Vuelta Stage 8 ***SPOILER***

1235

Comments

  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    No, calling Contador, Valverde and JRod wheelsuckers is plain stupid and ignorant. They are about to save a cycling season from being one of the worst, entertaintment wise.
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    Another great stage. Bit disappointed with Contador and he probably feels a bit silly at the end. Does he not see J-Rod as a threat or was he only after the stage/beating Froome? Froome tried to ride like a Spanish climber and that bombed too, but added to the drama.
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • mattshrops
    mattshrops Posts: 1,134
    some of you guys on here are just too f@cking weird for me. More one eyed than football fans ffs.

    If Froome follows contador=wheelsucker
    If contador follows froome=not wheelsucker.
    ???????????
    Big hairy dangly ones.
    Death or Glory- Just another Story
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    ThomThom wrote:
    It was the most boring piece of cycling I had seen since Armstrong, yes. Did Wiggins' pulse hit 70 at any point?


    True but it was up to others to attack and they didn't / couldn't. But that's completely different to doing f all for 3 weeks. J Rod and Piti have done plenty in this race and made it exciting as did Bert on stage 3 but today Bertie decided to wheelsuck when he could have worked with Froome to lose the others. If he's most worried about Froome as it appears then it was a good tactic but not exactly the all action attacker some suggest he always is.
  • Vino'sGhost
    Vino'sGhost Posts: 4,129
    Pross wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    It was the most boring piece of cycling I had seen since Armstrong, yes. Did Wiggins' pulse hit 70 at any point?


    True but it was up to others to attack and they didn't / couldn't. But that's completely different to doing f all for 3 weeks. J Rod and Piti have done plenty in this race and made it exciting as did Bert on stage 3 but today Bertie decided to wheelsuck when he could have worked with Froome to lose the others. If he's most worried about Froome as it appears then it was a good tactic but not exactly the all action attacker some suggest he always is.

    But didn't it end up with the main competition losing 14 seconds and not getting a time bonus? Sounds and looked to me like he stuffed frome today. I assume you didn't see the attack in the last kilometre ?

    AVE turned out ok in the end CALVES
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    edited August 2012
    Pross, he can't attack 7 times on every stage as the massive wheelsucker he is... Froome had not shown any sign of weakness until now - of course he was/is the biggest threat against Alberto with especially his TT abilities in mind. Why should Alberto take the lead? It was Team Sky who prepered the firework with their train at high speed. They mistimed it and Froome was alone in front with 5 km to go..

    I don't blame him for not knowing what to then, though. He was used to look at the back 4-5 teammates' until 300 meters to the finish line for 3 weeks in July and waited and waited and waited when he actually could do what seemed illigal in Tour 12 - attack..
  • PuttyKnees
    PuttyKnees Posts: 381
    edited August 2012
    Some of you guys are quite like football fans. Should really just enjoy the spectacle rather than invest so much in personalities. I'm rather enjoying the 4 way battle. I do suspect that if Froome was a bit cleverer he could have done huge damage today, but seems being clever and/or patient is his weakness. Sky look impressive, but it seems counter-productive unless they can shed the contenders off the back. All having Henao and Uran hammering the early climb is doing is delaying the attacks until the last km when Froome can't respond. Perhaps this tactic will come into its own on the longer climbs in the last week, particularly if the TT does shake out Froome and Contador as the prime contenders, but possibly it only works if you've got a GC contender as your domestique.
  • luckao
    luckao Posts: 632
    ThomThom wrote:
    No, calling Contador, Valverde and JRod wheelsuckers is plain stupid and ignorant. They are about to save a cycling season from being one of the worst, entertaintment wise.

    Regardless of what people's opinions of Sky are, that's a bit much. They, Froome included, have all got in on the act at some point. The racing has been great to watch.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Vino'sGhost wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    It was the most boring piece of cycling I had seen since Armstrong, yes. Did Wiggins' pulse hit 70 at any point?


    True but it was up to others to attack and they didn't / couldn't. But that's completely different to doing f all for 3 weeks. J Rod and Piti have done plenty in this race and made it exciting as did Bert on stage 3 but today Bertie decided to wheelsuck when he could have worked with Froome to lose the others. If he's most worried about Froome as it appears then it was a good tactic but not exactly the all action attacker some suggest he always is.

    But didn't it end up with the main competition losing 14 seconds and not getting a time bonus? Sounds and looked to me like he stuffed frome today. I assume you didn't see the attack in the last kilometre ?

    AVE turned out ok in the end CALVES

    So you chose to ignore my final sentence then? ;)

    Had he worked with Froome he could still have jumped him in the final km and put a minute into everuone. After all, this is the True Champion who only ever races to win and who would have trounced the field at the TdF
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    ThomThom wrote:
    Pross, he can't attack 7 times on every stage as the massive wheelsucker he is... Froome had not shown any sign of weakness until now - of course he was/is the biggest threat against Alberto with especially his TT abilities in mind. Why should Alberto take the lead? It was Team Sky who prepered the firework with their train at high speed. They mistimed it and Froome was alone in front with 5 km to go..

