Vuelta Stage 17**Spoiler**

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Comments

  • Stone Glider
    Stone Glider Posts: 1,227
    Amazing performance, so far, by Mr Wiggins! Seven weeks after breaking your collarbone and near the head of the Vuelta. What a TdF it might have been :(
    The older I get the faster I was
  • ForumNewbie
    ForumNewbie Posts: 1,664
    Great stage today - pity I heard the result on Radio 5 live on the way home from work before watching the highlights.

    Surely all the Sky riders, including Bradley, have got to protect and help Froome now that he stiill has a chance of winning overall.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Ah enjoyed that.

    Impressed with Cobo's recovery!

    'Cor.

    Takes a strong mind to claw that one back.
    _
  • dulldave
    dulldave Posts: 949
    Pross wrote:
    Who was the last Brit to take a GC mountain stage? Millar?

    Yes. David Millar.
    Scottish and British...and a bit French
  • Brommers76
    Brommers76 Posts: 234
    Awesome stuff. shouting at the tv and that was the highlights! Wiggo has ridden great considering his injury so for me is still a contender for other gt's if he can get in similar shape.

    loved it. Glad I recorded it so off to watch the last 5 mins again.
  • greeny12
    greeny12 Posts: 759
    Anyone else think it's a bit odd that we have a grand tour parcours that seems to have left a GC concluded despite there being just 13 seconds between 1 and 2 when there are four days of racing left?

    Bit like the old Tours de France in their first week!

    Unless we're missing something...
    My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/

    If you live in or near Sussex, check this out:
    http://ontherivet.ning.com/
  • neeb
    neeb Posts: 4,473
    Spectacular effort by Froome! I was just about to pleasantly nod off in front of the downloaded ES coverage after a post-work 45 miler, pizza and a beer when he attacked... Now I'm buzzing and it's nearly midnight here. All your fault, Froome! :wink:
  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    Pross wrote:
    How old is Froome?

    26
    cartoon.jpg
  • Moomaloid
    Moomaloid Posts: 2,040
    Watched i real time and i too was shouting at the screen. Unreal ride by Chris, simply superb... are there any flat stages where Sky can split the field with the wind do we know? Fingers crossed. Oh for a TT!!
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    afx237vi wrote:
    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.

    I was thinking more of if a small group of maybe 30-40 got to the finish and no team took control, trying for a sneaky one with 1-2km and getting time bonuses, (rather than opening up a 13s gap).

    Or perhaps setting up a sprint train and have the last man in the line 'accidentally' lose a wheel around the final corner.

    Options are limited and unlikely, but they are there.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    I'm impressed with Cobo. He has a decent lead and lost 2mins to Froome in the TT. He has gone out for the win with no hiding and has been rewarded.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    Doobz wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    How old is Froome?

    26


    And therein lies my conundrum. Great to see a British rider doing so well, but to suddenly pop up as a World beater at 26? This guy got consitently dropped on smaller climbs by lesser riders in less prestigious races.

    I just don't think I can buy it. Wiggins improvement over the past few years was extraordinary but believable. This guys leap in class makes no sense.
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • Moomaloid
    Moomaloid Posts: 2,040
    Why is it that Wiggo can not climb out of the saddle... i mean i have a similar problem but...
  • rebs
    rebs Posts: 891
    I think its something to do with how he has spent so much time being a TT specialist and years riding the track. Also that this collerbone much still hurt like feck!
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    He never tested positive.

    TenpiepoliwinLead81929561.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    I actually think Wiggins has spent more time out of the saddle than I've ever seen before. I could well be wrong though.
  • wreckedmyklein
    wreckedmyklein Posts: 62
    frenchfighter wrote:
    He never tested Positive

    Nor did David Millar. Doesn't mean he's clean. Let's just hope he is.
    Over 50mph on Malaucene descent
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Timoid. wrote:
    And therein lies my conundrum. Great to see a British rider doing so well, but to suddenly pop up as a World beater at 26? This guy got consitently dropped on smaller climbs by lesser riders in less prestigious races.

    I just don't think I can buy it. Wiggins improvement over the past few years was extraordinary but believable. This guys leap in class makes no sense.

    That Froome has made a monumental leap forward is undeniable, but there are a number of things going for him.

    1. He has climbed with the elite in big races this year. Examples:
    http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/ra ... ceid=20251 (4 man break ahead)
    http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/ra ... ceid=20252
    http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/ra ... ceid=20559
    http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/ra ... ceid=20564 (17 man break ahead)

    2. It has been said for years that he has the numbers, he just hasn't been able to translate them to the road, wastes energy attacking and so on.

    3. Look at the other riders in or around the lead group: Poels, Mollema, Monfort, Cobo, Lagutin, Martin. Most notably with Voeckler and Rolland there does appear to have been a shift in who can compete at the head of mountains.

    4. They have been going up the climbs in perfectly believable times (Cobo's last few k of the Angliru aside). Today they went up the final 2k 10 seconds slower than Rodriguez did last time.

    5. 26 is a good age to expect improvements in stage racers.
  • le petit breton
    le petit breton Posts: 1
    Only caught the latter part of today's stage but chapeau Froome. That was a proper bike race; a proper scrap at the limits. It's a shame he looked over his right shoulder on the bend because I think that gave him a false sense of security. If he'd seen Cobo coming I think he could have kicked again and retained some time advantage. However much the Piepoli Hautacam event is etched in memory Cobo should be commend for keeping a level head and waiting till after the steep gradients to claw Froome back.

