Weds 2nd Sept: Vuelta 2015 stage 11: Andorra la Vella – Cortals d’Encamp 138km

Subpopulus

How the hell is your man Ashley supposed to respond to Juan Antonio's word stew?

letape

Ashley house said that nieve and Roche both finished in top 11 or 12 - presume he is mistaken?

happytramp

letape wrote: »

Ashley house said that nieve and Roche both finished in top 11 or 12 - presume he is mistaken?

Most likely....but fingers crossed

on_the_nickel

letape wrote: »

Ashley house said that nieve and Roche both finished in top 11 or 12 - presume he is mistaken?

In GC this morning.

Zyzz

REBELSAFC

ThisRegard wrote: »

Roche behind Froome, unless he's missed by the cameras ?

Came in over 14mins down... 22nd on GC provisionally

happytramp

Little did we know how right he was... those guys are f**king morons.

GetWithIt

The Motos seem to be complete spanners in La Vuelta. It almost as if the contract has been outsourced to a load of teenage girls with smartphones.

pelevin

Fabulous by Dumoulin to be really right in there for the overall as of now. Needs a killer of a TT though & obviously Aru has to be the significant favourite for the overall now.

MPFGLB

MPFGLB wrote: »

I am not sure that we will see the end of Dumoulin tomorrow

As I said he weighs about the same as Nico and can push more power on the incline it seems

I wonder what his power to weight was on Sunday ...bet it was way above the old 6W/kg threshold that all the pseudo scientists bang on about

The climbs tomorrow are hard but there are plenty downhills in between, The stage is also relatively short and as a World class TT he knows how to suffer

Nico doesn't sound too optimistic in the Indo

Pain in the shoulder when he stands on the pedals is a bad sign as he stands on the pedals alot going up hill.....never managed to pick up the SKY sitting down high cadence stuff...such a pity as he was going very well

http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-31496204.html


Maybe Nieve could be the best of the SKY bunch today

Seems I was unfortunately right about today

I was so tired just watching it...mental stage ...not really about racing but more about hanging in. I thought Quintana was about to come to a full stop towards the end (and he didn't seem to care)

neris

left hanging there a bit your man on eurosport trying to interview dumoulin

Dr. Bre

Mad that froome Quintana valverde lost big time. Du moulin chaves fair play ! Love Carlton calling landa - Michael ha

ThisRegard

REBELSAFC wrote: »

Came in over 14mins down... 22nd on GC provisionally

Yeah, just spotted that on the official site, 13+ minutes down overall.

ThisRegard

happytramp wrote: »

Little did we know how right he was... those guys are f**king morons.

?

gordongekko

This finally ends the Roche for gc contender once and for all

Eamonnator

gordongekko wrote: »

This finally ends the Roche for gc contender once and for all

In fairness, that ship sailed long ago.

godtabh

Eamonnator wrote: »

In fairness, that ship sailed long ago.

Not really

MPFGLB

neris wrote: »

left hanging there a bit your man on eurosport trying to interview dumoulin

gordongekko wrote: »

This finally ends the Roche for gc contender once and for all

Once & for all ?? or this year you mean ??

He is injured so its not a good idea to confine him to the waste basket forever after today. If he can recover he can maybe go for a stage win

Surprised he came in after froome as he was ahead of Froome on the climb wher they both got dropped and he was dropped after Froome
He may have given up th fight unlike Froome who kept going

MPFGLB

But of course the usual suspects will be on here very soon saying how useless Roche is

dastardly00

I think a full-fit Nico would have gotten on pretty well today.
The gradients weren't nuts and the tempo wasn't too high.

mirrormatrix

dastardly00 wrote: »

I think a full-fit Nico would have gotten on pretty well today.
The gradients weren't nuts and the tempo wasn't too high.

This doesn't make any sense to me. If gradients and tempo were okay then why were the top contenders strung out all over the road by the finish?

This was the day after a rest day after all.

MPFGLB

dastardly00 wrote: »

I think a full-fit Nico would have gotten on pretty well today.
The gradients weren't nuts and the tempo wasn't too high.

I agree today was not about speed on the mountians ...it was about riding to pace and grinding it out . Ironic as this is what he does well...he would have been up there with the likes of Moreno & Nieve and Dumoulin and would still be up there in top 5 if not injured ...but that's cycling..it can be cruel

His crash as with Dan Martin was such bad luck. But hopefully as I said Nico can recover and go stage hunting...his legs cannot be totally gone. He might have eased up today when going backwards to keep energy for a stage

or maybe himself & Froome could go on a long range attack

(with 3 feet and 3 shoulders between them)

MPFGLB

mirrormatrix wrote: »

This doesn't make any sense to me. If gradients and tempo were okay then why were the top contenders strung out all over the road by the finish?

This was the day after a rest day after all.

