengthy cost as neither Italian can fairly get to him – 5 levels, not a foul Grand Tour for Argos. However we’re forward of ourselves, once more – let’s journey again to this morning.
One of many Covadonga wolves has turn out to be a Vuelta fan and is down at Cercidella for the beginning of the final stage.
However howling wolves aside, the vibe is laid again at the beginning, Cuitu Negru stage winner Dario Cataldo ambles in to the village, we’re undecided why – there’s no free espresso.
However there are many fairly ladies – that’ll be it. And with reference to fairly ladies, the person who’s received extra pics of fairly ladies than I do of six day riders – Al Hamilton, has come to examine that we’re doing a very good job.
Not simply consuming native cheese and lingering too lengthy in a wee espresso store in order that we practically get caught behind the race – as if we’d try this!
The vibe is mellow, the solar is scorching because the twenty first and last stage of the 67th Vuelta a Espana prepares for the gently descending street to Madrid. It’ll be much less mellow for the 9 laps of the Paseo de Castellano because the sprinters have their last say. Will Degenkolb make it 5 or can Swift save Sky’s Vuelta or Viviani do the identical for Liquigas? We’ll discover out later this afternoon.
The drive into Madrid isn’t essentially the most photogenic and we’re startled to search out the roads 100% open to visitors with lower than hour ’til race time – I assume we get spoiled at le Tour?
I take a look at AS, the sports activities each day, which headlines, “La Mejor Vuelta De La Historia” – ‘The perfect Vuelta in historical past,’ we’ll drink to that. It definitely made the Tour appear to be a procession; while Rodriguez, Valverde and Contador aren’t males to, ‘accept a podium place.’
They knocked lumps out of one another till the final metres of the Bola del Mundo, yesterday.
We’re on the motorway into Madrid now, however it’s closed for the day – simply our Panda and the white line heading for the guts of town.
As we hit outskirts of town, the picture ops get higher, wonderful fashionable bridges and that factor the Spanish accomplish that effectively the place the previous sits completely with the brand new. Onto the circuit, abandon the automobile and get to work.
Custom has gone out of the window with one facet of the Vuelta. Again within the ‘previous days’ once I used to return to Madrid to observe the end of the race; it was the factor for the race chief and his workforce to experience an ‘exhibition’ lap of the circuit earlier than the sprinters received critical. I bear in mind gold jerseyed Toni Rominger’s CLAS-Cajastur equipo streaming into town with Federico Echave on the head of affairs – head band and lengthy hair streaming within the breeze.
Cool.
Not now, a Rabo and a Cofidis are first in to town, however are quickly to be swallowed, spat and countered by a break of six with Sergei Lagutin giving his all.
They work laborious previous the fantastic fountains; however we all know that it received’t finish effectively – I can’t ever bear in mind something besides a mass cost on these stunning boulevards.
But it surely’s a very good day if you happen to’re an Alberto fan – Pinto is the geographic coronary heart of Spain and never removed from Madrid.
In the meantime, we take a look at the Nationwide Library the place they’re celebrating Cervantes, the person who gave us Don Quixote.
The residents of Madrid are among the many finest learn on the planet – cafe society prospers, with Cafe Gijon a legendary hang-out of poets, writers and artists.
And even the Vuelta 20 metres away can’t tempt some away from their sherry below the shelter of the bushes.
In the meantime out on the new tar, the break digs deep as we stroll all the way down to the fantastic constructing that was once the submit workplace in Madrid – a beautiful background for photos of men on bikes.
Alberto seems relaxed, and the paint job on the Specialised is unassuming – we prefer it.
Understated isn’t a phrase which the noble architects of Madrid employed a lot – however below the blue, excessive plains sky and with the fountains, the bushes and the warmth all of it suits in to the grand scheme of this excellent metropolis.
The laps rely down in the direction of the ‘ultimo vuelta’ as Sky take to the entrance. Deep carbon rims ‘clack’ as chains plonk down onto 11 sprockets and the jet wash off the string is refreshing on the pores and skin. The break has gone – it was at all times doomed.
And it’s all the way down to Argos; Degenkolb will nonetheless be sad that he blew it into Aguilar de Campo the place Bennati beat Swift. Liquigas are in there too, for Viviani – and so they’re studying the laborious manner that identical to the Champs Elysees, this circuit isn’t flat.
Degenkolb delivers, as behind him workforce mate Cheng Ji applauds the win – however it’s not simply Degenkolb who deserves it, the entire workforce do.
Alberto Contador cruises in – there’s pleasure, however not slightly reduction as he takes his second Vuelta. The Saxo-Tinkoff boys smile from ear to ear – all that prize cash to share and no tempo to experience, tomorrow.
The final males dwelling are Orica-GreenEDGE’s Mitch Docker and Travis Meyer – a very good Vuelta for the Aussies, with Simon Clarke’s stage win and King of the Mountains title.
# That’s Adios from la Vuelta! #
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