Vuelta a Andalucia: Contador beats Froome on stage 3

It may only be mid-February but Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) laid down an important and morale-boosting marker on stage three of the Vuelta a Andalucia with a solo victory ahead of Chris Froome (Team Sky) atop the steep and snow-covered Hazallanas climb in the Sierra Nevada.

In scenes reminiscent of last year’s Vuelta a Espana, Contador in the red leader’s jersey, distanced Froome and all his race rivals half-way up the final climb. Froome fought back to limit his losses but he was unable to respond to Contador’s initial attack, eventually crossing the line 19 seconds down.

The win, Contador’s first of the 2015 season, puts the Tinkoff-Saxo leader 27 seconds clear of Froome in the overall, with two stages remaining.

However the win wasn’t Contador’s to celebrate alone. His Tinkoff-Saxo team were well drilled throughout the stage, protecting the race leader and limiting an early break. Over the two initial climbs of the stage the Russian squad set the tempo and with the brutal slopes of the Hazallanas insight they turned up the heat.

The break were reeled in on the lower slopes as Team Sky attempted to organise themselves behind Contador’s foot soldiers. Michael Valgren Andersen hit the front first, his pace enough to send a number of Contador’s rivals running for cover before Jesus Hernandez and Ivan Basso took over.

The peloton had been reduced to around 40 riders by the time the Italian veteran played his card. He briefly drifted behind Contador as the race quickly descended into the village of Guerjar Sierra but as the road began to rise once more with seven kilometres to go, the former Giro winner unleashed a searing pace that has been missing from his legs in recent years. Contador, fixed to Basso’s back wheel, was the only rider who could respond as the road kicked up to 12 per cent. Froome struggled behind, with the descent and the climb affecting his rhythm.

Kennaugh helps Froome

Romain Bardet (Ag2r-La Mondiale) and the impressive Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky) were the first to create any sort of chase, with Beñat Intxausti (Movistar) and Daniel Navarro Garcia (Cofidis) in the roles of chaperones. But upfront, after Basso peeled off, and slipped back, Contador as danced on the pedals but was also hurting. It was a huge effort from the Vuelta winner.

Froome made contact as Kennaugh held Contador at 30 seconds. The Spaniard though was on his own and in pursuit of victory. The British road champion, left out of Team Sky’s Tour de France team last year, continued to limit Froome’s losses at 30 seconds as the chase group was whittled down to just Froome, Bardet and Kennaugh.

With four kilometres and some of the toughest sections behind them, Froome made his first appearance at the front. Kennaugh sat up and Bardet made an brief cameo on Froome’s rear wheel. However within the space of 500 meters Froome was alone too and the gap was still floating around the 30-second mark.

The contrasting climbing styles offered by both Froome and Contador may only be starting to thaw after a long winter but in essence they remain as far away from each other as ever – Contador bouncing and swaying with Froome glued to the bars and saddle as if his life, not just his cadence depended on it.

As the gradient rose for one final time, Froome began to claw back a handful of seconds, and when the road eventually flattened the gap was down to 19 seconds, with both riders able to take positive aspects from their first proper showdown of the season.

However, for now it is advantage Contador.

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