Vuelta Stage 20 SPOILER****

Pokerface
Pokerface Posts: 7,960
edited September 2010 in Pro race
Doesn't start for a while still - but starting the thread now.

Have to say that I've found the Vuelta brilliant this year. So many changes and stage winners - and exciting racing. Found it more interesting than the Tour by a long shot.

Anything could happen today and nice to have a tour come down to a stage like this for the win instead of a TT.

Can't wait to see who cracks and who rises to the top....
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Comments

  • stagehopper
    stagehopper Posts: 1,593
    Glad someone else has enjoyed it - you get the impression from the cycling blogs that it's been dull. Think it's more fatigue on the bloggers part as the route as a whole and individual stages in themselves have been excellent.
    @stagehopper
  • Bernardus
    Bernardus Posts: 136
    20_perfil.gif

    The Bola del Mundo (2247 m) makes its first appearance in the Vuelta, but that doesn't mean that it's unknown. Most of the climb is better known as the Puerto de Navacerrada (1860 m), a col that has been used 9 times in the last 8 years and that'll be climbed twice today. The Bola del Mundo is about 3,5km longer than the Navacerrada and those final kilometers have an average slope of 11%.

    20_puerto_bola.gif

    Unlike the Alto de L'Angliru the Bola del Mundo is not a recently paved goat trail. The road, whose surface is pretty rundown, is the private property of the company that maintains the large TV antennas at the top.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    I've particularly enjoyed the multiple mountain-top finishes. Unlike the Tour where they would have the final climb followed by a downhill section. Nice to see the riders struggling like hell to get across the line instead of rolling across the line after a speedy descent.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    It's been the 2nd best GT this year by a country mile.

    A little bit of everything.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    ^ depending on the finish today - it could be the best for me
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    I haven't watched as much of The Vuelta as I did The Tour and The Giro but what i've seen has been great. The Tour needs to raise it's game next year to keep up with it's fellow GTs.

    Hoping for one final blaze of uphill fireworks today!
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • shakey88
    shakey88 Posts: 289
    iainf72 wrote:
    It's been the 2nd best GT this year by a country mile.

    A little bit of everything.

    Tour of Italy being the 1st yeah?
  • squired
    squired Posts: 1,153
    I would go as far as to say that this has been the best overall year for the three tours combined in quite a while.

    Excellent race. If he rides the TDF someone like Gilbert practically has no opportunities, but this route has offered something for everyone. In the Tour we are lucky to get 3 mountain top finishes. This race has had something like 8 finishes at the top of climbs, yet we go into the final big stage with the winner undecided and a massive battle over the order of the top 10.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    squired wrote:
    I would go as far as to say that this has been the best overall year for the three tours combined in quite a while.

    Agree with this. In any other year, this year's TDF would have been the best GT of the year by a long way. It was a good race, but the Giro and the Vuelta have been so good this year the Tour is still 3rd by some distance.

    If Mosquera does the business today, the Vuelta narrowly edges ahead of the Giro for me.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    edited September 2010
    Already over the Leon.
    Situation:
    Jan Bakelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Tony Gallopin (Cofidis), Vincent Jerome (BBOX), Jean-Christophe Peraud (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Inigo Cuesta (Cervelo), Gustavo Cesar (Xacobeo), Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Johann Tschoop (BBOX), Leif Hoste (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Danilo Hondo (Lampre), Vladimir Gusev (Katusha), David Arroyo (Caisse), Jose Toribio (Andalucia-Cajasur) and Cheula Giampaolo (Katusha)
    being chased down by Katusha, 3 minutes or so, behind.

    SPANISH TV LIVE FEEDS DUE AT 2pm.........or there abouts. :wink:

    http://atdhe.net/21330/watch-la-vuelta-a-espana
    ( currently swimming in the sea.)
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    squired wrote:
    I would go as far as to say that this has been the best overall year for the three tours combined in quite a while.

    Excellent race. If he rides the TDF someone like Gilbert practically has no opportunities, but this route has offered something for everyone. In the Tour we are lucky to get 3 mountain top finishes. This race has had something like 8 finishes at the top of climbs, yet we go into the final big stage with the winner undecided and a massive battle over the order of the top 10.

    Because Dertie Cerador (copyright Pro Race Forum, 2008) isn't riding...
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Live now on ES HD with 54 kn to go. On the Navacerrada.
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    ES HD online appears to have Twenty20 cricket on, despite the schedules saying the Vuelta should've been on for 15 min... :?
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • ratsbeyfus
    ratsbeyfus Posts: 2,841
    try this

    http://www.steephill.tv/vuelta-a-espana/#live

    I had one of them red bikes but I don't any more. Sad face.

    @ratsbey
  • Tom BB
    Tom BB Posts: 1,001
    Vuelta's been on sine 2.45pm on my ES HD online....

    Cannot wait for this final climb!
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    Got it!
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • ratsbeyfus
    ratsbeyfus Posts: 2,841
    Holy shit! They just showed a section of climb at the end that looks nigh on vertical...

    I had one of them red bikes but I don't any more. Sad face.

    @ratsbey
  • luckao
    luckao Posts: 632
    Wasn't Tschopp in the break on Stage 20 of the Giro. Cheeky bugger.

    That bit of the climb they showed looks nice and steep. Can't wait.
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    Oh joy. El Proctolero's saddle advert again.
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • Tom BB
    Tom BB Posts: 1,001
    Final ad break before the climb :D
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Luckao wrote:
    Wasn't Tschopp in the break on Stage 20 of the Giro. Cheeky bugger.

    .

    Yes, he beat Simoni to the top of the Gavia ensuring he can never go on holiday in Italy ever again.
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    afx237vi wrote:
    Luckao wrote:
    Wasn't Tschopp in the break on Stage 20 of the Giro. Cheeky bugger.

    .

    Yes, he beat Simoni to the top of the Gavia ensuring he can never go on holiday in Italy ever again.

    I never quite got the fuss about that, though it would have been nice to see Simoni get one last bit of glory I wouldn't have thought he was the type who needed or would want to be gifted anything.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    There were 5 or 6 Liquigassers near the front a km ago. Now just Kreuziger and Nibs behind 3 Xacobeos... just sayin'.
  • cal_stewart
    cal_stewart Posts: 1,840
    can someone post me a audio link please
    eating parmos since 1981

    Canyon Ultimate CF SLX Aero 09
    Cervelo P5 EPS
    www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=13038799
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    OK, so who kidnapped the 5 Liquigas riders?
    Tom Danielson hanging around the rear.
    The pressure of fight for 7th is getting to much. :roll:
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    Think Sastre needs to have a go to kick this off!
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Lots of looking around at the moment, from everyone.
  • fleshtuxedo
    fleshtuxedo Posts: 1,858
    Pujol up the road - trailblazing for Sastre, probs
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Schleck kicks things off.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    Schleck upping the pace

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