Vuelta Stage 15 *Spoiler*
Comments
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Bertie's points wont count anyway0
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Richmond Racer wrote:Bertie's points wont count anyway
Oh right, wasn't sure if they did or not. So he might as well go for it then!0 -
Yeah, Mr 60% was banging on about contesting it all...suspect he might have other problems on his hands now...
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Why all the questions of valverdi riding clean? I haven't seen stuff like this since Basso won the giro.
Contador makes this race epic.0 -
Really enjoying this, first time I've watched the Vuelta as I've never had eurosport before but I'm loving all of the attacking that's going on. Can't help but think Contador is on the sweeties again every time he attacks like that though. Hope he isn't as he's such an exciting rider to watch.0
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Paul 8v wrote:Can't help but think Contador is on the sweeties again every time he attacks like that though. Hope he isn't as he's such an exciting rider to watch.
I disagree. This attacking -> soft pedalling - attacking -> soft pedalling -> attacking -> soft pedalling is, for me, a positive sign. What Alberto has done so far has not been alarming what so ever.
Alarmingly great entertaintment if anything.0 -
ThomThom wrote:Paul 8v wrote:Can't help but think Contador is on the sweeties again every time he attacks like that though. Hope he isn't as he's such an exciting rider to watch.
I disagree. This attacking -> soft pedalling - attacking -> soft pedalling -> attacking -> soft pedalling is, for me, a positive sign. What Alberto has done so far has not been alarming what so ever.
Alarmingly great entertaintment if anything.
I suppose it's just that niggley thing at the back of my mind, he's done it before obviously thinking he'd get away with it so there will always be that doubt. Saying that it's just been such an unclean sport historically there's always going to be an element of doubt with any rider.
As I say I hope they're all clean as it's been such a great race it would really spoil it if one of the guys was found positive for drugs. I'm kind of returning to watching the grand tour after last watching them back in the days of Chris Boardman so I missed all the massive drugs scandals etc. Although I know plenty still went on back then.0 -
If we look at the top 4 the only one I would have doubts about in this race is Valverde.
Using Froome as a benchmark and assuming he is clean (I know, I know) then his level of performance is consistent with someone who operates at a high level but is knackered from the TdF.
Valverde should also be knackered from the TdF. Am I correct in that most of the time he has lost was on the crosswind stage?
For me J Rod is performing as you would expect. Maybe a bit better but not outlandishly so. If it were not for time bonuses Contador would be leading.
I think Contador is clean here. We know what happens when he is on the "sweeties". Those attacks would be leaving scorch marks in the road and those guys would not be coming back to him.0 -
Valverde finished 42 minutes behind in the tour, Froome 3.
Valv didn't ride as hard as Froome in the tour, shouldn't be as knackered.You live and learn. At any rate, you live0 -
Fair enough, as I say I missed the tour where he was doped up and am a bit new to this, not really sure what are the tell tale signs but I'll take you guys words for it! P.S not sure what the colloquialism is for guys on drugs in the cycling world. Down the gym we say the guys on roids are on the "Sweeties" It's a bit move obvious there though!0
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Froome had a big job to do in the TdF, which he did very well, as results show, valverde was never going to win, so his showing here is no big suprise, contador does not have the ability to shake J rod off his back, in fact the boot seems on the other pedals, the mind games must be really getting to contador,still he is nothing if not a fighter so we can expect more fireworks. My money has been on J rod from the start, so i am rooting for him for selfish reasons as well, but even if i had backed say froome, i would still want j rod to win now, he's been the best show on the road !0
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Contador still has his killer kick but it is a little off the same levels due to the lack of racing.
Next year he will ride with less agitation and win any GT he enters.
But Joaquim is most certainly better than he has ever been. He has always climbed well, is a smart rider and an exciting one. Measure him against the rest of the top ten - riders he would be close to. I don't think he is doping at all but his performance increase is very impressive.Contador is the Greatest0 -
welshmessenger wrote:greasedscotsman wrote:What we need is a Schleck/Izoard style attack.
Thought same myself. Get someone up the road and attack a LONG way out or on the flat when J Rod is not expecting it. A TT rider of AC's ability should be able to make it stick and there's only seconds in it after all.
Saxo seem bent on the same tactics day after day.
Think J rod would follow Bertie into a transport cafe toilet cubicle, if he needed a call of nature.
