Riding for work is what the Vuelta is all about and it's heading into the final weekend. Stage 18 built on what was a way more exciting Stage 17 than I really conveyed where Roche pushed up a few places by being in the right pack in the wind. Molema's win was special as he broke off the front and spoiled the sprinter's day to take a win ahead of a pack that contained nearly all of the big names and the tattered remains of his reduced Belkin team. Stage 18 was another climbing day, with a kick at the end in the form of a 20% climb.
The race started to take shape as Sky's Vasil Kiryienka pulled ahead from the day's break and established a substantial lead. He would hold onto it all the way to the line giving Sky their first won on this Tour. Movistar worked hard to try and hurt Nibali, Horner and Rodriguez, but it was Horner who would make the day's big GC move as he blasted out in pursuit of Kiryienka, failing to catch him, but putting time into Nibali. He now sits just three seconds behind the race leader with two real stages to go.
As one race finishes another kicks off and Madrid and Peebles will be the high profile venues as the Vuelta ends and the Tour of Britain rolls out. I'm more excited than over any Tour of Britain I can remember as the field is loaded with big names. I'll bring you more as it gets going.
Elsewhere there was news of a bit of drunken community service as a group took it upon themselves to fix a bike rack in Lincolnshire. This is definitely better than any destruction of property that you usually see caught on CCTV in the country's city centres.
Sunday is also time for the next round of the Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup as the series heads towards a climax. For the second time it's in Norway, which gave a great event last year and seems to be a popular choice with the riders.
Check out the course and look forward to more next week.
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