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La Vuelta Espana Stage 17 Villadiego - Los Machucos. Monumento Vaca Pasiega (180.5km)

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    #62
    Itziger
    Registered Users Posts: 4,016 ✭✭✭Itziger


    velo.2010 wrote: »
    Was Froome suffering or was it just for the camera's and he is content to lose 30-40 seconds on Nibali? Hmm, I don't know but if he is tiring then he could lose it on the Angliru. A bit of irony there considering 2011.

    You can see why Contador has done so well at the Giro and Vuelta. 10% plus gradients for several kilometres suit his out of the saddle style. He'd be right on Froome's tail on GC if not for the bad day. He could win on the Angliru.

    Again, one or two eye opening performances on that last climb.

    The leader by 1.58 is content to lose 40 seconds to 2nd place? In the 3rd week of a grand tour!! With a few big days left.


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    #63
    retalivity
    Registered Users Posts: 14,326 ✭✭✭✭retalivity


    dastardly00 wrote: »

    Chaves had a nightmare; 5:52 behind the winner and drops from 9th to 12th in GC.

    Was a bit odd alright, after having cort, haig and the 2 yates brothers up the road for him at different times.
    Must be shagged so conserve energy for another day


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    #64
    rtmie
    Registered Users Posts: 501 ✭✭✭rtmie


    Just watching highlights. Earlier comments withdrawn. Fantastic spectacle up that last climb.


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    #65
    Bambaata
    Registered Users Posts: 4,101 ✭✭✭Bambaata


    What a stage. Went to cycle up the climb this morning as it was raining and wheel was constantly skidding even seated. I had to turn back at the sight of loads keeling over! They were lucky it dried somewhat! Walked up to about 3.5k to go for the race. Couldn't get any mobile data going and was shocked to see him leading. Great to see that. Really thought Contador was going my to get him as he was flying!


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    #66
    cunavalos
    Registered Users Posts: 1,387 ✭✭✭cunavalos


    Bambaata wrote: »
    What a stage. Went to cycle up the climb this morning as it was raining and wheel was constantly skidding even seated. I had to turn back at the sight of loads keeling over! They were lucky it dried somewhat! Walked up to about 3.5k to go for the race. Couldn't get any mobile data going and was shocked to see him leading. Great to see that. Really thought Contador was going my to get him as he was flying!

    That was the strange thing, the difference in pedalling style between Denifl and Contador was a bit off putting as Contador looked to be flying and Denifl looked to be really labouring but the time gap never really changed.

    I half expected the live timing to be wrong and on one of the rare head on shots of denifl i dreaded seeing contadors outriders closing in the background.

    Hats off to AquaBlue and Denifl and I think he could feature again in another breakaway before Sunday. 3 top tens including todays win is an excellent return bearing in mind the loss of Warbasse and the team bus. Hopefully Blythe can survive the next few days and feature on Sundays final stage to Madrid and great to see Connor Dunne fighting so hard.


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    #67
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    I was just thinking of poor Blythe in for the long haul for his next chance. You'd love to see them nick that one too.


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    #68
    Daroxtar
    Registered Users Posts: 4,343 ✭✭✭Daroxtar


    Just watched that stage finish now. Fantastic stuff from Denifl and Aqua Blue. Stage win in their first GT is a huge achievement.
    The race is far from over. Froome was in a lot of trouble and his interview afterwards was a bluff. Yet again the real steep stuff has been a problem for him. It was nearly comical watching the whole of team Sky trying to get around him early on the last climb but being too steep to get any aero advantage.
    I was delighted for Bertie, he's going to go out in a blaze of glory on the Angliru.


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    #69
    neris
    Registered Users Posts: 20,054 ✭✭✭✭neris


    Justw watching the highlights on itv last night and they had a clip of froome a few km out from the finish riding behind 2 of skybots and looking ****ed, got me wondering that if teams could isolate froome from his skybots (somehow) would froome be able to race from a distance out without help, i think he was solo yesterday he could have lost the lead


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    #70
    D9Male
    Registered Users Posts: 1,644 ✭✭✭D9Male


    Today's stage looks ripe for an ambush. They will try surely. Froome looks vulnerable, and Angliru is too late.


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    #71
    retalivity
    Registered Users Posts: 14,326 ✭✭✭✭retalivity


    Id guess that it would be impossible to isolate froome, as the skybots may actually be stronger than him, or have the better legs in the last week. He had trouble holding the wheel of nieve, poels and moscon yesterday, where nieve in particular looked to be taking it handy.

