@Ollfardh: Yeah, it surprised me too! But with Cav's current shape and the lack of speed on the last ascend of Cauberg, it isn't really that surprising at all i guess...

@Ian: Cancellara winning is great! I'm looking forward to see him in the colored stripes in 2013 - And of course! If Salvatore had been participating, he would have won for sure!

@Sutty: Yeah, very surprising! I hadn't seen that one coming on such route

@Ste: Hehe, i thought you'd be so too

@Cunego: Thanks man! Let's hope Salvatore will be able to dominate in this race in a couple years (something tells me that he will)

What started in the middle of August, ended in the middle of this September month. The 2012 edition of the Vuelta a España was a firework of a race! It started out magnificent for Team Sky's strong lineup who was able to take a great win at the opening team time trial, putting Wiggins into the red leader jersey at the very first stage. But unfortunately it was a brief delight, since Valverde dominated at the first couple of hilly stages, who pulled of Wiggins' leader jersey.


Even though Wiggins was able to win both stage 11 and 14, both him and Froome dropped form when going into the third week of the race. Contador however, began to get into absolute top form. The spaniard nailed three stage wins and three podium spots, and no one seemed able in following the Saxo-Tinkoff rider in the General classification.

With almost four minutes down to Sánchez, Contador won a splendor grand tour after coming back from his ban. Unfortunately everything went wrong for Wiggins and Froome lastly, resulting in a disappointing seventh and eighth spot for the two British riders.


Apart from the Vuelta a España, Team Sky have had some great success in both the Canadian World Tour classics and the Tour of Britain. In Canada, I won, as mentioned, the greatest win of my career in Québec, while Thomas was second in Montréal. In Britain, Cavendish won not less than 4 stage wins, but was "only" able to finish fourth in the general classification. Nevertheless, another fantastic month have gone by for British Team Sky.

1	Alberto Contador	Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank	82h45'15
2	Samuel Sánchez	Euskaltel - Euskadi	+ 3'48
3	Andy Schleck	RadioShack - Nissan	+ 4'33
4	Jakob Fuglsang	RadioShack - Nissan	+ 7'07
5	Joaquím Rodríguez	Katusha Team	+ 7'10
6	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	+ 7'29
7	Bradley Wiggins	Sky Procycling	+ 8'08
8	Chris Froome	Sky Procycling	+ 8'16
9	Juan José Cobo	Movistar Team	+ 11'00
10	Steven Kruijswijk	Rabobank Cycling Team	+ 11'02

	Road Race
1	Fabian Cancellara	Switzerland	6h32'35
2	Mark Cavendish	United Kingdom	+ 37
3	Enrico Gasparotto	Italy	s.t.
4	Peter Sagan	Slovak Republic	s.t.
5	Daryl Impey	South Africa	s.t.

	Time Trial
1	Alberto Contador	Spain	1h04'07
2	Bradley Wiggins	United Kingdom	+ 20
3	Fabian Cancellara	Switzerland	+ 39
4	Svein Tuft	Canada	+ 43
5	Jakob Fuglsang	Denmark	+ 56

On the World Tour team rankings, Sky is still in the lead with an almost infinite gap down to Radioshack. On the individual rankings, our highest placed rider is Froome who has moved one place up in third. Rodriguez has once again overtaken Tom Boonen for first, while Vuelta winner Contador has moved into ninth. Also third finisher in the Vuelta, Schleck, has improved a lot in the rankings and is now seventh.


In the CQ team rankings, Sky is also in lead with a big lead over Radioshack. On the individuals, 2012 World Champion Cancellara has moved five places up, and now sits in first. Apart from him, nothing serious is changed, with only Goss and Sagan having improved some.


Three races at one month, resulting in a serious improvement in the ranks. That's how you make it into the top! My win in Québec brought me a massive amount of points in the rankings, and i'm now 40th in both the CQ and WT-ranking!

Leaderboard	Ranking	Points
World Tour	40 (+52)	116
CQ-Ranking	40 (+31)	726

Things have happened for me this month, which i can't do nothing but raise my hands in the air about. First of all, i won the biggest win of my whole career, even bigger than my U23 Tour of Flanders win last year, when crossing the finish line at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec, as winner of a big World Tour classic. This win has kept my training spirit really intense, and i'll undoubtly also benefit from it in my upcomming winter training, where my moral naturally is quite low usually.


But more great things have happened to me, since i've signed my contract for the 2013 and 2014 season. My deal with Farnese Vini is really fine, and i'm looking so much forward to work with Scinto and the other great guys. The team has also done well in the transfer period, so we'll have a strong team in the Pro Continental league.

This months team-mate award goes to Christian Kness. Through the whole season, Kness has been a priceless key to the team's success. Especially in the mountainous stage races, his help have been a big part of our leaders' great results.


The main reason that Kness deserves this month award is due to his magnificent job in the Vuelta. Even though Henao was set to be the main factor to Wiggins' success, Kness actually became the most valuable rider for the Briton. In the third week where Wiggins began dropping on the mountains, Kness was the one following him all around, to make the time gaps smaller, and to motivate him. It was a proof of great team-spirit, and it has to be rewarded!

@Freitas and Ste: Thanks guys! It's was a fine result with such form, but it shouldn't ever have come that far. The expectations for both Froome and Wiggins were a lot higher than 7th. That's for sure! It's bad for a rider like Henao, he could have been leader instead, but now he has missed his opportunity... But nothing to do about that now

@Ian: Thanks Ian! Well, who knows? The chances are definitely higher with such win in your bag. I don't think a Freud analyse will be the right thing to do here, the Freud-aspects are too obvious that there wouldn't be anything to anayse

@All: I'm trying to develop some new report layouts at the moment, and looks to be trying them off at the next couple of races, maybe it will only be temporarily, but that depends on how i think they are working. I'd be glad if you'd tell me what you think of it when i'll post them

Finally the luck is with Nordhaug! Lars have been riding fantastic through the whole season and have fought for his team leaders briliantly. Today he gets the chance of showing his winning-instincts, and he doesn't disappoint! I worked really hard all day long, fighting to bring back the breakaway and setting up the final leadout for Nordhaug. I'm satisfied with my job today, and it actually surprises me that i ends in 23th. Next race will be the Giro dell'Emilia here in Italy. I'm excited to see how it turns out to be. See you!

@All: Thanks guys I just had to try this layout, but i don't think i'll make such report for the next few races. I hope to have Giro dell'Emilia done tonight.