Vuelta Stage 12: Welcome to Lo-Groan-yo

Stage 12: Logroño -- Logroño, 166km

I do love me some out-and-backs. Well, when posing as a journalist anyway. There's no better time than watching the peloton pull out after the usual stage-start pics and chats, then knowing there will be nothing to see or do -- and nowhere to go -- for several hours. I only know this from Belgium where, I might add, you can find a decent beer if you've nothing else to do. So there's that.

Unfortunately I'm not in or anywhere near Logroño, in La Rioja province, tomorrow. If I were, I suppose I'd be checking out wines for the down time. Instead, this stage will be more about the whine than the wine. Just a completely horrible day for watching cycling:

Unless, like I said, you were in Logroño, where the peloton passes through fully nine times. There's a tradition in grand tours where you pay tribute to past stages of cycling lore, such as the Cuneo-Pinerolo idea that pops up in an occasional Giro (and usually gets snowed out. Can we please revert back to the 1950 road calendar?). And so, we have a tribute here to... the 2012 snorefest circuit stage from, through and to Logroño. John Degenkolb won that one. Chances are he'll win again.

I can't think of anything else to say here. Watch if you must. See you over the weekend.