Playing things cautiously rather than taking chances in the wet, technical conditions, Alberto Contador sealed victory in the Vuelta a España with a conservative ride in the final time trial in Santiago de Compostela.
The Spaniard notched up the sixth Grand Tour win of his career at the end of the 9.7 kilometre test, celebrating inside the final kilometre while also negotiating some tricky, damp corners.
He coasted in for 101st place, but wasn’t worried about the placing; like the other general classification contenders – and unlike those who started earlier in the evening - he had to contend with drying roads which still posted a threat of a crash.
Contador put the emphasis on staying safe. Closest rival Chris Froome (Sky) pushed things a little more while also not taking any real risks. He finished 63rd, while Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) sealed his own place on the podium with a quicker 32nd.
Fastest in the time trial was the Italian Adriano Malori, who bookended his Movistar team’s Vuelta after it had also won the opening day team time trial. He went off in dry conditions and clocked an impressive 11 minutes 12 seconds for the 9.7 kilometre distance; this was eight seconds better than Jesse Sergent (Trek Factory Racing) and a further second quicker than Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing Team), who had looked to be on course to win the test but who crashed towards the end of his effort.
The final TT result saw Contador end the race one minute ten seconds clear of Froome and one minute 50 up on Valverde. Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) and Fabio Aru (Astana) were fourth and fifth, three minutes 25 seconds and four minutes 48 seconds back respectively.
John Degenkolb (Giant-Shimano) took the green points jersey ahead of Valverde and Contador, while Luis Leon Sanchez (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) was best climber. Contador was second in that contest and won the combination classification.
“This has been a great Vuelta for the team,” said a very pleased Malori. “I won the last stage, Valverde is on the podium. Taking a stage victory here is great, it is another one for the team.
“Many of the big time trial specialists left the race before but there were still some very good riders here so I can take pleasure from the result in the time trial.”
However he ruled out any notion that he could have beaten Tony Martin if he had still been in the race. “No, no,” he smiled, when asked. “Obviously these guys are huge specialists.”
How it played out:
The final time trial of the Vuelta a España was much more typical of a prologue, with its short 9.7 kilometre distance and resulting high speeds more typically seen at the start of a three week tour rather than at the end.
The race organisers had hoped that overall gaps would be tight and thus there would still be something to fight for in terms of the general classification but, given the amount of tough climbing stages, it was always going to be unlikely that the short test would be a decider.
So it proved, with the GC time gaps at the start of the stage unlikely to change without crashes or serious mechanical issues.
Italian rider Adriano Malori (Movistar) set the early best time, eight seconds faster than Jesse Sergent (Trek Factory Racing). He accepted after the race that he was unsure about holding on, given the calibre of riders yet to roll out, but one the rain started falling it made things much more secure for him.
Despite that, Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing Team) appeared to be a threat when he went fastest at the final time split, but crashed coming in towards the finish and lost his chance. He ended up nine seconds back and rued what might have been.
The general classification riders got underway but it quickly became clear that they would not be troubling Malori’s marker. Safety was the priority and with numerous twists and turns on the course, as well as pavestones and other such road surfaces, it was impossible to fight for the stage without taking serious risks.
The GC riders came and went without anyone going close. Contador started his test looking focussed, but with his crash in the Tour de France still fresh on his mind he was certain not to overcook things. Chris Froome was fully committed, looking to take what would be – unbelievably – Sky’s first Grand Tour stage victory of the year and, in the case of any weakness or problems for Contador, the final red jersey.
However he too would have to exercise caution, thus making his stage-hunting goal very difficult.
Fabo Aru came in for a provisional 100th place, while Rodriguez was considerably better with 55th. Valverde was also giving it everything, riding flat out on the straight roads but also being forced to show caution on the bends. He ended up a provisional 32nd, ending the race well.
Froome thundered in towards the finish but lost too much time on the twist and turns, ending the test in a provisional 63rd.
Wearing the red jersey, Contador was the last rider on the course and rode along to huge support from the Spanish fans. He was visibly more guarded than Froome, riding with restraint and caution. He raced in for 101st, raising his right fist in the air several times in celebration and grinning broadly.
His ride saw him seal the sixth Grand Tour of his career and third Vuelta a España title; it also saw him bounce back from a fracture in the Tour de France, clocking up a performance which moves him back to the top of the WorldTour standings and which caps off what has been one of the best seasons of his career.
