Vuelta stage 4 *spoiler*

afx237vi
afx237vi Posts: 12,630
edited September 2009 in Pro race
Blimey, Eurosport is live already. 129 km to go!

vueltaprofilestage4.jpg

Today's stage is still oop' north, but very different from the previous two days. Not only is it the longest stage of the Vuelta, the profile also resembles one of the Spring classics, taking in climbs used in both Amstel Gold and LBL. Twice up the Cauberg and once up the Saint-Nicolas.

Not only is today's stage long and lumpy, the weather is also posing a difficulty. It's chucking it down, with lots of standing water on the roads.

4 men have a 12 minute lead. Javier Ramirez from Andalucia. Lars Boom, again. Dominik Roels, again. And Uzbekh champ Sergey Lagutin.
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Comments

  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    These stages are pretty unblievable! I am a little dis-orientated...

    Weather really is poor. Would be great to see a breakaway suceed.

    11mins with 118km to go...this could be a holder especially with GC guys not wanting to kill it in these conditions.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Lars Boom after Amarillo? He said before that that was a goal, hoping for a sharper prologue than he did.
    What are the sprint bonification seconds in the Vuelta? He won 10 seconds on Cancellara yesterday, still needs 16 seconds; there are two intermediary sprints...
    Would be pretty impressive for a neo-pro, set a goal like that and getting some way to reaching it. If you can call a cross world champion a neo-pro...
  • pepelepew
    pepelepew Posts: 180
    It's dinner time now. energy gels. Mmmmm! Nice with a mouth full of road spray. :lol:
    Det. Sgt. George Carter: Do you know what, Jack? You're full of sh!t.
    Det. Insp. Jack Regan: I thought it was about time you made an intellectual contribution to this debate.
    Det. Sgt. George Carter: Boll@cks.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    FJS wrote:
    Lars Boom after Amarillo? He said before that that was a goal, hoping for a sharper prologue than he did.
    What are the sprint bonification seconds in the Vuelta? He won 10 seconds on Cancellara yesterday, still needs 16 seconds; there are two intermediary sprints...
    Would be pretty impressive for a neo-pro, set a goal like that and getting some way to reaching it. If you can call a cross world champion a neo-pro...

    Quick Step seem to be keeping the break in hand. Maybe Boonen wants the amarillo too. Can he get up the Saint-Nicolas?
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    afx237vi wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Lars Boom after Amarillo? He said before that that was a goal, hoping for a sharper prologue than he did.
    What are the sprint bonification seconds in the Vuelta? He won 10 seconds on Cancellara yesterday, still needs 16 seconds; there are two intermediary sprints...
    Would be pretty impressive for a neo-pro, set a goal like that and getting some way to reaching it. If you can call a cross world champion a neo-pro...

    Quick Step seem to be keeping the break in hand. Maybe Boonen wants the amarillo too. Can he get up the Saint-Nicolas?

    His performance in the Belgian national race suggests he probably can.

    Wasn't a flat one that.

    His sprinting seems to have been just let down due to poor positioning recently, which is odd considering his experience.
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Heavy crash for Lagutin in the breakaway, also brought down Roels.

    Pretty big crash in the peloton a few minutes earlier as well, with lots of riders hitting the tarmac. Everyone OK, though.

    Still 60 odd km to go. Very lazy day in the peloton.

    OOF, and as I type this, one rider, dunno who, just smashed into a parked oil tanker. Ouch. <- Possibly Cuesta.

    Edit: And another separate crash for Gomez Marchante.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    David Lopez, Dan Martin and Charly Wegelius all abandoned according to Harmon. No luck at all for Martin.

    Edit: Now they're saying Lopez and Martin are still in the race. Difficult for the organisers to relay info in this weather, I guess. Wegelius is still out.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Wegelius out. But apparently Lopez and Martin still in the race.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    afx237vi wrote:
    David Lopez, Dan Martin and Charly Wegelius all abandoned according to Harmon. No luck at all for Martin.

    Edit: Now they're saying Lopez and Martin are still in the race. Difficult for the organisers to relay info in this weather, I guess. Wegelius is still out.

    Noooooooooooooo

    If Martin is out I am going to be so disappointed.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    I bet these Spanish guys on the smaller teams are totally out of their element with the rain and cold. No doubt they will be very happy to get to Spain.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Fuglsang injured

    That'll be Saxo's GC hopes gone then.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    iainf72 wrote:
    Fuglsang injured

    That'll be Saxo's GC hopes gone then.

    He was the guy who hit the tanker. Looked nasty.

    Weather's getting even worse by the look of it. 4 escapados have been caught... Westra trying to get away now. Chapeau to Vacansoleil.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    ^ My mistake, Roels and Ramirez are still ahead, Boom and Lagutin were caught, Westra is in between.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Another mass pileup in the bunch. Ciolek looks hurt, but he's back riding. Emanuele Bindi as well as 4 or 5 others went down. Tough day.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Hard way to earn a living. It's like Holiday on Ice crossed with Wacky Races.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Kirchen breezes past Westra. Not allowed to get away, though. Bunch looks very close to breaking point. 15 km to go. Saint-Nicolas not far away now.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Eh? Did they skip the Saint-Nicolas? How disappointing.

    Gasparotto out front on his own.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    OK, I've never been there, and I'm sure it has it's nice parts, but Liege is one ugly city.
  • camerone
    camerone Posts: 1,232
    afx237vi wrote:
    Eh? Did they skip the Saint-Nicolas? How disappointing.

    Gasparotto out front on his own.

    neutralize PTP!
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Holy shite. HUUUUUUUUGE crash. Dozens down.
  • pepelepew
    pepelepew Posts: 180
    Wow. That looks narsty!
    Det. Sgt. George Carter: Do you know what, Jack? You're full of sh!t.
    Det. Insp. Jack Regan: I thought it was about time you made an intellectual contribution to this debate.
    Det. Sgt. George Carter: Boll@cks.
  • davelakers
    davelakers Posts: 762
    ouch......
  • pepelepew
    pepelepew Posts: 180
    Is that classed as a bunch sprint?
    Det. Sgt. George Carter: Do you know what, Jack? You're full of sh!t.
    Det. Insp. Jack Regan: I thought it was about time you made an intellectual contribution to this debate.
    Det. Sgt. George Carter: Boll@cks.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    camerone wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Eh? Did they skip the Saint-Nicolas? How disappointing.

    Gasparotto out front on his own.

    neutralize PTP!

    No-one has any points anyway.

    Greipel "wins" :shock:
  • camerone
    camerone Posts: 1,232
    that was unbelievable, they damaged condrete!
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    camerone wrote:
    that was unbelievable, they damaged condrete!

    I saw that, but it must have been like that already, surely.

    Mosquera being ushered home by two team-mates? NOOOOOOOOOOO.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Greipel looks like he just finished a shift down a coal mine.
  • camerone
    camerone Posts: 1,232
    afx237vi wrote:
    camerone wrote:
    that was unbelievable, they damaged condrete!

    I saw that, but it must have been like that already, surely.

    Mosquera being ushered home by two team-mates? NOOOOOOOOOOO.

    hadnt thought of that! will they bend the rules if outside 3km?
  • camerone
    camerone Posts: 1,232
    afx237vi wrote:
    Greipel looks like he just finished a shift down a coal mine.

    ..whilst wearing a russ abbott muscle suit!
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Horner broken collarbone again?

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