Vuelta Stage 20 SPOILER****

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Comments

  • Phew, I'm covered in sweat and I was sitting on a sofa!

    Great finish, what a stage end and what a climb!
    CAAD9
    Kona Jake the Snake
    Merlin Malt 4
  • Phew, I'm covered in sweat and I was sitting on a sofa!

    Great finish, what a stage end and what a climb!
    CAAD9
    Kona Jake the Snake
    Merlin Malt 4
  • luckao
    luckao Posts: 632
    We'd have a lot more epic stages if riders would just bury themselves instead of playing tag and giving each other "menacing" looks.
  • They have barely crossed the line and now the bloody cricket is on ffs.
  • That was epic but it still doesn't match Zoncolan at this years giro in my eyes.
  • That was epic but it still doesn't match Zoncolan at this years giro in my eyes.

    I'd disagree, but only because the battle for the stage went right to the line.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • victorponf
    victorponf Posts: 1,187
    Really good stage

    Ezequil was great, attacking in the right place, but Nibali had wonderfull performance.
    If you like Flandes, Roubaix or Eroica, you would like GP Canal de Castilla, www.gpcanaldecastilla.com
  • durhamwasp
    durhamwasp Posts: 1,247
    What a climb! What a stage!

    If only he could have hung onto his lead, but fair play to Nibali.
    http://www.snookcycling.wordpress.com - Reports on Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, Izoard, Tourmalet, Paris-Roubaix Sportive & Tour of Flanders Sportive, Amstel Gold Xperience, Vosges, C2C, WOTR routes....
  • feeling smug with that fiver on nibs at 20/1 back in july :lol:
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    Caught the last 6km on Eurospoilsport - jeez, it looked brutal. The Dutch commentators didn't notice when they reached the line! There will be some tired legs tonight.
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • Really pleased that Mosquera took the win - he definitely deserved at least one this Vuelta. Look forward to seeing him hopefully ride in the Giro or Tour next year. Congratulations to Nibali who is a class rider, seems very cool and assured for his age - no doubt a good influence from Basso. Congratulations also to Velits - very impressed with his consistently high finishes and congratulations to Rodriguez for some aggressive and exciting riding - a real shame the TT took him out of the picture for GC.

    Last 2.5km for now
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecX-f2Bcarg

    Getty
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    Contador is the Greatest
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    Good work by Nibali. Is Ferrari still coaching him?
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    DaveyL wrote:
    Good work by Nibali. Is Ferrari still coaching him?

    Was he ever, though? There was only one person linking them, no more.

    Mistaken identity? A grudge being played out? Or the truth?

    That's the thing with internet wisdom, the worst about someone is truth and the best about them is media spin.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Arkibal
    Arkibal Posts: 850
    Spectacular stage!

    I hope this is a keeper, loved it!
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    The Tour de France really needs to learn from this. We had the final climb where the second placed rider finished just ahead of the first placed rider. Why can't the Tour do this?
    The organisers of the Tour really need to make the Tourmalet a narrow concrete track to make it more appealing.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • But that did happen at the Tour. Andy 1st and Bertie 2nd at the Tourmalet.
    If suffer we must, let's suffer on the heights. (Victor Hugo).
  • I like this guy more and more. First Italian winner of the Vuelta in 20 years too.

    "Mosquera made the Bola del Mundo terrible. On the toughest stretch, at 1600 meters from the finish, I thought I would die. The choice with the mechanics to fit the 36x29 was decisive. The Zoncolan climb is tough, but the stakes were enormous here," explained Nibali.

    "I knew that I could count on my abilities and that the hardest part was in the final three kilometres. When I saw Mosquera attack, I did not lose faith and I continued calmly. It was important not to lose sight and since I had him on a leash, I decided to save a bit of energy for the final, maybe to win the stage.

    "I raced with heart. Then with intelligence and, as a third factor, with my legs."
    Contador is the Greatest
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Any highlights of the full climb anyone?