Vuelta Stage 12 ***SPOILER***

245

Comments

  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    ThomThom wrote:
    GeorgeShaw wrote:
    Looking back a few stages, does anybody think Contador might be regretting not working with Froome, now that neither JRod or Valverde lost a bucket of time in the TT.

    The mountains haven't even started yet :) It's been all Valverde/Purito terrain so far.
    Very true. On less steep/longer Valdezcaray J-Rod couldn't follow Bertie and Froome when they attacked. Thing is, a lot of what is to come is also on those super steep finish ramps, even if it's after a longer climbs.
  • ilm_zero7
    ilm_zero7 Posts: 2,213
    The breakaway has over 7 minutes now and around 80k to go, are they going to stay away? It's looking more likely
    http://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=3370a&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
    Wiliers: Cento Uno/Superleggera R and Zero 7. Bianchi Infinito CV and Oltre XR2
  • LangerDan
    LangerDan Posts: 6,132
    ILM Zero7 wrote:
    The breakaway has over 7 minutes now and around 80k to go, are they going to stay away? It's looking more likely

    Bonuses at the finish again today?
    'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'
  • ilm_zero7
    ilm_zero7 Posts: 2,213
    Yes. 12 seconds
    http://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=3370a&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
    Wiliers: Cento Uno/Superleggera R and Zero 7. Bianchi Infinito CV and Oltre XR2
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Pross wrote:
    Individually it looks like it will be a fun stage finish. However, this Vuelta has done a lot of these short, sharp finish climbs. It seems very obviously targetted at Valv and J Rod whenever there is an uphill finish. I don't have a problem with the organisers setting a course to give the Spanisg riders the best chance of winning but I would like a bit more balance, the spread of stage winners hasn't been very big with Degenkolb winning all the flat stages and either J Rod or Valv taking the hill stages (other than by agreement).

    So how would you have planned the route? More flat stages and Degenkolb wins those too. More long mountain stages and the race would be decided too early. A route like this sees the GC riders showing their hands, but not allowing the race too be decided with a week to go. It gets progressively harder... there are big mountains next week. I like it.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,181
    BMC DS just said it could be a good finish for Gilbert - does anyone agree? I can't see it myself, even if he had last years form back. If the break doesn't stay away I really can't see beyond J Rod on that finish. Why are Sky trying to bring it back? I'd have thought they would want the break to stick and snap up the time bonuses as there's no way Froome is going to beat J Rod on this finish.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,181
    afx237vi wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Individually it looks like it will be a fun stage finish. However, this Vuelta has done a lot of these short, sharp finish climbs. It seems very obviously targetted at Valv and J Rod whenever there is an uphill finish. I don't have a problem with the organisers setting a course to give the Spanisg riders the best chance of winning but I would like a bit more balance, the spread of stage winners hasn't been very big with Degenkolb winning all the flat stages and either J Rod or Valv taking the hill stages (other than by agreement).

    So how would you have planned the route? More flat stages and Degenkolb wins those too. More long mountain stages and the race would be decided too early. A route like this sees the GC riders showing their hands, but not allowing the race too be decided with a week to go. It gets progressively harder... there are big mountains next week. I like it.

    I wouldn't have changed it much but I would have gone for less steep roads on the longer mountain stages that are coming up and maybe a more traditional (flatter!) time trial.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Pross wrote:
    BMC DS just said it could be a good finish for Gilbert - does anyone agree? I can't see it myself, even if he had last years form back. If the break doesn't stay away I really can't see beyond J Rod on that finish. Why are Sky trying to bring it back? I'd have thought they would want the break to stick and snap up the time bonuses as there's no way Froome is going to beat J Rod on this finish.
    If they take it slow the first kilometer or so it'll be a climb like Mur de Huy and Gilbert will be in contention. He was the only one able to follow J-Rod on Montjuic. Not likely though
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Beautiful stretch of coast this
  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    FJS wrote:
    Beautiful stretch of coast this

    It's awesome. I spent some time surfing there having delivered a boat to Portosin (just down the Ria from Noia) and it's just a wonderful part of the world.
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris
  • oneof1982
    oneof1982 Posts: 703
    Xabia Zandior down. Looks hurt
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,181
    First time I've seen Zandio on this race! Every race I've seen him entered in he is invisible - what does he do exactly?
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    lostboysaint wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Beautiful stretch of coast this

    It's awesome. I spent some time surfing there having delivered a boat to Portosin (just down the Ria from Noia) and it's just a wonderful part of the world.
    Been on holiday there too - nice to see it in the Vuelta on TV. Apparently Galicia's hosting the Vuelta start next year
  • oneof1982
    oneof1982 Posts: 703
    Pross wrote:
    First time I've seen Zandio on this race! Every race I've seen him entered in he is invisible - what does he do exactly?

