Roche in the Vuelta

Chips Lovell

Raam wrote: »

Poor old Valverde. The Astana boys really hammered it to get away from him once they realised he was dropped. The Caisse d'Eparnge boys couldn't even keep up with Valverde as he tried, in vain, to get back on. Harmon mentioned that Euskadi were helping Astana as Valverde didn't help them the other day or something?

I was pretty unimpressed with Valverde's team yesterday. They didn't do much pulling at all until he had to go on the front himself.

I didn't think Euskaltel were necessarily helping Astana. Valverde was also a threat to Anton's position on the GC too.

Raam

I was really excited when Harmon was saying Roche was in the first group, but then I saw the yellow shoes (Roche has been wearing red). Still, he's hanging in there at 23rd in the GC and 24th in the points. Does this mean that he has a good chance of riding the Tour next year?

Chips Lovell

Raam wrote: »

I was really excited when Harmon was saying Roche was in the first group, but then I saw the yellow shoes (Roche has been wearing red). Still, he's hanging in there at 23rd in the GC and 24th in the points. Does this mean that he has a good chance of riding the Tour next year?

If he can show the same form next year, yes. Right now he's making sure that he'll be picked for the Worlds.

Dodge

Raam wrote: »

It seems like no one really cares about the Vuelta, but anyway...

Oh I definitely care. Just haven't remembered to post here about it.

Roche has signed for Ag2r for next year so if he goes, it could be in place of Deignan.

Have the world championship team been selected yet? Can't see past Roche and Martin (who's doing well in Britain)

Chips Lovell

Dodge wrote: »

Roche has signed for Ag2r for next year so if he goes, it could be in place of Deignan.

Deignan's is apparently going to Cervelo next year.

Dodge wrote: »

Have the world championship team been selected yet? Can't see past Roche and Martin (who's doing well in Britain)

I don't think its been selected. At least I haven't heard anything yet.

Dodge

Cheers, didn't hear about Deignan's move.

titan18

I cant wait for the climb tomorrow.It is one of the hardest climbs in the world and I cant wait to see what Contador does on it.And if anyone can live with him when he presumably goes.

Chips Lovell

titan18 wrote: »

I cant wait for the climb tomorrow.It is one of the hardest climbs in the world and I cant wait to see what Contador does on it.And if anyone can live with him when he presumably goes.

Contador's definitely the favourite alright, but the day's when he was climbing so fast that only Rasmussen held his wheel seem to be gone. He was dropped a few times in the Giro and he couldn't shake off Valverde and Anton when he attacked earlier on this week. While I don't think tomorrow would suit Valverde, I wouldn't be surprise if one or two managed to go with him. I'm still expecting him to win, but I won't be surprised if someone gives him a good run for his money.

titan18

el tonto wrote: »

Contador's definitely the favourite alright, but the day's when he was climbing so fast that only Rasmussen held his wheel seem to be gone. He was dropped a few times in the Giro and he couldn't shake off Valverde and Anton when he attacked earlier on this week. While I don't think tomorrow would suit Valverde, I wouldn't be surprise if one or two managed to go with him. I'm still expecting him to win, but I won't be surprised if someone gives him a good run for his money.

Well,he found out he was racing in teh Giro like a week before it and I cant see anyone in the Vuelta keeping with him.Anton was struggling on the earleir in the week when Contador attacked and had to pace himself up,and Valverde won't climb the Angliru well imo.Sastre is probably the only one capable of going with him but he looks tired.If Contador has a bad day,it'll be evry interesting as all the others are are at the same level imo and it'll be a real race between ANton,Mosquerra,Levi,Sastre etc

sy

el tonto wrote: »

Every time I hear about Katusha, I think of Katyusha.

Reminds me of Kate Bush ya ya !

sy

el tonto wrote: »

I was pretty unimpressed with Valverde's team yesterday. They didn't do much pulling at all until he had to go on the front himself.

