how do you say chapeau in spanish?

For some, the Vuelta will always be a mere afterthought; the not quite as grand tour; the stepbrother with the less fanciful lineage. But while its current position in the racing calender may affect it adversely, the race itself continues to be, in my mind, great. And this year is no exception. I had grown a little bored of The Comeback and the Astana shenanigans and watching a race unfold without Armstrong or Contador has been refreshing. Not that I don't enjoy watching them both race, I do. Bring on next year and all that jazz but right now I'm enjoying the space they have vacated, the limelight briefly up for grabs before it's consumed again by those who crave it, demand it, (sometimes) earn it. Yesterday's stage was epic in the true sense of the word; the riders clinging to the mountain, covered in rain and dirt and pain. Switch to black and white and lose the the 21st century equipment and you had the kind of old-fashioned, sepia-toned suffering that makes those historical images of agony such an essential component of cycling history. Cunego's win was oh-so impressive and I hope hints beyond just a return to form for this year's World Championships. Valverde was equally gutsy, as were Mosquera, Sanchez, Gesink, Evans and Basso, all of who left everything they had on the slopes of the Pandera.