Vuelta Stage 17**Spoiler**

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Comments

  • rocksteadyeddie
    rocksteadyeddie Posts: 294
    Watching it again from the air the motorbikes certainly made Cobo's life easier. The drafting effect will not have been much but there was 3 bikes in the gap providing a very useful series of psychological stepping stones.
  • sonny73
    sonny73 Posts: 2,203
    edited September 2011
    To see a Brit win a mountain top finish is fantastic. Needless to say both he and Wiggins have proven their climbing credentials this Vuelta.
  • squired
    squired Posts: 1,153
    I'd imagine Froome has added a few quid to any potential contract offers with that finishing spurt.

    Wiggins is either knackered or mentally done because he knows that realistically he is out of contention for the win. He is actually close to losing his podium place if he isn't careful (especially with bonus seconds on offer over the next few days).
  • sonny73
    sonny73 Posts: 2,203
    So pleased that Sky gave it a real go today.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    Hope Cobo gains a bit more respect from this tustle, too.
    Shows how you look has little do do with anything, it's how you pedal that counts.

    Oh, I see I spoke to soon; if he wasn't pushed he must have drafted the helicopters.....please.

    The next 2 or 3 stages offer attacking opportunities and bonus potential.
    Slightly more in favour of Sky, too, imo.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mroli
    mroli Posts: 3,622
    @rocksteadyeddie - I don't think you can blame any shenanigins with the motorbikes there. If anything they fulfilled an important role in keeping a passage open.

    In a way, I'm glad that he got back a bit to Froome, because for Froome to go back around him showed some incredible guts and made for an even better stage finish.

    Cobo favourite defo, but some chances there for Sky...
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  • gregster04
    gregster04 Posts: 1,754
    I too shouted at the TV!

    Awesome finish, big respect to Froome, was a top effort!

    Lets hope he can find some more time somewhere, although it doesnt sound too likely
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    Bolux. I hate work!


    Any idea where I can find the last km?
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    What a difference a climb makes.
    Who would have thought that Froome could take out
    the seemingly unbeatable Cobo?

    Love the Pena Cabarga finish. 2 years and it's an instant success.

    I'm afraid Chris's maths aren't up to much, he thinks he's just 2 seconds down.
    camerone wrote:
    wonder how may pushed Cobo got in last 1.5kms! :wink:

    Don't sour a great battle with stuff like this, even if it's in jest.

    who would have thought it? I take it you are joking?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKBacb2V ... ata_player
  • pat1cp
    pat1cp Posts: 766
    According to Brad's Twitter the Spanish crowd were telling Froome that they'd kill him if he won.

    Not very sporting....at all.
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  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    calvjones wrote:
    Bolux. I hate work!


    Any idea where I can find the last km?
    http://www.youtube.com/user/CanalF10


    Not a single push filmed BTW - which is remarkable considering Cobo was riding in his home region, with plenty of supporters (although not many man-bisons ;) )
  • yenrod
    yenrod Posts: 135
    http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/07092011/ ... b-win.html - BLoody Hell I need a lie down after that :lol:

    The french commentary sum it up for me !!!!!

    In fact I may jsut watch it again - ive was open mouthed THE 2ND time i seen that too !!!!

    Formidable as the french say !!!!!!!!

    SERIOUSLY SERIOUSLY WOW amazing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Chris Froome bloody hell amazing just wow - aint seen anything like that for a while !

    I supremely wish and hope & pray that man can win the vuelta - the spanish can be pretty arsey in there own tour ie r.millar once got worked over by all the native teams...

    Still,

    Froome - I hope !!!!!!!!
    [;)] 'tuono nel mio cuore...[:)]
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    FJS wrote:
    calvjones wrote:
    Bolux. I hate work!


    Any idea where I can find the last km?
    http://www.youtube.com/user/CanalF10


    Not a single push filmed BTW - which is remarkable considering Cobo was riding in his home region, with plenty of supporters (although not many man-bisons ;) )

    Thanks. Wow. Hell of a recovery by Cobo, he looked cooked.
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • SFT
    SFT Posts: 156
    Froome had nothing but praise for the Spanish crowd in his post race interview, so I doubt they said thay would kill him!
  • zammmmo
    zammmmo Posts: 315
    pat1cp wrote:
    According to Brad's Twitter the Spanish crowd were telling Froome that they'd kill him if he won.

    Not very sporting....at all.

    It wouldn't surprise me. Having said that I was watching closely for any 'audience participation' but other than not giving either Cobo or Froome much space, I could see no pushing of the former.
  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    calvjones wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    calvjones wrote:
    Bolux. I hate work!


    Any idea where I can find the last km?
    http://www.youtube.com/user/CanalF10


    Not a single push filmed BTW - which is remarkable considering Cobo was riding in his home region, with plenty of supporters (although not many man-bisons ;) )

    Thanks. Wow. Hell of a recovery by Cobo, he looked cooked.

