We have just three more Speed of Lights left in 2017, and Stage Three of the Vuelta Competition is a big one. 

With race leader Ryan “Mr. President” Kennedy bowing out this week due to other commitments (not a blood doping issue, we promise) the red jersey moves to Cody Sovis with two stages remaining. Sovis, who has never won a Grand Tour or even a single stage of Speed of Light, ever, is looking to finish one of these off. Heretofore, he’s always allowed victory to be snatched away, not unlike Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown at the very last second. He sits just 55″ ahead of John O’Hearn, who has taken over a minute from Sovis on no less than three occasions this year.

Sovis has a solid lead in the Points classification, and if he can take 6 this week he’ll have it mathematically wrapped up. With double points on offer, it’s the Mountains classification that will be on everyone’s minds this week. Sam Holmes leads John O’Hearn by 4 points, forcing O’Hearn to try to combine his GC efforts with a jersey-winning effort on the Boonenberg this week. It’s a climb he’s mastered before, and anyone in touch will have a hard time holding the wheel if he chooses to punch it there.

Tom White leads the Best Old Rider Competition, and he’s announced that he’s committed to taking the win. He’s 2:30 up on Rob Frank, with Jeff Galstererererer and Jason Stuart doing their best to close the gap for third.

The next three weeks are as follows:

August 31. Vuelta Competition Stage Three. Double Mountains Points.

September 7. STARTS AT 6:30pm! Vuelta Finale. 10, 6, 2 second time bonus on the line.

September 14. STARTS AT 6:30pm! Speed of Light World Championships!

Again, ALL SOLs after Labor start from the Split Rail Fence, a.k.a The Start at 6:30 because it gets real dark, real fast. If you’re riding from home, use a rear blinky. Not 6:33. Not 6:40. We say GO at 6:30. Yup.