Vuelta Stage 9 ***SPOILER***

victorponf

All about Barcelona´s stage (route, profile, old videos) in

http://www.revistadesdelacuneta.com/tengopagina.php?page=v12et09

Yellow Peril

Looks like a bit of a day off for GT contenders. I'm really enjoying this Vuelta, great final climb yesterday.

ilm_zero7

could this be another sprint out between Degenkolb, Viviani and Benatti? or will ben Swift get a look in today?

ilm_zero7

the bunch have 4:50 over the peloton - a nice comfortable gap

milton50

ILM Zero7 wrote:

could this be another sprint out between Degenkolb, Viviani and Benatti? or will ben Swift get a look in today?

Depends what the pace is like over the last climb. If it's high then the sprinters will get dropped and won't get back on in time for the finish.

Vino'sGhost

Blimey look at the profile:)

No compact chain sets today One for the fattys, is it too late for me to sign on?

Ave free fall calves

rozzer32

Not so sure it will be a bunch kick.

Cat 3 clim 4Km from the finish and an uphill drag to the finish. Could be a move by J Rod or Valverde to try and get the time bonus before the TT.

ilm_zero7

4'30" is the gap with the 4 breakaways being: Mickael Buffaz (Cofidis), Bertjan Lindeman (Vacansoleil), Javier Chacon (Andalucia) and Martjin Maaskant (Garmin Sharp)

FJS

Will be interesting to see what happens. If they would have done the same finish (uphill) as the TdF a couple of year ago it would have been one for the strong uphill sprinters Hushovd-style. But this time they actually go up to the castle on the top of the hill, a pretty narrow and steep ramp, definitely plenty steeper than the 8% average they give for the hill, and then back down again on wide fast roads. Will be a very cool last couple of kms

ilm_zero7

looks a bit like the peloton are content to leave them out there - it stops the counter attacks by those without sprinters perhaps?

luckao

ILM Zero7 wrote:

looks a bit like the peloton are content to leave them out there - it stops the counter attacks by those without sprinters perhaps?

Yerrrrp. That's usually the tactic for sprinters teams. Others fly off the front whenever the original breakaway group is reeled in too early, making it harder to control than if they'd caught the original break later on.

Lichtblick

18km to go. They're all back together. When I see the peleton approaching a breakaway like that, it always reminds me of the tune "Approaching Menace".

afx237vi

Katusha stringing it out. Maybe Rodriguez fancies nabbing a few extra bonuses.

Lichtblick

The picture is so small - is that Saxo lining up next to them?

Lichtblick

What happened there? Why did they all stop?

FJS

afx237vi wrote:

Katusha stringing it out. Maybe Rodriguez fancies nabbing a few extra bonuses.

He's from Barcelona, and first time Vuelta finishes there during his career - wouldn't surprise me if he has a go at the climb to the fortress

Lichtblick

No. 28 gets not one but two new wheels.

Lichtblick

Every time I look away to post here, something else has happened.

Lichtblick

12km to go. Here comes Sky.

Lichtblick

No one else watching this?

afx237vi

Tell him he can have the stage Roddy, ffs.

milton50

I was so close to choosing Gilbert in the PTP.

frenchfighter

Contador attacks with 5km to go

Sky chase down

Ballan goes

Noncentini and Gilbert there

JRod goes hard and gets a gap

smithy21

J rod and Gilbert going for it with 3km. Got a gap.

smithy21

This can't stick- surely?

frenchfighter

Excellent Roche. Lost 1min tomorrow due to mechanical

The front two have got a ridic gap for the time they went

frenchfighter

JRods back yard this

afx237vi

Wow, the entire peloton playing silly buggers. Cracking day for J-Rod.

Lichtblick

Good win.

rozzer32

What the hell were Contador, Froome and Valverde doing?

Anybody could have told them that J Rod would attack on the climb to get the bonus seconds ahead of the TT. Yet they let him go? I need to get myself a job as a DS.

frenchfighter

JRod extends his lead with about 5secs + bonus. Clever riding.