Cycling: The 72nd edition of the Vuelta a España ended on Sunday evening. The drivers have had three tough weeks. We look back at the 5 biggest highlights of the tour.
Series winner Matteo Trentin has advanced to become the new top sprinter
In 2017 it was not the first time that the world's best sprinters did not start at the Vuelta a España. This allowed a driver who is otherwise not even his team's second choice in a bunch sprint to sprint his way into the spotlight. Matteo Trentin (Quick-Step Floors) was the star of his team at the 2017 Vuelta a España. He won two mass sprints and two breakaways. He was also able to win the final stage in Madrid. Unfortunately, it didn't work out with the points jersey. Chris Froome (Sky) also wanted to claim this ranking for himself and secured it with a two-point lead. By the way, after six years with the Belgian team Quick-Step, Trentin will drive for another team next season. The Italian chose the Orica-Scott team – even before the Vuelta a España. The Australians will definitely be happy...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hXdNGta3GE
Stefan Denifl surprises as a mountain goat
When Stefan Denifl (Aqua Blue Sport) was on the 17st stage slipped into the breakaway group, no one seriously expected the Austrian to succeed due to the difficult final climb. The composition of the group actually only led to this conclusion, because with Daniel Moreno (Movistar) there was someone at Denifl who just loves such hard mountains. But Denifl believed in himself. He first broke away from the other four companions together with Moreno and then also left the Spaniard standing. Denifl drove to the first Austrian stage win at a Vuelta a España since Max Bulla in 1935. That was the biggest success of Stefan Denifl's career to date. This day's victory in a Grand Tour also meant a lot for his team Aqua Blue Sport.
¡GANADOR DENIFL! Spectacular @Alberto counter, que llega segundo a la meta y le recorta 1'18' a Froome. En https://t.co/E6hlc1AT2r # LV2017 pic.twitter.com/S7Nql6dhXY
- Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) September 6, 2017
Chris Froome's Big Loss of Time
The 17th stage was not only a special one for Austria and Stefan Denifl, but also for the course of the Vuelta a España as a whole - at least that was what some spectators hoped. Because the leader Chris Froome (Sky) experienced by far his weakest day on this stage. He couldn't keep up on the steep final climb. At the end of the day he lost over 40 seconds to Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida). The tour suddenly seemed exciting again. What was wrong with Chris Froome? Should the man in the red jersey break down on the last stages after all? None! Froome was just having a bad day. On the penultimate stage he straightened things out again. He won the Vuelta for the first time after three second places. This enabled him to win the Double Tour/Vuelta. Only the French Jacques Anquetil in 1963 and Bernard Hinault in 1978 had managed this feat before him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v-q9yVmipk
10 of 21 stages went to two Belgian teams
Team Quick-Step Floors must be described as the dominator of the three Grand Tours in 2017. The Belgian team won numerous sections in mass sprints at the Giro d'Italia with Fernando Gaviria and at the Tour de France with Marcel Kittel. They also dominated the sprint arrivals at the Vuelta a España. Matteo Trentin won four stages straight away. Added to this are the victories of Yves Lampaert and Julian Alaphilippe. As a result, Quick-Step Floors won a whopping 16 stages in the three Grand Tours of 2017. Another Belgian team has won four times at the Vuelta a España. Sander Armée, Thomas De Gendt and twice Tomasz Marczynski triumphed for Lotto Soudal. Almost half of all day wins went to the two Belgian teams.
# LV2017 Congratulations to our team on a successful @lavuelta! D.S @MarioAerts looks back on the race: https://t.co/kDCr4PRrvX pic.twitter.com/LjGqiasLGt
- Lotto Soudal (@Lotto_Soudal) September 10, 2017
The picture book farewell by Alberto Contador
The 20st stage the Vuelta a España 2017 should be a very special one. Of course, the organizers thought so because the section led over the dreaded Alto de L'Angliru. However, they could not count on this picture book farewell from Alberto Contador. The Spaniard announced the end of his career before the start of the Vuelta and wanted to ignite one last firework display here. He succeeded. He finished fifth in the overall standings and won the king's stage up to Angliru. He kept the race exciting with his constant attacks on almost every stage. When the peloton pulled into Madrid – Contador's birthplace – on the last stage, he was allowed to celebrate. Tears flowed from him, some teammates and many fans. With Contador, a very prominent driver of the 21st century hung up his bike on Sunday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC-cTixBjjc