The top two riders at the Vuelta, Joaquim Rodriguez and Alberto Contador, go head-to-head on the fearsome Cuitu Negru finale.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank) attacked Joaquim Rodriguez repeatedly on the stage 16 mountain finish, but was dropped by the Katusha rider near the summit.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
John Degenkolb (Argos-Shimano) was happy before the start(Image credit: Susi Goetze)
Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) enjoyed a superb week at the Vuelta a España. He extended his advantage in the leader’s jersey and won two stages. The punchy Spanish climber is now just 257 points off second spot in the IG Index, currently held by Tom Boonen. If Rodriguez can hold onto his lead and win the Vuelta a España then he should overtake Boonen and claim second spot for himself.
Competition:
IG are running an competition on their Facebook page during the Tour of Britain to celebrate their sponsorship of it. Prizes will be given out after each stage of the Tour of Britain. Prizes include a Velobici Firenze Pullover, a Specialized S Works Prevail Helmet, a pair of Specialized S Works Shoes, a Garmin Edge 800 GPS, Mavic Ksyrium SLS Wheels, a signed Mark Cavendish World Championship jersey, Bradley Wiggins & Mark Cavendish Fizik Saddles and the grand prize a Specialized Tarmac Expert SL3 Bike & Signed Tour of Britain winners jersey. To be in with a chance of winning enter here.
About the IG Markets Index
The IG Pro Cycling Index is a 12-month rolling ranking system designed answer the question “Who is the best cyclist in the world?” We teamed up with sports data experts Opta to create a comprehensive cycling ranking system that was based on an entirely new formula. We source results from the 120 top international road races throughout the season. Races are ranked by our expert panel, based on their prestige and their importance to cycling fans and put into four tiers in three different categories.
The IG Pro Cycling Index has a number of features that make it unique: Races are tiered depending on history, importance and calibre of field rather than UCI Class. So winning the Tour of Beijing will not give you the same points as winning Paris-Nice or the Dauphiné. Wins carry much greater weight and are rewarded more than placings. Bonus points are awarded for multiple victories in the top races, winning the most prestigious stages at the Grand Tours or winning multiple classics.
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