Vuelta a España
Stage 21 (ITT)
: Santiago de Compostela > Santiago de Compostela
Sunday 14th September (2014)
Classification: 2.UWT
Category: Int. Men
Distance: 9.7km
Stage Result
| 1. |  |
MALORI Adriano
Movistar Team
|
00:11:12 |
| 2. |  |
SERGENT Jesse
Trek Factory Racing
|
0:08 |
| 3. |  |
DENNIS Rohan
BMC Racing Team
|
0:09 |
| 4. |  |
KIRYIENKA Vasil
Team Sky
|
0:17 |
| 5. |  |
ENGOULVENT Jimmy
Team Europcar
|
- |
| 6. |  |
CHERNETCKII Sergei
Team Katusha
|
0:18 |
| 7. |  |
BODNAR Maciej
Cannondale
|
- |
| 8. |  |
LUTSENKO Alexey
Astana Pro Team
|
- |
| 9. |  |
STUYVEN Jasper
Trek Factory Racing
|
- |
| 10. | |
GAUDIN Damien
AG2R La Mondiale
|
- |
| 11. | |
VANDEWALLE Kristof
Trek Factory Racing
|
0:19 |
| 12. | |
BENNATI Daniele
Tinkoff-Saxo
|
0:21 |
| 13. | |
BEWLEY Sam
Orica GreenEDGE
|
0:22 |
| 14. |  |
ARNDT Nikias
Team Giant-Shimano
|
0:24 |
| 15. | |
GRETSCH Patrick
AG2R La Mondiale
|
0:27 |
| 16. | |
HENDERSON Gregory
Lotto Belisol
|
0:28 |
| 17. |  |
JõEääR Gert
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
0:29 |
| 18. | |
FELLINE Fabio
Trek Factory Racing
|
0:30 |
| 19. |  |
BREEN Vegard
Lotto Belisol
|
0:38 |
| 20. | |
DEGENKOLB John
Team Giant-Shimano
|
0:39 |
| 21. |  |
YATES Adam
Orica GreenEDGE
|
0:40 |
| 22. | |
ROWE Luke
Team Sky
|
- |
| 23. |  |
VALGREN ANDERSEN Michael
Tinkoff-Saxo
|
0:44 |
| 24. |  |
VENTER Jaco
MTN - Qhubeka
|
- |
| 25. | |
KOZONTCHUK Dmitry
Team Katusha
|
0:46 |
| 26. |  |
POELS Wout
Omega Pharma - Quick-Step
|
0:47 |
| 27. |  |
POPOVYCH Yaroslav
Trek Factory Racing
|
- |
| 28. | |
TJALLINGII Maarten
Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
|
- |
| 29. | |
CONTI Valerio
Lampre-Merida
|
0:52 |
| 30. |  |
LUDVIGSSON Tobias
Team Giant-Shimano
|
0:54 |
| 31. |  |
FUMEAUX Jonathan
IAM Cycling
|
- |
| 32. |  |
VALVERDE Alejandro
Movistar Team
|
0:55 |
| 33. | |
SOUPE Geoffrey
FDJ.fr
|
- |
| 34. | |
PIEDRA PEREZ Antonio
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
|
- |
| 35. | |
WAGNER Robert
Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
|
- |
| 36. | |
VANSUMMEREN Johan
Garmin Sharp
|
0:56 |
| 37. | |
LANG Pirmin
IAM Cycling
|
- |
| 38. | |
MAS BONET Lluís Guillermo
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
|
- |
| 39. | |
MAES Nikolas
Omega Pharma - Quick-Step
|
0:58 |
| 40. | |
TURGOT Sébastien
AG2R La Mondiale
|
0:59 |
| 41. | |
LIGTHART Pim
Lotto Belisol
|
1:00 |
| 42. |  |
VELITS Martin
Omega Pharma - Quick-Step
|
- |
| 43. | |
LONGO BORGHINI Paolo
Cannondale
|
1:01 |
| 44. | |
MORENO Javier
Movistar Team
|
- |
| 45. | |
BENNETT George
Cannondale
|
1:02 |
| 46. | |
DOMAGALSKI Karol
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
|
- |
| 47. | |
THOMSON Jay Robert
MTN - Qhubeka
|
1:03 |
| 48. | |
SáNCHEZ Samuel
BMC Racing Team
|
- |
| 49. |  |
HAGA Chad
Team Giant-Shimano
|
1:04 |
| 50. |  |
RICHEZE Ariel Maximiliano
Lampre-Merida
|
1:05 |
| 51. | |
KEIZER Martijn
Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