    Any attempts to isolate froome may see him as the one that is dropped.


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    #72
    Macy0161
    Registered Users Posts: 9,451 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    rtmie wrote: »
    I wonder if the fascination with finding ever more outrageous mountain sections in GTs, esp Vuelta is positive in the long term. They can be spectacular but in ultimately trying to outdo the last one, will we head towards a cycling equivalent of crazy golf?

    Also applies to some of the off road surfaces being rumoured for TdF.
    Really couldn't disagree more. Steep sections negate the drafting effects, so it's one way of negating the whole skybot/ postal thing on the front riding so hard no one can attack.

    Concrete roads are common enough (even have our own sections on the east coast!), especially Belgium, and raced (e.g. De Panne).

    There's no off road surfaces rumoured, they're unpaved roads. Just the Brittany version of the cobbles of Northern Europe, the gravel roads in Tuscany...

    Anyway, delighted for Aqua Blue. Hopefully Bert can do a repeat on Sunday, without an AquaBlue rider ahead so I can get behind him!


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    #73
    D3PO
    Registered Users Posts: 7,879 ✭✭✭D3PO


    neris wrote: »
    the downside to aqua blue is they may loose riders to WT teams as their profiles have increased by being in the Vuelta and also they have the American national champion who,ll probably want to get back to world tour

    The grass isn't always greener. Denifl spent was 5 or 6 years at WT level with Vacanonsoliel and then IAM and never won a race (bar the 2008 Austrian TT championships) in one season at ABS hes taken the GC at the Tour of Austria and now a GT stage.

    Likewise Warbasse never had a pro win in his life now hes American RR champ and has a WT stage from the Tour De Suisse. Why go back to the WT to sit as a domestique with what one imagines would only be a relatively small pay increase when racing for ABS is providing you opportunities to do what you want to do as a Pro namely having a chance to win races.

    Don't assume success means guys will just want to jump back to WT unless they are going to either get substantive pay increases or guarantees to have some opportunities to ride for themselves.

    And even if they do the kind of renaissance these guys have had is sure to be a selling point to get some very talented riders onto the roster in replacement even if they do move and its also sure to help garner additional sponsorship support.


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    #74
    Itziger
    Registered Users Posts: 4,016 ✭✭✭Itziger


    neris wrote: »
    Justw watching the highlights on itv last night and they had a clip of froome a few km out from the finish riding behind 2 of skybots and looking ****ed, got me wondering that if teams could isolate froome from his skybots (somehow) would froome be able to race from a distance out without help, i think he was solo yesterday he could have lost the lead

    If, a big 'if' admittedly, Froome didn't have such an incredibly strong team, then I'd say this Vuelta would be wide open. I also thought that yesterday could easily have been a minute more lost. 30 seconds absolute minimum.

    Thing is, his lieutenants ain't no normal domestiques, jeez, they're not even super-doms. Nieve would obviously been able to go with some of the riders ahead of him yesterday, possibly with Contador and certainly with the Nibali bunch. Poels maybe as well. Then you throw Moscon into the hat. Wow.

    Saturday's stage could be interesting yet, not just for the finish but a couple of the descents before it.


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    #75
    D9Male
    Registered Users Posts: 1,644 ✭✭✭D9Male


    Yeah another 30s lost would make Saturday interesting. I wouldn't discount today for excitement.


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    #76
    Keeks
    Registered Users Posts: 2,199 ✭✭✭Keeks


    D3PO wrote: »
    Likewise Warbasse never had a pro win in his life now hes American RR champ and has a WT stage from the Tour De Suisse. Why go back to the WT to sit as a domestique with what one imagines would only be a relatively small pay increase when racing for ABS is providing you opportunities to do what you want to do as a Pro namely having a chance to win races.

    You got to also factor in that fact that the teams profile is rising all the time and with that they will get invites to more prestigious races


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    #77
    Daroxtar
    Registered Users Posts: 4,343 ✭✭✭Daroxtar


    Itziger wrote: »

    Saturday's stage could be interesting yet, not just for the finish but a couple of the descents before it.

    This
    The Cobertoria is a tough descent but at least it's a good wide road with a good surface. El Cordal is vicious. I was on edge driving over it last year. It's heavily shaded in places, narrow, steep and twists and turns all over the place. It's a bit like that descent from the Olympics road race at times. If there is rain as forecast it could be absolutely treacherous.


