Vuelta ‘24

dastardly00

Wow, I didn't expect BO'C to lose the best part of a minute today. Rog will be feeling very confident.

Great ride by Eddie - 8th place

mewso

Yeah good ride by Eddie. Can see Ben losing more time tomorrow but who knows as it probably suits him better.

Mefistofelino

Every time O'Connor was in camera shot today wearing his red speed suit with white panels, I kept thinking "are Barloworld back?"

eagle eye

My heart went out to Kiss, taken down in the crash and had to work very hard to get back to the leading bunch but had nothing left when Roglic and Mas took off. To only lose just over a minute was an incredible achievement.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122540296#Comment_122540296

And it's probably not the end of the story either. Good chance that crash has more of an effect tomorrow than it did today.

Looking at the likes of Carapaz, Gaudu*, Martin and Ineos Rodriguez I think a strong group is really gonna go fuk things up tomorrow and no team will be strong enough to stop them.

• Yes I know he isn't strong enough to win anything but is strong in the sense he will help a break make the distance.

dastardly00

Almeida has tested positive for Covid-19 and won't start today.

That explains the disaster of a performance yesterday anyway.

Very unfortunate given he was performing so well.

mewso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122540338#Comment_122540338

Looking like your prediction is coming true. Very strong break.

breezy1985

Tough enough cat.1 coming up.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122542068#Comment_122542068

Yates and Gaudu the two real danger men for GC.

EF with two "weaker" riders in there so I wonder is Carapaz up to something. Seems a bit early in the tour to do an Angliru.

Edit: Carapaz has now attacked and up from UAE has ripped up the break but Gaudu (and Rafferty) hanging in with Yates.

eagle eye

I'm interested in seeing how Roglic does today. Last year he struggled a bit on the longer steep climbs.

breezy1985

Rafferty now pulling for Carapaz. Could be the day he really starts to make a name for himself.

dastardly00

I didn't get to see any of the live action today. Only 10 minutes of highlights. Looked like a cracking stage.

Tiberi gone due to heat stroke! 😲

https://x.com/BHRVictorious/status/1827761707730731329

eagle eye

So Roglic doesn't seem to like long climbs anymore.

Here's hoping Mas finally breaks through, three runner up finishes in the Vuelta to this point.

breezy1985

2 riders injured and team cars damaged by deer on stage 8.

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wild-deer-wreak-havoc-at-vuelta-a-espana-leaving-riders-injured-team-car-roof-rack-and-bikes-damaged/

eagle eye

I think tomorrow is a nice chance for Eddie to nab a stage.

lissard

I hadn't appreciated just how hilly the Vuelta is this year - the hard days are nothing but cat 1 or cat 2 climbs and the easy ones are like the Ardennes. What a brutal route - I'd imagine the peloton will be in bits by week 3.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122548889#Comment_122548889

Every stage this week is a GC stage and the average gradients are very misleading. Some of those cat.1's are very tough looking and Sundays HC finale is 24% for a fair section at the top.

Could see a lot of action on those bunched up final 3 climbs today if no one is strong enough to control it.

mewso

Bit of a non-event today. Hard not to feel sorry for Pacher here. Has one .2 win on his palmares and sadly with WvA beside him thats unlikely to change. Can he do something?

*edit - no

eagle eye

Wout is back to his best, good to see that.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122551150#Comment_122551150

Its not his fault but he is such an amazing all rounder he kinda sucks the fun out of all but the biggest races.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122551390#Comment_122551390

Well I get when they went topped the last climb it was over. Before then we didn't but I love watching the greats. And this tour is a confirmation that he's finally over his injuries. I'm delighted he's back

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122551586#Comment_122551586

He is only great when Van der Poel is absent 🤭

retalivity

Massive break away in the Vuelta, including Dunbar who is also the 3rd best on GC within the group.

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122551600#Comment_122551600

Seems that way in recent years… much and all as I like Wout. When VdP is targeting a race and turns it on there doesn't seem anyone who can live with him 90% of the time.

breezy1985

Way too many big riders in this break to have a clue who is gonna win.

eagle eye

You need to be at the front hitting this last climb, easy for the best guys to.open.uo a 30 seconds gap on it.

So here's hoping Eddie gets up to the front hitting the climb. It's such a big group that a break could be gone before you have a chance to respond if you are back a bit.

retalivity

Narvaez for me. Or one of the Cofidis lads, they've kept quiet.

mewso

Kirby with another gem - "Lipowtiz unable to give Ben O'Connor a turn"

retalivity

GO ON!!!!!!

mewso

Get in you beauty!!!