I thought it was a pathetic effort from one of the so called strong teams in the peleton, that they couldn't cross a 50 second gap. Seems all is not well in the team. Pity as I would loved to have seen if Valverde was stronger than Bettini for that tough finish. (I think he would have won the stage) Looks like Paulo is peaking just at the right time for a possible 3 in a row?

niceonetom

it's even more of a pity that valverde got dropped on a nothing stage since he managed to stay relatively close to contador on the angliru - i would have expected him to be losing much more than 40 seconds on a finish like that. i love mountain top finishes.

see roche? the boy can climb a bit too apparently.

Raam

A very impressive display by Roche. I was also impressed with Valverde. He is seriously fit. The crowd were a bit mental yesterday. At one point a spectator gave out to another spectator for pushing Valverde up the hill.

littleknown

its great to see roche doing well in the vuelta.,, hopefully he can keep improving as irish cycling really needs someone to look and aspire to.i still remember the buzz when stephen one and i was only around 7! must be hard to follow in his dads footsteps but hes doing a good job so far.i l was watching the vuelta the other day and wasnt expecting to see roche in green doing so well,. will he make the tour? oh for another great irish :Dcyclist!

Chips Lovell

Roche's ride yesterday was fantastic. I was expecting him to come in with the gruppetto on a stage like that.

Valverde. Would woulda thunk it? For a while there he was looking like he would hang with Contador the whole way. And half his team came through near the top of the standings as well. Rarely do you see someone blow so hot and cold.

Funkyzeit

Just watched :L'Angliru stage...legs were killing me just wacthing the Tv....some beast of a climb

Some performance by Roche again - a superb allround performance by him. 18th in the G.C

Just wondering where he goes from here? Aim for a classics win next spring maybe?

E@gle.

Lost a bit of time today, but he is still place in the top 20

Tackleberry

Current race situation 16:18:

- Karsten Kroon and Iñigo Cuesta (CSC), Renaud Dion (AG2R), Jose Ruiz Sanchez (Andalucia), Imanol Erviti and José Vicente Garcia Acosta (Caisse d'Epargne), Cyril Lemoine and Nicolas Roche (Crédit Agricole), Alan Perez and Iñigo Landaluze (Euskaltel), Jelle Vanendert (FDJ), David Herrero (Xacobeo), Enrico Franzoi (Liquigas), Paolo Bettini (Quick Step), Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank), Greg van Avermaet (Silence), Andriy Grivko (Milram) and Vasili Kiryienka (Tinkoff)

- Peloton at 7.03

Very smart move by Roche - only 3 or 4 small teams not represented! He's looking good to move up a fair bit - 3 and a half mins would get him into top 15, 10mins would be a top 10 (unlikely but pretty cool!) As is he's in 14 overall - only 60 odd kms left

Chips Lovell

And of course today is the day I forgot to set the video.

Tackleberry

el tonto wrote: »

And of course today is the day I forgot to set the video.

Highlights at 6.15pm on eurosport if thats any use

Chips Lovell

Tackleberry wrote: »

Highlights at 6.15pm on eurosport if thats any use

Yup, that might work if I get out of the office on time.

Tackleberry

Holy **** 2nd place - fair play to the guy!!!

smithslist

Tackleberry wrote: »

Highlights at 6.15pm on eurosport if thats any use

is there any highlight's on later tonite?

Chips Lovell

Spoiler:

That was a great ride by Roche and he was very unlucky not to grab the win. He probably started to sprint too soon, but played his cards very well until then.

Raam

That was agonising to watch.

TinyExplosions

Best stage of the fuking race, and I missed it... damn!

Raam

I almost missed it. The one day Eurosport decide not to show it at 1130pm. Had a quick check on the web at 6pm before I left for home. Saw that it was on at 615. Quick panic attack, before I put the afterburners on all the way home. I knew it was one to watch because of some posts on here, but I didn't know what the outcome was. I was smashed by the time I got back.

Chips Lovell

He must be kicking himself. Half a wheel between him and the biggest victory of his career. It got a decent write up in the Times today, but only a few lines in the Indo.

Raam

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2008/0919/1221773888344.html

This result yesterday and the Route du Sud win by Nicolas Roche's first cousin Daniel Martin earlier this year suggests Irish cycling could be on the verge of another golden era.

That would be very sweet indeed.

TinyExplosions

Cheers for that link Raam -what surprised me was that Dan martin had finished 4th in the ToB -hadn't looked at the GC for that at all!