Its stamina not speed that made the stage a problem for some...it was brutal ...all that climbing so riders were worn down

Steve SilverMint

Well that didn't disappoint anyway, fantastic stage to watch.

Super performance from Landa but Dumoulin deserves huge credit for his effort today I really didn't expect him to put in a ride like that on those climbs.

Darkglasses

Fecking kicking myself for cashing out of the Aru bet last night. Pleeeeeease Dumoulin/Valverde, kick some ass

on_the_nickel

MPFGLB wrote: »

But of course the usual suspects will be on here very soon saying how useless Roche is

He's far from useless, but if he ever wins a GC, I'll get a tattoo of Carlton Kirby on my ar$e.

Trojan

Sounds like a great stage, are there highlights on Eurosport or elsewhere later?

Buzwaldo

Trojan wrote: »

Sounds like a great stage, are there highlights on Eurosport or elsewhere later?

8 to 9,30 on Eurosport & 8 to 8.30 on TG4 IIRC.

Darkglasses

Quintana's not in great form

https://twitter.com/Movistar_Team/status/639130995602534404

MPFGLB

on_the_nickel wrote: »

He's far from useless, but if he ever wins a GC, I'll get a tattoo of Carlton Kirby on my ar$e.

Wasn't talking about him wining a GT ...that is just a handful of riders
the sentence was 'finished as a GC rider' and he is not ...he can still do a good GC in a Vuelta

Eamonnator

Trojan wrote: »

Sounds like a great stage, are there highlights on Eurosport or elsewhere later?

ITV4 @ 7.00pm

ROK ON

MPFG

<snip>

dastardly00

DNFs today were Txurruka (Caja Rural), Hardy (Cofidis), Veikkenan (FDJ), and Paulinho (Tinkoff-Saxo).

ThisRegard

Trojan wrote: »

Sounds like a great stage, are there highlights on Eurosport or elsewhere later?

It will also be on catch up on Sky either sometime later or tomorrow.

rtmie

In fairness I think he is like all of us supporting the Irish lad(s) and wanting the best for them. Roche looked pretty bashed up at end of yesterday's stage. None of us can say how much that impacted today but even if it accounted 5 of the 14 mins it would mean Roche would still be in top 15 in a Grand Tour.

That is a very good level indeed. Hopefully not putting words in MPFG's mouth but I think all he is saying is, in the circumstances, that is positive thing.

lukegjpotter

GetWithIt wrote: »

The Motos seem to be complete spanners in La Vuelta. It almost as if the contract has been outsourced to a load of teenage girls with smartphones.

That's an insult to teenage girls with smartphones :P

These Porco Motos are below El-Haji Diouf, who is below Raipsts/Murders/Peadophiles/Water Protestors, they are below Sewer Rats, then it's Smartphone wielding Teenage girls, above them is non-smartphone wielding Teenage Girls and finally on top of them everyone else. :P I jest of course.

Trojan

Cheers folks, I put the Eurosport one on record.

pelevin

In fairness, Roche has proven he is a high-level GC rider by coming 5th in the Vuelta 2 years ago. Here crashes scuppered him from doing what he could have - which is very realistically to have been top 10 anyway.

On other matters CN describe Landa as being Sky bound. Is that a known done deal now?

Darkglasses

pelevin wrote: »

In fairness, Roche has proven he is a high-level GC rider by coming 5th in the Vuelta 2 years ago. Here crashes scuppered him from doing what he could have - which is very realistically to have been top 10 anyway.

On other matters CN describe Landa as being Sky bound. Is that a known done deal now?

Yeah I think it's a 2 year deal set in stone AFAIK. I was initially worried when Porte was leaving, but Landa's just better than him. Sky will be just as strong next year.

pelevin

Darkglasses wrote: »

Yeah I think it's a 2 year deal set in stone AFAIK. I was initially worried when Porte was leaving, but Landa's just better than him. Sky will be just as strong next year.

Though talent-wise he should surely be pretty full of confidence but Porte for whatever reasons doesn't exude the kind of 'positivity', self-belief or whatever you might call it that Landa seems to. He might still though blossom in an unadulterated team-leader role at BMC but the impression I'd have is it suited Porte to be a loyal lieutenant for others in GTs rather than have the full pressure on his shoulders.
Landa otoh doesn't seem at all afraid of victories at the pointy-end though of course yet to be a GT team leader.

MPFGLB

Landa is a great rider but will he be a great domestique for Froome like Porte was. Porte pulled Froome up mountains and saved his Tours (both he won) and like Thomas didn't focus on his own results

Will Landa who is very talented be prepared to do that I wonder?

griffin100

Froome looked pretty beat up after the stage talking to ITV. Couldn't put any weight on the leg with a nasty looking gash on his knee.

happytramp

MPFGLB wrote: »

Landa is a great rider but will he be a great domestique for Froome like Porte was. Porte pulled Froome up mountains and saved his Tours (both he won) and like Thomas didn't focus on his own results

Will Landa who is very talented be prepared to do that I wonder?

