Vuelta Stage 4 *Spoiler*

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Comments

  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    afx237vi wrote:
    Lichtblick wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Bonus seconds are 12", 8" and 4" for 1st, 2nd and 3rd on the stage.

    How very disconcerting! They don't do that on the Tour, do they? Can I take it that they used to?

    So if the two top guys have only a few seconds between them they'll bust a gut trying to get there first? And anyone else within range will do similarly to deny them 1st, over and over again?

    :shock:

    Yeah they used to have bonus seconds in the Tour until 4 or 5 years ago.
    Yeah, they stopped after a number of guys who snaffled bonus seconds were thrown off the tour for doping offenses (Vino, Rasmussen). The final result that year was close enough that podium places could have been changed if bonuses were reassigned retrospectively. eg Stages 14 and 16: http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/200 ... s/tour0714 http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/200 ... s/tour0716
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • Lichtblick
    Lichtblick Posts: 1,434
    FJS wrote:
    Lichtblick wrote:
    Why do they sometimes let the breakaway succeed, especially so early in the Tour, sorry, Vuelta? Because it's nearly 100F today? Shame, no thrilling duel @ the top, but I suppose we can't have Contador/Froome duel every day and there's a long way to go yet.

    (I should not be doing this I should not be doing this I should be working!!!)
    Sometimes the GC leader wants to 'give' the jersey away to a weaker GC rider so his team won't have to work for a couple of days
    Sometimes there are no other teams confident they can win the stage and want to help chase
    Sometimes they simply miscalculate.
    Sometimes the break is clever and they go slow on purpose so they have lots left when the chase starts in earnest
    Sometimes they're not confident their leader will be able to get the bonus seconds at the finish so letting a harmless group stay away is safer

    EXCELLENT, thank you. Makes perfect sense. <hand-clapping gif>
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Spanish won't like it if a Spanish team with a spanish rider hand the jersey over to some dirty foreigner on a foreign team.
    _
  • Lichtblick
    Lichtblick Posts: 1,434
    JonGinge wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Lichtblick wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Bonus seconds are 12", 8" and 4" for 1st, 2nd and 3rd on the stage.

    How very disconcerting! They don't do that on the Tour, do they? Can I take it that they used to?

    So if the two top guys have only a few seconds between them they'll bust a gut trying to get there first? And anyone else within range will do similarly to deny them 1st, over and over again?

    :shock:

    Yeah they used to have bonus seconds in the Tour until 4 or 5 years ago.
    Yeah, they stopped after a number of guys who snaffled bonus seconds were thrown off the tour for doping offenses (Vino, Rasmussen). The final result that year was close enough that podium places could have been changed if bonuses were reassigned retrospectively. eg Stages 14 and 16: http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/200 ... s/tour0714 http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/200 ... s/tour0716

    Don't have time to read that now, but will later. Thanks!
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Spanish won't like it if a Spanish team with a spanish rider hand the jersey over to some dirty foreigner on a foreign team.
    What about some Spaniard on a dirty foreign team? :wink:
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Spanish won't like it if a Spanish team with a spanish rider hand the jersey over to some dirty foreigner on a foreign team.

    Mate is spanish. Cofidis are French but big in Spain and sponsor the Vuelta.

    He is a rider of some repute, he was 43rd overall in the Vuelta a Andalucia this year according to Wikipedia.

    :D
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    What's Spanish for rat's tail?

    par3708606_600.jpg
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    We'll see if he makes it up the climb with everyone first.

    :roll:
    _
  • Pozzi
    Pozzi Posts: 23
    I can't see much happening today on the climb, as all the bonus time will have been taken from the breakaway. Otherwise, I could see Valverde sprinting out of the pack right at the top for some time.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Valverde down in a crash. Stannard drilling it hard on the front....

    Oh dear.
    _
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Valverde and about 4 Movistars down... Sky up the pace. Revenge for the Tour.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    The whole of Sky drilling it even...
    _
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    afx237vi wrote:
    What's Spanish for rat's tail?

    par3708606_600.jpg

    What the hell is that. Why, just why would anyone think that might be a good look?
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    afx237vi wrote:
    Valverde and about 4 Movistars down... Sky up the pace. Revenge for the Tour.

    ??
    _
  • Lichtblick
    Lichtblick Posts: 1,434
    Crash near the front.
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    The whole of Sky drilling it even...

    Oh dear, Twitter will go into a meltdown of Sky hate.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Valverde and about 4 Movistars down... Sky up the pace. Revenge for the Tour.

    ??

    ISTR Gutierriez drilling it after a crash in week 1 of the Tour. Movistar have a reputation for that.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Cross winds. Sky up for it.

    Le carnage.
    _
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Lichtblick wrote:
    JonGinge wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Lichtblick wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Bonus seconds are 12", 8" and 4" for 1st, 2nd and 3rd on the stage.

    How very disconcerting! They don't do that on the Tour, do they? Can I take it that they used to?

    So if the two top guys have only a few seconds between them they'll bust a gut trying to get there first? And anyone else within range will do similarly to deny them 1st, over and over again?

    :shock:

    Yeah they used to have bonus seconds in the Tour until 4 or 5 years ago.
    Yeah, they stopped after a number of guys who snaffled bonus seconds were thrown off the tour for doping offenses (Vino, Rasmussen). The final result that year was close enough that podium places could have been changed if bonuses were reassigned retrospectively. eg Stages 14 and 16: http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/200 ... s/tour0714 http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/200 ... s/tour0716

    Don't have time to read that now, but will later. Thanks!
    Short version:
    Rasmussen was withdrawn from the 2007 TdF by his team. He was later given a ban for whereabouts violations. If the 20, 12, 8s time bonuses from stages 14, 16 were reassigned I think Leipheimer would have (just) pipped Evans for second overall.
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    inkyfingers wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Spanish won't like it if a Spanish team with a spanish rider hand the jersey over to some dirty foreigner on a foreign team.

    Mate is spanish. Cofidis are French but big in Spain and sponsor the Vuelta.

    He is a rider of some repute, he was 43rd overall in the Vuelta a Andalucia this year according to Wikipedia.

    :D

    Good points.

    See here for Cofidis sponsorship.

    vuelta9_martin.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    That's his GC gone then.

    Carnage! Where's Bertie?
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    LOVED that heli shot where you see the echelons forming.
    _
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Echelon heaven.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    This Mate is not a bad climber - 12th in Foix this year in the TdF, won the MTF in the Tour de San Luis and 5th on the Grossglockner in the Tour of Austria 2 years ago (thanks cqranking). He seems to specialise in finishing in the grupetto more recently though :roll:
  • oneof1982
    oneof1982 Posts: 703
    Perspective required. Sky went for it. Movistar caught napping, and hit by riders coming from behind to get to Sky. Wind now blowing it apart literally. 4 groups on road.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Good echelon work by sky.

    Only went half way up the road to put more people in the pain sooner.
    _
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Dont worry. The cars or the motos will help Valverde.

    Sky may want revenge but they dont want all the Spanish teams and fans against them...
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    To be fair, it looked like Sky attacked, then the crash happened.

    Echelon time XD looks pretty horrific!
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Valverde already over a minute behind.
    _
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    LOVED that heli shot where you see the echelons forming.

    I'm not watching it but the thought of echelons is making me tingly, in an almost sexual way.

    Did I say that out loud?
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)

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