    Only push I saw was some lardy chap wearing sky kit giving Froome a bit of a shove...

    Impressive attack - I am sure sky has a real horrible taste in their mouth right now.

    Rumours from inside team sky that things have not been all that amicable the last few months and riders even seeking new contracts elsewhere because if cliques in the team..
    cartoon.jpg
  • top_bhoy
    top_bhoy Posts: 1,424
    Very good.

    Dilemma time for Sky. To try for top spot, do they now use Wiggins to actively help Froome which could jeopordise one or both podium places or do they play safe and sit tight, see what happens? If Froome wins, great, if not, settle for two podium places.
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  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    As the Flemish commentator said, "Vroom vroom Froome" :D

    I thought he was cooked when Cobo went past him but very cheeky nipping through on the inside; I guess he knew the finish.

    I also yelled at the TV - a great end to a stage.

    Steve
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • Squaggles
    Squaggles Posts: 875
    FJS wrote:


    http://www.youtube.com/user/CanalF10


    Not a single push filmed BTW - which is remarkable considering Cobo was riding in his home region, with plenty of supporters (although not many man-bisons ;) )

    Thanks for that link , amazing stuff

    Also I don't speak a word of Belgian/Dutch but those guys on sporza are fantastic , real passion
    The UCI are Clowns and Fools
  • disquieting_museeuws
    disquieting_museeuws Posts: 601
    'Infinite riches in a little Froome'.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Top_Bhoy wrote:
    Very good.

    Dilemma time for Sky. To try for top spot, do they now use Wiggins to actively help Froome which could jeopordise one or both podium places or do they play safe and sit tight, see what happens? If Froome wins, great, if not, settle for two podium places.

    Wiggins' tank looks empty. I doubt there's very much left at all to give.
  • B3rnieMac
    B3rnieMac Posts: 384
    Wow. Just wow.
  • skavanagh.bikeradar
    skavanagh.bikeradar Posts: 1,097
    Looks like you are right about Wiggins. Not sure what the Basque stages look like though, do they offer anything for Sky to really attack (assuming they have the legs to do so)?
  • StefanP
    StefanP Posts: 429
    I just watched the highlights! Amazing! Froome rides with such panache! I must say I prefer that kind of climbing to Wiggins'
  • skavanagh.bikeradar
    skavanagh.bikeradar Posts: 1,097
    Well, Wiggins hasn't got a lot of choice has he?! That's his style and he's maximised it this Vuelta - It's the best sustained climbing performance he's ever had. It's not been a parcours to suit him and he's ahead of a lot of people that you would expect to be ahead of him.

    Cobo and Froome are both surprises. What happens next for Wiggins in 2012 may depend on what he takes away from this race and what room there is to improve. If Sky hadn't made a balls-up of the TTT and Wiggins had paced his ITT better things might look slightly different.

    The other thing is that this has been a bloomin' hilly and hard race in the end and Wiggins is in 3rd spot. and Froome is showing everyone what he's capable of (possibly for the first time).
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    skavanagh.bikeradar wrote:
    Looks like you are right about Wiggins. Not sure what the Basque stages look like though, do they offer anything for Sky to really attack (assuming they have the legs to do so)?

    There's no obvious opportunity, but the next three stages all have enough climbs to give a chance to thin the peloton down a bit and then maybe take advantage of the uncertainty.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • skavanagh.bikeradar
    skavanagh.bikeradar Posts: 1,097
    Good luck to Sky then. I should imagine Geox can see this out from here though.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    RichN95 wrote:
    skavanagh.bikeradar wrote:
    Looks like you are right about Wiggins. Not sure what the Basque stages look like though, do they offer anything for Sky to really attack (assuming they have the legs to do so)?

    There's no obvious opportunity, but the next three stages all have enough climbs to give a chance to thin the peloton down a bit and then maybe take advantage of the uncertainty.

    The trouble is, Geox are looking strong enough to keep a lid on whatever Sky attempt. Having Menchov as a domestique is something most riders would give their eye teeth for.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    All the options seem unlikely.

    Friday into Bilbao is a possibility. If they can whittle the peloton down to 30 or 40 over those back-to-back category 2 climbs (with a sprint point in between), maybe Froome can pick up some seconds in the sprint, or even get a gap on the descent to the finish.

    Saturday into Vitoria has a category one climb 40 odd km from the finish. It is a lumpy stage before that, so again maybe get rid of the sprinters.

    Other than that it's bonus sprints and the unlikelihood of crosswinds.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,204
    Really good gutsy ride from Froome with the initial attack and then having enough to take the stage. Who was the last Brit to take a GC mountain stage? Millar?

    At least if Sky miss out on the GC they have gone down fighting. I suspect they will be looking at a new deal for Froome and maybe offering him leadership at the Giro. How old is Froome?

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