|
- |
| 52. | |
CLEMENT Stef
Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
|
1:06 |
| 53. | |
NOCENTINI Rinaldo
AG2R La Mondiale
|
1:07 |
| 54. | BETANCUR Carlos
AG2R La Mondiale
|
1:08 | |
| 55. | |
KELDERMAN Wilco
Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
|
- |
| 56. | |
RODRíGUEZ Joaquim
Team Katusha
|
- |
| 57. | |
QUINZIATO Manuel
BMC Racing Team
|
1:09 |
| 58. | |
BAGOT Yoann
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
- |
| 59. | |
JEROME Vincent
Team Europcar
|
1:10 |
| 60. | |
HINAULT Sébastien
IAM Cycling
|
1:11 |
| 61. | |
TOSATTO Matteo
Tinkoff-Saxo
|
1:12 |
| 62. |  |
KRIZEK Matthias
Cannondale
|
1:13 |
| 63. | |
FROOME Christopher
Team Sky
|
- |
| 64. | |
LASCA Francesco
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
|
1:14 |
| 65. | |
ARMéE Sander
Lotto Belisol
|
- |
| 66. | |
LE BON Johan
FDJ.fr
|
- |
| 67. | |
FERNáNDEZ DE LARREA Koldo
Garmin Sharp
|
1:15 |
| 68. | |
CARUSO Damiano
Cannondale
|
- |
| 69. | |
HUTAROVICH Yauheni
AG2R La Mondiale
|
1:16 |
| 70. | |
BARGUIL Warren
Team Giant-Shimano
|
1:17 |
| 71. | |
FAVILLI Elia
Lampre-Merida
|
1:21 |
| 72. | |
MATTHEWS Michael
Orica GreenEDGE
|
1:22 |
| 73. | |
DEBUSSCHERE Jens
Lotto Belisol
|
1:23 |
| 74. | SERPA PEREZ Jose Rodolfo
Lampre-Merida
|
1:24 | |
| 75. |  |
BERHANE Natnael
Team Europcar
|
1:26 |
| 76. | |
SINKELDAM Ramon
Team Giant-Shimano
|
- |
| 77. |  |
PAULINHO Sérgio
Tinkoff-Saxo
|
1:27 |
| 78. | |
ERVITI Imanol
Movistar Team
|
1:28 |
| 79. | |
AREGGER Marcel
IAM Cycling
|
- |
| 80. | |
GUARDINI Andrea
Astana Pro Team
|
1:29 |
| 81. | |
MONFORT Maxime
Lotto Belisol
|
- |
| 82. | |
TXURRUKA Amets
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
|
- |
| 83. | |
SICARD Romain
Team Europcar
|
1:31 |
| 84. | |
FROHLINGER Johannes
Team Giant-Shimano
|
1:32 |
| 85. | |
NAVARRO Daniel
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
1:33 |
| 86. | |
FERRARI Roberto
Lampre-Merida
|
- |
| 87. |  |
AMADOR Andrey
Movistar Team
|
- |
| 88. | |
GUARNIERI Jacopo
Astana Pro Team
|
1:34 |
| 89. | |
KUDUS Merhawi
MTN - Qhubeka
|
1:35 |
| 90. | |
NIEVE Mikel
Team Sky
|
- |
| 91. |  |
BOIVIN Guillaume
Cannondale
|
- |
| 92. | |
WARBASSE Larry
BMC Racing Team
|
1:36 |
| 93. | |
MEDEREL Maxime
Team Europcar
|
1:37 |
| 94. | |
SBARAGLI Kristian
MTN - Qhubeka
|
- |
| 95. | |
COUSIN Jérôme
Team Europcar
|
1:38 |
| 96. | |
CASTROVIEJO Jonathan
Movistar Team
|
1:39 |
| 97. | |
MILLAR David
Garmin Sharp
|
- |
| 98. | |
NIEMIEC Przemyslaw
Lampre-Merida
|
- |
| 99. | |
BILBAO Pello
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
|
1:40 |
| 100. | |
WYSS Danilo
BMC Racing Team
|
- |
| 101. | |
CONTADOR Alberto
Tinkoff-Saxo
|
- |
| 102. |  |
CRAVEN Dan
Team Europcar
|
- |
| 103. | |
BROWN Nathan
Garmin Sharp
|
1:41 |
| 104. | |
ARU Fabio
Astana Pro Team
|
- |
| 105. | |
NERZ Dominik
BMC Racing Team
|
1:42 |
| 106. | |
CIOLEK Gerald
MTN - Qhubeka
|
1:43 |
| 107. | |
IZAGIRRE Gorka
Movistar Team
|
- |