    I don't know what Sky's strategy should be now - wait for Menchov to fall off and attack maybe ... I think what ever they try I think Cobo will have the advantage of the peloton and ACG in particular. What are the time bonuses on the intermediate sprints?

    The montage at the end of the ITV4 coverage led me to believe the rest of the stage had the hallmarks of a classic ( not in the "classics" sense but more over in those TdF Alps or Pyrenean stages with "Col de Sue Lawley" type wide angle helicopter shots). The stages through the Sierra Nevada by comparison were on reflection a "Tour of California" type yawn. The question marks about Froome are understandable but I feel he has illustrated his potential previously particularly at Barloworld. I'm racking my brain to think of examples but I was quite excited when he joined Sky only to feel disappointed that he was locked away in a cupboard.

    AC
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    Turfle wrote:
    Timoid. wrote:
    And therein lies my conundrum. Great to see a British rider doing so well, but to suddenly pop up as a World beater at 26? This guy got consitently dropped on smaller climbs by lesser riders in less prestigious races.

    I just don't think I can buy it. Wiggins improvement over the past few years was extraordinary but believable. This guys leap in class makes no sense.

    That Froome has made a monumental leap forward is undeniable, but there are a number of things going for him.

    1. He has climbed with the elite in big races this year. Examples:
    http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/ra ... ceid=20251 (4 man break ahead)
    http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/ra ... ceid=20252
    http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/ra ... ceid=20559
    http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/ra ... ceid=20564 (17 man break ahead)

    2. It has been said for years that he has the numbers, he just hasn't been able to translate them to the road, wastes energy attacking and so on.

    3. Look at the other riders in or around the lead group: Poels, Mollema, Monfort, Cobo, Lagutin, Martin. Most notably with Voeckler and Rolland there does appear to have been a shift in who can compete at the head of mountains.

    4. They have been going up the climbs in perfectly believable times (Cobo's last few k of the Angliru aside). Today they went up the final 2k 10 seconds slower than Rodriguez did last time.

    5. 26 is a good age to expect improvements in stage racers.


    And looking at the same site for Froome's ranking history, we get:

    2008: 741
    2008: 275
    2009: 367
    2010: 473
    2011: 355 (821 before Vuelta)

    From that to GT contender is just not believable.
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • Buckled_Rims
    Buckled_Rims Posts: 1,648
    Moomaloid wrote:
    Why is it that Wiggo can not climb out of the saddle... i mean i have a similar problem but...

    Might have something to do with them oval rings. They'd be set at the right peddling angle for sitting down, but standing up would change the force exerted on them with a more upright angle.

    I've never used Ovals so someone might prove me wrong, but on a professional level this would a serious problem on a fast hard climb.
    CAAD9
    Kona Jake the Snake
    Merlin Malt 4
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    Expressive French coverage here:
    http://www.cyclingfans.com/node/3423

    :)
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    good article in Guardian..deals with Sky's admirable but inflexible sticking with nominated leader strategy far into the 3 weeks when all the evidence-summit finishes and TT shows the Froome should have been given less work, esp by the day he lost the red jersey..a day by which, based on previous summit finish form, he should absolutely have been allowed to ride his own race and would be in red now without that tactical folly by sky.

    Sutton or Brailsford should be given their P45..

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/se ... CMP=twt_gu
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKBacb2V ... ata_player
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    Le Commentateur wrote:
    Expressive French coverage here:
    http://www.cyclingfans.com/node/3423

    :)

    :lol::lol::lol::lol: Can you imagine sitting in the next booth trying to commentate? Excellent version - chapeau!
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • patchy
    patchy Posts: 779
    What a cracking last few km. Heart was in my mouth, and I already knew Froome was going to win!

    Reckon Bradders has decided to play it safe and go for third. Hopefully he'll do some work for Froome in the next few days and it can come down to the wire somehow...
    point your handlebars towards the heavens and sweat like you're in hell
  • P_Tucker
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    patchy wrote:
    Reckon Bradders has decided to play it safe and go for third.

    A wise decision. Everyone remembers who came third in the third best GT.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    P_Tucker wrote:
    patchy wrote:
    Reckon Bradders has decided to play it safe and go for third.

    A wise decision. Everyone remembers who came third in the third best GT.

    This year it's the 2nd best GT. coz the Giro was toilet.

    I don't think he's "playing it safe" He's doing what he can do. I have an active dislike for Wiggins but I can't fault his riding, or Sky's. Makes sense to me
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Gazzaputt
    Gazzaputt Posts: 3,227
    After seeing Froome's ride last night chapeau sir I dip my cap to you.

    So so gutsy.

    I think if Sky play this right Froome will be in Red Sunday.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Le Commentateur wrote:
    Expressive French coverage here:
    http://www.cyclingfans.com/node/3423

    :)

    Love listening to the French commentators.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • airwise
    airwise Posts: 248
    iainf72 wrote:
    P_Tucker wrote:

    This year it's the 2nd best GT. coz the Giro was toilet.

    You ARE kidding right?

    It's sad that the Vuelta is considered a GT these days but I guess if the Brits are up there then it's world class :wink:

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