    I don't blame him for not knowing what to then, though. He was used to look at the bag 4-5 teammates' until 300 meters to the finish line for 3 weeks in July and waited and waited and waited when he actually could do what seemed illigal in Tour 12 - attack..

    So you are now admitting Contador did in fact sit on Froome's wheel for 5k?
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    edited August 2012
    Luckao wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    No, calling Contador, Valverde and JRod wheelsuckers is plain stupid and ignorant. They are about to save a cycling season from being one of the worst, entertaintment wise.

    Regardless of what people's opinions of Sky are, that's a bit much. They, Froome included, have all got in on the act at some point. The racing has been great to watch.

    Of course it is. I'm just trying to prove a point here.
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    Turfle wrote:
    So you are now admitting Contador did in fact sit on Froome's wheel for 5k?

    Eh, no? There's was action from all 4 the last 3 km to the finish line..? Sky's train ended at 5 to go.
  • Team4Luke
    Team4Luke Posts: 597
    Froome seems (may not be recovered from tour) not confident in his climbing ability, having seen him ride at the tour, was looking forward to see him unleash, but seems he can't or not confident enough, he had the chance today, to just GO and he didn't take it.
    Team4Luke supports Cardiac Risk in the Young
  • luckao
    luckao Posts: 632
    ThomThom wrote:
    Luckao wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    No, calling Contador, Valverde and JRod wheelsuckers is plain stupid and ignorant. They are about to save a cycling season from being one of the worst, entertaintment wise.

    Regardless of what people's opinions of Sky are, that's a bit much. They, Froome included, have all got in on the act at some point. The racing has been great to watch.

    Of course it is. I'm just trying to prove a point here.

    I know. I'm prove proving it!
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    Good! :)
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    ThomThom wrote:
    Turfle wrote:
    So you are now admitting Contador did in fact sit on Froome's wheel for 5k?

    Eh, no? There's was action from all 4 the last 3 km to the finish line..? Sky's train ended at 5 to go.

    There was action from all 4 in the final 1.5k. Before that there was 5k+ of Contador sitting on Froome's wheel (and occasionally JRod's).

    And he was perfectly within his rights to do that.
  • ms_tree
    ms_tree Posts: 1,405
    Lichtblick wrote:
    TV coverage nowhere near as comprehensive as at TdF. Hardly any different camera angles, too many pointless overhead shots of stage finish and not what's happening on the road etc. etc.
    Better than no coverage at all, mate.
    'Google can bring back a hundred thousand answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.'
    Neil Gaiman
  • oldwelshman
    oldwelshman Posts: 4,733
    edited August 2012
    frenchfighter wrote:
    oldwelshman wrote:
    FF the rubber is Bertie steak man noy Valverde and J-Rod, at least they both attacked.
    bertie had the chance to drop the other two with froome but chose not to, they would have rode away easily. So I am glad the valverde and J-Rod passed him and took the time bonuses.
    Froome should not have done so many bursts he paid for that on this type of climb.
    Think he may learn from this stage but the will do better in others now he realises he is not that much faster than others.

    Welshman I suggest you STFU when replying to me...cpl more posts and I will add you to the list of people who when I see their name/avatar just skip on by without reading.

    Re what you post above...it is not worth a response.
    Oooh I am quaking, the great FF has spoken. You should npt post so much crap, it was you who called them tossers!! Unless someone meets your criteria (mostly druggie) you criticise, I dont give a monkeys if you ignore my posts at least I have an idea of racing and appreciate good riding by any riders, apart from dopers.
    Anyway Bertie is understimating J=Rod and Valverde as both of them are climing better than they usually do though the finishes up until now suited them, may still see them falter in later stages but looking stronger than before. I think Gesink is doing quite well to hang in there so could also come good later.
    http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll245/oldwelshman/
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK5Bfqj5fxY
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    More to the point how do you STFU when replying? Do you have to do it by sign language or something :lol:
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Team4Luke wrote:
    Froome seems (may not be recovered from tour) not confident in his climbing ability, having seen him ride at the tour, was looking forward to see him unleash, but seems he can't or not confident enough, he had the chance today, to just GO and he didn't take it.

    Or more likely, despite the hype and bluster from his missus he really wasn't some sort of superior being at the Tour and benefitted from the tempo being set by Porte and Rogers for Wiggins.
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    oldwelshman wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    oldwelshman wrote:
    FF the rubber is Bertie steak man noy Valverde and J-Rod, at least they both attacked.
    bertie had the chance to drop the other two with froome but chose not to, they would have rode away easily. So I am glad the valverde and J-Rod passed him and took the time bonuses.
    Froome should not have done so many bursts he paid for that on this type of climb.
    Think he may learn from this stage but the will do better in others now he realises he is not that much faster than others.