| 108. | |
MANGEL Laurent
FDJ.fr
|
1:44 |
| 109. | |
DE CLERCQ Bart
Lotto Belisol
|
- |
| 110. | |
ZAUGG Oliver
Tinkoff-Saxo
|
1:45 |
| 111. | |
VERONA Carlos
Omega Pharma - Quick-Step
|
- |
| 112. | |
MEINTJES Louis
MTN - Qhubeka
|
1:47 |
| 113. | |
DE MARCHI Alessandro
Cannondale
|
1:49 |
| 114. | |
DOCKER Mitchell
Orica GreenEDGE
|
1:51 |
| 115. |  |
DEIGNAN Philip
Team Sky
|
- |
| 116. | |
CUNEGO Damiano
Lampre-Merida
|
- |
| 117. | |
LEVARLET Guillaume
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
1:52 |
| 118. | |
TEKLEHAIMANOT Daniel
MTN - Qhubeka
|
- |
| 119. | |
HANSEN Adam
Lotto Belisol
|
- |
| 120. | |
MATé MARDONES Luis Ángel
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
1:53 |
| 121. | |
REYNES MIMO Vicente
IAM Cycling
|
- |
| 122. | |
MARTIN Daniel
Garmin Sharp
|
1:54 |
| 123. | |
DUPONT Hubert
AG2R La Mondiale
|
- |
| 124. | |
EVANS Cadel
BMC Racing Team
|
- |
| 125. | |
ZINGLE Romain
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
1:55 |
| 126. | |
LOSADA Alberto
Team Katusha
|
1:57 |
| 127. | |
TALANSKY Andrew
Garmin Sharp
|
- |
| 128. | |
HAAS Nathan
Garmin Sharp
|
1:58 |
| 129. | |
HARDY Romain
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
1:59 |
| 130. | |
MARTINEZ Yannick
Team Europcar
|
- |
| 131. | CHAVES RUBIO Johan Esteban
Orica GreenEDGE
|
- | |
| 132. | |
MORENO Daniel
Team Katusha
|
- |
| 133. | |
CLARKE Simon
Orica GreenEDGE
|
- |
| 134. | |
SIUTSOU Kanstantsin
Team Sky
|
2:03 |
| 135. | |
COPPEL Jérome
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
2:04 |
| 136. | |
SANCHEZ Luis Leon
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
|
- |
| 137. | |
CARUSO Giampaolo
Team Katusha
|
2:07 |
| 138. | |
TROFIMOV Yuri
Team Katusha
|
2:08 |
| 139. | |
KOLOBNEV Alexandr
Team Katusha
|
2:11 |
| 140. | |
HESJEDAL Ryder
Garmin Sharp
|
- |
| 141. | |
TIRALONGO Paolo
Astana Pro Team
|
2:12 |
| 142. | |
ARAMENDIA Javier
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
|
2:13 |
| 143. | |
KENNAUGH Peter
Team Sky
|
2:15 |
| 144. | ANACONA Winner
Lampre-Merida
|
- | |
| 145. | |
MARTENS Paul
Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
|
2:20 |
| 146. | |
GILBERT Philippe
BMC Racing Team
|
2:21 |
| 147. | |
CARDOSO André
Garmin Sharp
|
- |
| 148. | |
HERRADA José
Movistar Team
|
2:22 |
| 149. | |
HERNáNDEZ Jesús
Tinkoff-Saxo
|
- |
| 150. | |
PINEAU Cédric
FDJ.fr
|
2:23 |
| 151. | |
LANDA Mikel
Astana Pro Team
|
2:24 |
| 152. | |
PARDILLA BELLóN Sergio
MTN - Qhubeka
|
2:25 |
| 153. | |
ARROYO DURáN David
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
|
2:27 |
| 154. | |
TEN DAM Laurens
Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
|
- |
| 155. | |
LE MéVEL Christophe
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
2:28 |
| 156. | |
VORGANOV Eduard
Team Katusha
|
2:38 |
| 157. | |
SøRENSEN Chris Anker
Tinkoff-Saxo
|
2:41 |
| 158. | |
ZEITS Andrey
Astana Pro Team
|
2:42 |
| 159. | |
JANSE VAN RENSBURG Jacques
MTN - Qhubeka
|
2:43 |