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Vuelta a España, Spain

Stage 15, Lézat-sur-Lèze - Saint-Lary Soulan (Pla d'Adet), 205.5K

11 September

The Dust Devil's Daily Wrap
The Hammer of the Gods

Stages and Maps, The Dust Devil's Daily Wrap

Well, well, well.......Roberto Heras certainly blew it wide open today (stage 15) didn't he? Bringing Denis Menchov's dreams of victory in Madrid to a screeching halt with one fell swoop. Attacking from 55K from the finish in the rain and fog, I was doubtful Heras would have the strength to pull it off. I thought it may have been a Spanish repeat of Gilberto Simoni's attack in the Giro, where he attacked from so far out (on the stage 19 to Sestriere). He burned all his matches along the way, finishing with only a handful of seconds.

Not so with Roberto Heras today though. He put in an infernal attack that nobody could follow, but his shadow (if the sun were out, that is), to take the stage and the golden jersey. He also had some pretty incredible help from his Liberty Seguros-Würth brothers in arms, Michele Scarponi and Joseba Beloki, who rode tempo for him until they popped.

Heras has to be feeling pretty pleased with his team and his own performance today. He looks very much on track to bagging his third Vuelta running, and his 4th overall.

 

As for Menchov: It's not all over for him. He has ridden a great race to defend himself to this point. The 27 year-old has shown a lot of people that he has some potential for Grand Tour victory in him. Maybe not this year, but maybe next year. We will see what the future holds for this talented rider from Guernica, Russia. He certainly has surprised me. I thought he was in for a future of victories in short stage races and maybe a stage of a Tour, Giro or Vuelta. But, I think he has more than that in him.
- The Dust Devil