When's the last time you could say that? The days after the Olympic chrono maybe. Stage racing (at the pro tour level) is officially over for the year, and road events are rapidly coming to a close. This week is all about the Worlds, followed by a weekend with no major events, then the Giro dell'Emilia and Paris-Tour October 11-12, and finally the Giro di Lombardia October 18. My general preference for one-day racing and all things Italian makes this a nice way to end the season, though I still miss the Championships of Zurich.
Today is a good day for dissecting the Vuelta, but others may have more to say than I. To start the conversation, I'll say this: I like the late start. Even if the Vuelta occupies the same basic position on the calendar (post Tour), there's no guarantee it will start in September, safely after the Tour. But as hard as this Vuelta was, there was little complaining from the crowd who rode the Tour. Some folks in Germany probably weren't thrilled with the calendar, but the Vuelta is back as a fun race, so I can't worry too much about the D-Tour.
OK, carry on.