    Domestique. Water carrier. Sitting in the ambulance now though.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Nice to see a bit of common sense from the medical staff there.
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    afx237vi wrote:
    Nice to see a bit of common sense from the medical staff there.

    Whats up?
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    inkyfingers wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Nice to see a bit of common sense from the medical staff there.

    Whats up?


    Zandio+Bouhanni+road furniture=crash
  • oneof1982
    oneof1982 Posts: 703
    inkyfingers wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Nice to see a bit of common sense from the medical staff there.

    Whats up?
    Zandio ushered into ambulance following face plant. Not sure if he is deffo out.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Pross wrote:
    First time I've seen Zandio on this race! Every race I've seen him entered in he is invisible - what does he do exactly?

    All the dirty stuff. Always there leading them into the foot of the climbs.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Pross wrote:
    First time I've seen Zandio on this race! Every race I've seen him entered in he is invisible - what does he do exactly?


    That's because most of his work is usually done pre nice TV helicopter beaming in pictures
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,181
    oneof1982 wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    First time I've seen Zandio on this race! Every race I've seen him entered in he is invisible - what does he do exactly?

    Domestique. Water carrier. Sitting in the ambulance now though.

    But I never see him on the front when Sky are chasing which is the point I'm getting at, maybe he does his work for the day before live coverage. He's supposed to be a main climbing domestique but I haven't seen him helping on the climbs, he has been out the back before Flecha. He was invisible at Paris - Nice and the Tour de Suisse as well.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    inkyfingers wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Nice to see a bit of common sense from the medical staff there.

    Whats up?

    Zandio crashed, had some facial injuries, looked a bit groggy, wanted to get back on the bike, but got put in an ambulance.
  • oneof1982
    oneof1982 Posts: 703
    Possoni (Lamp) receiving treatment from medic car. No further news on Zandio.
  • oneof1982
    oneof1982 Posts: 703
    Zandio abandoned.
  • Lichtblick
    Lichtblick Posts: 1,434
    Zandio withdrawn
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    afx237vi wrote:
    inkyfingers wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Nice to see a bit of common sense from the medical staff there.

    Whats up?

    Zandio crashed, had some facial injuries, looked a bit groggy, wanted to get back on the bike, but got put in an ambulance.

    Thanks AFX, shame the same crew weren't on the Ventoux in '67.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,181
    Turfle wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    First time I've seen Zandio on this race! Every race I've seen him entered in he is invisible - what does he do exactly?

    All the dirty stuff. Always there leading them into the foot of the climbs.

    In this race Flecha has tended to do that role, Porte has shown briefly and then the Colombians have taken over. Maybe he has been saving himself for the bigger hills.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,181
    I'm obviously missing something as Harmon and Kelly seem to think he's a key domestique - guess I'll have to look more closely in his next race.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Pross wrote:
    oneof1982 wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    First time I've seen Zandio on this race! Every race I've seen him entered in he is invisible - what does he do exactly?

    Domestique. Water carrier. Sitting in the ambulance now though.

    But I never see him on the front when Sky are chasing which is the point I'm getting at, maybe he does his work for the day before live coverage. He's supposed to be a main climbing domestique but I haven't seen him helping on the climbs, he has been out the back before Flecha. He was invisible at Paris - Nice and the Tour de Suisse as well.

    He's not the mountain domestique that he's made out to be, he does far more work on flat and hilly stages.
  • gingermagician
    gingermagician Posts: 326
    edited August 2012
    inkyfingers wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    inkyfingers wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Nice to see a bit of common sense from the medical staff there.

    Whats up?

    Zandio crashed, had some facial injuries, looked a bit groggy, wanted to get back on the bike, but got put in an ambulance.

    Thanks AFX, shame the same crew weren't on the Ventoux in '67.
    Bravo, sir! :lol:

    Disclaimer: an appreciation of the wittiness, not at poor old Tom's expense

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