A Day Is Long

Stage seventeen of the Vuelta

Monumento Juan de Castillo to Santander.

Today's flat finish will be a chance for the sprinters.

Pablo, not being a sprinter, is thinking of a line for his poem:

A day is long...

He thinks about Baby Pierre. Perhaps lying among unfeeling pebbles who don't speak his language.

Perhaps a vulture has spotted him far down in the ravine.

And swooped down to inspect him. 

And swooped up again, because Baby Pierre is a pebble.

And although the o-rings looked like split gooseberries, they were made of green rubber.

Pablo pedals on.

Kaden Groves is up ahead. Pablo draws level.

Going for it today? asks Pablo.

You bet, says Kaden Groves. See you at the finish.

He accelerates, in a confident way.

The Kroombit tinker comes up behind Pablo.

I've seen Baby Pierre! cries the tinker.

In a vision? asks Pablo.

No, in a bandage, says the tinker.

But he disappeared on the Cuitu Negru, says Pablo. Are you sure it was him?

He's kind of unmistakeable, says the Kroombit tinker.

Even in a bandage? asks Pablo.

Even so, says the tinker. The round shape, the skinny legs, the green o-wheels. It could only be him.

Is he behind us? asks Pablo.

Yes, says the tinker. He wasn't going that fast.

Perhaps we should wait for him, says Pablo.

He'd be embarrassed, says the tinker.

So they do not slow down.

A few low mountains later and the riders have all reached the flat part.

The streets are wet in Santander.

Tricky.

A mass bunch sprint occurs, spraying the spectators.

It's a close one

Kaden Groves gets the stage win, pipping Pavel Bittner and Vito Braet.

Kaden Groves will now wear the green jersey.

Ben O'Connor retains his five second lead over Roglic.

Five seconds! That's tiny.

Speaking of which, a small pebble in a bandage has just come in last.