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    #78
    buffalo
    Registered Users Posts: 8,079 ✭✭✭buffalo


    Did he win a basket?

    tumblr_ovvkftOFki1ropreyo1_1280.jpg


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    #79
    D3PO
    Registered Users Posts: 7,879 ✭✭✭D3PO


    Keeks wrote: »
    You got to also factor in that fact that the teams profile is rising all the time and with that they will get invites to more prestigious races

    Exactly I think they will be able to carve out a very nice racing programme for next year. I would love to see Mullen & Deignan join them too because it gives them a roaster that might also be able to compete on two fronts at once where the schedule allows.

    It would have been nice to see them to La Veulta and the Tour of Brexit as undoubtedly they would get an offer if they made themselves available to race it.


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    #80
    Keeks
    Registered Users Posts: 2,199 ✭✭✭Keeks


    Daroxtar wrote: »
    This
    The Cobertoria is a tough descent but at least it's a good wide road with a good surface. El Cordal is vicious. I was on edge driving over it last year. It's heavily shaded, narrow, steep and twists and turns all over the place. It's a bit like that descent from the Olympics road race. If there is rain as forecast it could be absolutely treacherous.

    Sounds like a place for Nibali to go and attack ala the giro last year


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    #81
    death1234567
    Registered Users Posts: 3,333 ✭✭✭death1234567


    buffalo wrote: »
    Did he win a basket?
    It's common for the stage winner to be given something that the town/village that the stage ends at is famous for. Pretty sure King Kelly once won a Belgian Blue cow.


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    #82
    MPFGLB
    Registered Users Posts: 3,255 ✭✭✭MPFGLB


    Itziger wrote: »
    If, a big 'if' admittedly, Froome didn't have such an incredibly strong team, then I'd say this Vuelta would be wide open. I also thought that yesterday could easily have been a minute more lost. 30 seconds absolute minimum.

    Thing is, his lieutenants ain't no normal domestiques, jeez, they're not even super-doms. Nieve would obviously been able to go with some of the riders ahead of him yesterday, possibly with Contador and certainly with the Nibali bunch. Poels maybe as well. Then you throw Moscon into the hat. Wow.

    Saturday's stage could be interesting yet, not just for the finish but a couple of the descents before it.

    Yes SKY domestiques are super strong . And what SKY seem to have done so excellently is rotate them. If or when Poels is not on a good day Nieve is flyng and when Moscon was going great at the begining Nieve was chilling at the back...

    It means collectively they are superb...Nieve is a fantastic climber as is Poles but they both are inconsistent in GTs to challenge top 5 or above but at SKY they look invincible when on a good day ...SKY are great at managing Doms

    Moscon (rather dour chap in interviews) is so strong on the shorter sharp stuff....Alot of Froome's dominance is to do with his team...not just their physical ability which he relies on but also the fact that mentally they give him confidence and belief.... He never (rarely) has to panic or chase anything ..like Nibali & Contador have to do


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    #83
    gman2k
    Registered Users Posts: 4,076 ✭✭✭gman2k


    Niki Terpstra said on Instagram that they used 36x32 gearing on this stage!


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    #84
    TheBlaaMan
    Registered Users Posts: 3,444 ✭✭✭TheBlaaMan


    gman2k wrote: »
    Niki Terpstra said on Instagram that they used 36x32 gearing on this stage!

    David Lopez said on TV4 last night that he was on 34 x 32 .....:D


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    #85
    gman2k
    Registered Users Posts: 4,076 ✭✭✭gman2k


    TheBlaaMan wrote: »
    David Lopez said on TV4 last night that he was on 34 x 32 .....:D

    That would explain why Niki came 6th last so! Undergeared!


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    #86
    neris
    Registered Users Posts: 20,054 ✭✭✭✭neris


    death1234567 wrote: »
    It's common for the stage winner to be given something that the town/village that the stage ends at is famous for. Pretty sure King Kelly once won a Belgian Blue cow.

    Dunno if it was Kelly but someone around his time won a cow at a race. The tradition was the local farmers or sponsor would offer to buy the cow from the rider for cash and the rider would always take the cash till one year a rider from a farming background won the race and caused mayhem by wanting to keep the cow and had it collected and taken off


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