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valverde said before the TDF he was confident of being on the podium.Paul 8v wrote:Fair enough, as I say I missed the tour where he was doped up and am a bit new to this, not really sure what are the tell tale signs but I'll take you guys words for it! P.S not sure what the colloquialism is for guys on drugs in the cycling world. Down the gym we say the guys on roids are on the "Sweeties" It's a bit move obvious there though!0 -
Have a read of Contador's comments on Cnews. True Champ right there.Contador is the Greatest0
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It wasn't really all that exciting, but did enjoy Rodriguez responding to all the attacks without much bother. He's certainly the rider riding with the most intelligence. An enjoyable irony was Henao looking back at Froome as if to say "come on", not unlike a certain mountain top finish on the tour.0
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Great stage and with the three or four riders having been so relatively close on GC, plus the well-designed route, has made this a great edition of the Vuelta.0
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Shame for Froome, he must be fecked by now, he's had a lot of racing and in domestique mode at the tour must be doubly exhausting.
Might be interesting to compare total watts expended by Froome and wiggins.0 -
Contador is the Greatest0 -
God, doped, that he is or was, you have to admit, Alberto Contador made it a very exiciting final 8km..that attack that gapped J Rod..epic epic efforts by both of them....This is the most exciting race of this season I think
The Caja Rural chap than one yesterday..Lejerrata was in the team once upon a time http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gOH-zw6tNbU/S ... 400/12.jpg0 -
In my opinion what's made this race good is not the route, but the fact that you have 3 (until yesterday 4) GC contenders who all are all pretty evenly matched. In the 2011 Giro there were a similar number of uphill finishes and yet it was a crap race because Contador was able to stamp on it on the first summit finish.
Personally I have my doubts about how "clean" this race is, but to be honest i'm content to just stick my head in the sand about that and enjoy them beating each other up."I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0 -
inkyfingers wrote:In my opinion what's made this race good is not the route, but the fact that you have 3 (until yesterday 4) GC contenders who all are all pretty evenly matched. In the 2011 Giro there were a similar number of uphill finishes and yet it was a crap race because Contador was able to stamp on it on the first summit finish.
Personally I have my doubts about how "clean" this race is, but to be honest i'm content to just stick my head in the sand about that and enjoy them beating each other up.
Yeah, Puerito is odd...I thought he was more 1 day than 3 week man. Andrew Talansky finished the Ancares summit with these stats and 44 seconds down on the winner vetooo @ammattipyoraily
@Vaughters Puerto de Ancares (last 9 km, 8.2 %, 738 m). Andrew Talansky: 26 min 32 sec, 20.35 Kph, VAM 1669 m/h, 5.92 W/kg. #vuelta20120 -
You make it sound as though he was soft pedalling all the way around. He lost more than half of his time in just two stages where he presumably did soft pedal. Another 8 minutes or so was when he went into a break that got reeled in (so presumably working pretty hard). Most of the rest were as a result of crashes and the first time trial where he appeared to still be trying. I'm a little surprised at how he's going all things considered.Jez mon wrote:Valverde finished 42 minutes behind in the tour, Froome 3.
Valv didn't ride as hard as Froome in the tour, shouldn't be as knackered.0 -
It's Piti's performance more than anyone else's that's raising eyebrows - and outside of this forum too. Lets face it, there's a track record of Spanish riders 'preparing' for this rather than the other GTs.0
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Dave_1 wrote:inkyfingers wrote:In my opinion what's made this race good is not the route, but the fact that you have 3 (until yesterday 4) GC contenders who all are all pretty evenly matched. In the 2011 Giro there were a similar number of uphill finishes and yet it was a crap race because Contador was able to stamp on it on the first summit finish.
Personally I have my doubts about how "clean" this race is, but to be honest i'm content to just stick my head in the sand about that and enjoy them beating each other up.
Yeah, Puerito is odd...I thought he was more 1 day than 3 week man. Andrew Talansky finished the Ancares summit with these stats and 44 seconds down on the winner vetooo @ammattipyoraily
@Vaughters Puerto de Ancares (last 9 km, 8.2 %, 738 m). Andrew Talansky: 26 min 32 sec, 20.35 Kph, VAM 1669 m/h, 5.92 W/kg. #vuelta2012
He's done well in GTs before, but until this year he's never been consistent enough to win them, usually either having a bad day in the mountains or losing 5 minutes in a flat TT.
I've always like J Rod, even though he always used to just attack in the last KM and grab a few seconds, he seems to be growing into a more consistent and all round rider."I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0 -
frenchfighter wrote:
I love the way his socks match his shoes.0 -
ALIHISGREAT wrote:frenchfighter wrote:
I love the way his socks match his shoes.
You are Frenchfighter AICMFP."I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0 -
That is an awesome sock combo. He's missed a trick there as the sock/shoe combo don't match anything else...0
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Paul 8v wrote:That is an awesome sock combo. He's missed a trick there as the sock/shoe combo don't match anything else...
that was the second thing that crossed my mind after the initial "I love the way his socks match his shoes"0 -
I mean it kind of looks like he ran out of matching clothes when you factor in that jersey as well. He's no Cipolini in the sartorial stakes... ;-)0
