Stage 12 is a circuit race around San Cristobal, but this isn’t just a simple criterium. It is 12 circuits of about 10km each, with a roughly 2.1km climb which averages 6% and maxes out at 9%. Last year, this is where the race was won, so it is not just a day to sit back and enjoy the ride.
Mendes is the main favourite today, being easily the best puncheur in the race. After being in the break all day yesterday, however, he might be tired. Pellizotti will hope to get a big gap on Marquez to take out the win, but he will have his work cut out for him.
Starting out the attacks on this final day is Simone Masciarelli. His notional team leader Castano has been mentioned by some as a favourite today so this will absolve them from having to work.
He gets a bit of a gap back to the group then another two riders attack out of the peloton. The first is Henry Raabe and the second one is of course Irakli Bablidze, meaning that he has managed an attack on every even stage. Bizarre. They can’t manage to get up to our leader straight away but they pull out a good gap and form a nice chase group.
The next attack, on the 2nd lap, comes from Ulugbek Galiev. Cisco have been aggressive all race and they can feel that they have been really rewarded for it. In fact Galiev has already secured himself third in the mountain classification but will presumably be looking for a stage today.
Finally, the fifth attack is Fabio Montenegro. Bintang will presumably be quite disappointed with their race here, despite a couple of stage wins. Either way, they will be hoping that this attack pays off. All five of these riders come together with 78km of the race remaining, or roughly 8 laps. Their gap is 3’78”.
HTC are looking quite serious today. They will have to shepherd Marquez to the line. Not that he is the worst rider on the hills, but there are certainly others who are much better than him. Thankfully most of the team here are classics specialists so that’s a bonus.
A rare moment occurs with 60km remaining. The gap sits at 4’13” but the peloton are able to look over the middle division in the road and see the break. Some teammates shout encouragement.
The pace remains settled until ABSOLUTE DISASTER! Florentino Marquez, the race leader, hits the tarmac.
There is a mad scramble from his teammates to get back to him and with 49km remaining the pace in the peloton has slowed to a crawl. WWE deserve a mention for their good sportsmanship here, not increasing the pace. This allows Marquez’s entire team to pace him back in to the pack. Nothing appears bruised except his pride.
The gap has gone out to 5’30” as HTC resume their grip on the front. They keep everything under control, setting a pretty high pace but still trying to avoid nerves so that the leader doesn’t fall again.
On the third last ascent of the climb the biggest favourite for today, Mendes, puts in his bid. This is really early but clearly he has faith in himself.
Soon after comes an attack from another favourite for today – Soler. It is possible that some teams want to toughen the race up a bit to help their leaders gain GC places, but that could easily backfire.
And with 2 laps to go, here are the gaps:
2'35"
40"
14"
3'29"
Break (5)
--->
Mendes
--->
Soler
--->
P (71)
And over the top of this climb as the penultimate lap starts is an attack from Pineau... and straight on his wheel is second overall Pellizotti!
Marquez is ever-vigilant, however, and jumps onto the back wheel. Izagirre and Rodrigues also follow, meaning that we have 4 of the top 5 riders in this attack.
Seeing the possibilities of this move, several riders decide to launch a counter-attack. Ndbri starts it off, with white jersey Monsalve behind him and Ardila Cano third in line.
Clearly HTC’s plan is just to contain attacks, with Marquez marking rather than pushing on, as super-domestique Berard brings these two waves of attacks back during a brief descent. He has truly earned his paycheque this race. Mendes and Soler both remain ahead of the peloton.
With 3km before the second last time up the finishing ascent, Pellizotti puts in another attack. He isn’t going to take this lying down.
This attack is doomed to failure, however, and he is brought back. He can’t afford to sit and wait around because he has more than a minute to make up.
The next attack comes not from the peloton but from the break, as Raabe puts in an effort. He really wants to make up for a disappointing race for the Costa Rican team. He is joined by Galiev, who is still really intent on the stage win.
In fact, the rest of the break are watching carefully and pull them back half way up the main climb. They may have bigger, problems, however, as Mendes catches up to this lead group just as the climb finishes and we move to our final lap.
Now it is Izagirre’s turn to put in an attack. He is good over this sort of punchy terrain and he has picked a good moment for it.
In fact he gets a gap and could be on to something good here. Certainly some of his rivals haven’t really shown themselves today, such as Suaza, who sits just ahead of him in fourth.
Up front, Galiev and Raabe manage to get a gap during the longish descent off the main hill, though with the gap to the charging peloton at only 1’45” it could be touch-and-go. Not only that but Soler has caught the chase group behind them.
With Izagirre still holding on, there are inevitably counter-attacks. Attacking out of the peloton are Ardila Cano, Rodrigues and Casimiro. Rodrigues is probably thinking defensively here and Casimiro might be looking to move into the top 10.
With third and fifth both on the attack now, there was bound to be a big reaction and so it isn’t a surprise that Pellizotti attacks up, bringing Ochoa Quintero and the yellow jersey of Marquez with him.
This time Bouygues Telecom do the work to bring it back. Their leaders need to have their places defended but seem incapable of doing it themselves. As the group is brought back Salas is the next rider to try something. He will presumably be trying to move up one place to 13th today by gaining time on Monsalve.
HTC are keeping the pace high and they are bearing down on the break. In fact with 2.4km to the line the chasers are all caught, leaving only the two attackers out front. They have only a 23” gap back to the bunch.
But Mendes decides that he has come too far to have the stage victory robbed from him and he attacks just as the chase is caught to keep the pressure up. He comes up behind the two leaders.
... and he rides right past them and hits the climb first. Only 2km stand between him and victory, and all of it is uphill.
Monsalve attacks just as the climb starts and begins with a small gap. Nicacio has come out too but his attack hasn’t got him quite as far ahead.
Marquez leads the peloton behind, clearly wanting to get a good stage ranking just to stay safe today. The stage race victory is in his hands. But all eyes are on the race for the stage. Monsalve burns past the remnants of the break with 400m to the line, and you have to feel some pity for them for coming so close.
But there was only going to be one victor today. Jose Mendes takes the final stage in the Vuelta al Tachira. The new signing for Prio-Porto has really shown his worth here today.
31” later the peloton crosses the line.
Monsalve just holds on for second, ahead of Marquez, who will certainly be celebrating heavily tonight. Pellizotti takes fourth, once again second best to Marquez. Nicacio takes a solid fifth, doubling the excitement in the Prio camp tonight. Rodrigues wraps up a consistent campaign with his sixth. Soler takes seventh after his earlier attack. Finally, Pineau takes eighth, El Fares ninth and Ochoa Quintero rounds out the top ten.
And with that, let’s see how the jerseys finish up. Obviously Marquez takes the GC, but looking down lower, Solis lost over a minute today, meaning that he is overtaken by Nicacio and Ochoa Quintero to drop to tenth overall. Marquez also takes the points jersey here after the mass-abandonment of sprinters. Schelling will be very pleased with his mountain jersey win. Monsalve just manages to take out the youth jersey by 39”. Finally, Hollister win another tightly-fought battle in the team classification.