I wonder if Brailsford knows exactly what he's getting himself into.

Did you take off your earpiece?
No, but I was about to because Martinelli wanted me to stop and I didn't want to stop.

He asked you to stop?
Yes.

When?
When Fabio was already alone. I thought it was stupid. There was a 1.30 minute gap, I could win the stage and I did not think it was fair to me.

So what was your answer?
That I wasn't going to stop. He promised me that Fabio would let me win the stage... but I just didn't stop.

translated from....

http://www.ciclismoafondo.es/competicion/grandes-vueltas/articulo/Vuelta-Espana-2015-Mikel-Landa-no-quiso-parar-ayudar-Aru-Andorra-Astana

MPFGLB

happytramp wrote: »

I wonder if Brailsford knows exactly what he's getting himself into.

Did you take off your earpiece?
No, but I was about to because Martinelli wanted me to stop and I didn't want to stop.

He asked you to stop?
Yes.

When?
When Fabio was already alone. I thought it was stupid. There was a 1.30 minute gap, I could win the stage and I did not think it was fair to me.

So what was your answer?
That I wasn't going to stop. He promised me that Fabio would let me win the stage... but I just didn't stop.

translated from....

http://www.ciclismoafondo.es/competicion/grandes-vueltas/articulo/Vuelta-Espana-2015-Mikel-Landa-no-quiso-parar-ayudar-Aru-Andorra-Astana

Gosh wonder what its like on that team bus

Darkglasses

happytramp wrote: »

I wonder if Brailsford knows exactly what he's getting himself into.

Did you take off your earpiece?
No, but I was about to because Martinelli wanted me to stop and I didn't want to stop.

He asked you to stop?
Yes.

When?
When Fabio was already alone. I thought it was stupid. There was a 1.30 minute gap, I could win the stage and I did not think it was fair to me.

So what was your answer?
That I wasn't going to stop. He promised me that Fabio would let me win the stage... but I just didn't stop.

translated from....

http://www.ciclismoafondo.es/competicion/grandes-vueltas/articulo/Vuelta-Espana-2015-Mikel-Landa-no-quiso-parar-ayudar-Aru-Andorra-Astana

I know it looks bad, but Astana are a different kettle of fish to Sky in terms of man management. They wouldn't have a rider miles out in the break with energy to spare if he was riding for Froome for GC.

godtabh

Darkglasses wrote: »

I know it looks bad, but Astana are a different kettle of fish to Sky in terms of man management. They wouldn't have a rider miles out in the break with energy to spare if he was riding for Froome for GC.

Doesnt it take a certain type of rider to follow team orders like sky? Not sure if any astana ride would fit in in a Sky culture.

pelevin

I'd say Landa being very unimpressed with those total bs team orders is a good sign. Merckx was being roared at to wait up by Guillaume Dreissens, his directeur sportif, when he attacked alone in Tour of Flanders 70 or so km's out. He told them to f... off & won one of the greatest victories ever. After Dreissens was sharing in the glory apparently telling the press how they thought up the audacious plan. Those team orders being issued to Landa were a joke. That he recognised them as such makes him more of a man & person I'd want on my team rather than the other way round. If Landa had been allowed go on alone, that was Astana's real chance, if they had one, of winning the Giro.

Having said that, maybe Sky do want the more robotic type godtabh alludes to - though at the same time again, the team orders referred to in the Giro incident imo defied real logic, & were simply about a bias towards Aru rather than the rational decision.

brocbrocach

Those orders made complete sense as long as he's not going for GC for himself.
All he had to do was slow down for Aru and then tow him to the finish. Same effort expended from him and energy saved for Aru. Everyone wins.
Now Aru is more vulnerable to losing this tour in the TT.
What he did was selfish and unfair to the rest of the team.

pelevin

Landa was well ahead of Aru on the road & clearly stronger when the orders to wait were issued. He had a bigger time gap on the road than Aru had on him on gc. So actually on 'realtime' gc he was the best placed Astana rider at that point. Letting Landa up the road just go all-out was their biggest chance of the overall.
Also Landa had played an incredible role as both a domestique & stage winner right through the Giro. He had been something very different than a problem for the team.

Eamonnator

brocbrocach wrote: »

Those orders made complete sense as long as he's not going for GC for himself.
All he had to do was slow down for Aru and then tow him to the finish. Same effort expended from him and energy saved for Aru. Everyone wins.
Now Aru is more vulnerable to losing this tour in the TT.
What he did was selfish and unfair to the rest of the team.

And Aru would have had a bigger gap on GC