    Welshman I suggest you STFU when replying to me...cpl more posts and I will add you to the list of people who when I see their name/avatar just skip on by without reading.

    Re what you post above...it is not worth a response.
    Oooh I am quaking, the great FF has spoken. You should npt post so much crap, it was you who called them tossers!! Unless someone meets your criteria (mostly druggie) you criticise, I dont give a monkeys if you ignore my posts at least I have an idea of racing and appreciate good riding by any riders, apart from dopers.
    Anyway Bertie is understimating J=Rod and Valverde as both of them are climing better than they usually do though the finishes up until now suited them, may still see them falter in later stages but looking stronger than before. I think Gesink is doing quite well to hang in there so could also come good later.

    I think Oldwelshman's assessment is fairly accurate. I don't blame Bertie for holding Froome's wheel, he just needed to stay with that until he knew he was close enough to make a jump. Nothing wrong with that. I don't think Bertie is showing the race fitness he has in the past but he is certainly showing his racing brain ( up to the point where he tried to ride the last 150m in 32 x32!).

    Froome got worked over, he shouldn't have tried duelling with Bertie, he frittered an advantage and it just allowed Valv and Rodders back into it. I think he will learn from this and won't be so suckered again.

    A great 4 way battle, it's incredibly exciting. Enjoy the riding and stop fighting guys. It makes me anxious when my parents squabble like this.
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • jim453
    jim453 Posts: 1,360
    Ok, i've not read any of the last three pages. I assume it's the same kind of tedious bickering that plagues the rest of this part of the forum. So sincere apologies if someones made this point already.

    Having just watched the highlights which basically consist of the last 10km, what a climb!!!!! That thing is fierce. I've resolved to go there asap and ride that brute. Loving the Vuelta again this year for it's parcours. I'm no great lover of sprint stages or mountain stages that end in the valley so the Vuelta is ticking all the boxes again. Add to that more attacking than we've seen in the last three TdF put together.

    And much more to come. I'm loving it.

    The only thing I would say is that all the finish lines seem to have been painted 50m too early.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    A great 4 way battle, it's incredibly exciting. Enjoy the riding and stop fighting guys. It makes me anxious when my parents squabble like this.

    What with this and Armstrong, I've just been hiding under the stairs with my hands over my ears for the past 48 hours :lol:
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    afx237vi wrote:
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    A great 4 way battle, it's incredibly exciting. Enjoy the riding and stop fighting guys. It makes me anxious when my parents squabble like this.

    What with this and Armstrong, I've just been hiding under the stairs with my hands over my ears for the past 48 hours :lol:

    Move over my monkey friend I'll bring a blanket for us to hide under!
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    A great 4 way battle, it's incredibly exciting. Enjoy the riding and stop fighting guys. It makes me anxious when my parents squabble like this.

    What with this and Armstrong, I've just been hiding under the stairs with my hands over my ears for the past 48 hours :lol:

    Move over my monkey friend I'll bring a blanket for us to hide under!


    Can someone tell me when its safe to come out? Ta
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Contador has won so many GTs. He was won the Giro, Tour and Vuelta. He knows what to do to win this Vuelta. He is a clever rider and has a head on him when he races. He knew what he was doing today.

    To call Contador a wheel sucker in this race or any other is ludicrous and not worth replying to.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Joaquim's comments are on Cnews. As always they are worth a read. Top man.

    Valverde's are there too and worth a read. He has been racing since TdU.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,434
    J Rod looking good.

    For man not race fit Contador seems to be doing OK. Let's see how he is in week 3.

    I predict Froome to be off the podium by the end
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Contador has won so many GTs. He was won the Giro, Tour and Vuelta. He knows what to do to win this Vuelta. He is a clever rider and has a head on him when he races. He knew what he was doing today.
    To call Contador a wheel sucker in this race or any other is ludicrous and not worth replying to.

    Absolutely 100% correct. Today sitting on Froome's wheel was the right tactic and that's what Bertie (and Rodders and Valv) did. Some people might call it wheelsucking but that is a term I reserve for serial performers of that particular act.

    For the benefit of the tape I used to consider Evans a wheelsucker but I no longer do as he is a relatively more aggressive rider (and less whingey) since winning the rainbow stripes.
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • dougzz
    dougzz Posts: 1,833
    Bertie may have rode a smart race today, but the defence of his tactics by his bromance buddies is hilarious. A true 'Heavyweight' wouldn't have refused to ride like that, right.....
    What's with all the football fans crap, can't you like cycling and football? I like the way the football fan insult is thrown by people clearly invested in one rider whilst slagging off a another, it's almost as if they support a particular 'team'.

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