Vuelta Stage 17 **Spoiler**

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  • fish156
    fish156 Posts: 496
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Reading this thread, I thought I must have clicked on the Asylum by mistake.

    Other than a daring change of tactic, I didn't see anything different in Contador's level of performance
    than from the three big mountain stages.
    He left it all on the road, today.

    The really difference was with JRod (and his team) having a collective stinker.

    If I was offering odds on the dodgiest of the trio, I'd put Valverde as way out ahead favourite.

    Best GT stage since the 2010 Giro.

    +1
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    edited September 2012
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Reading this thread, I thought I must have clicked on the Asylum by mistake.

    Other than a daring change of tactic, I didn't see anything different in Contador's level of performance
    than from the three big mountain stages.
    He left it all on the road, today.

    The really difference was with JRod (and his team) having a collective stinker.

    If I was offering odds on the dodgiest of the trio, I'd put Valverde as way out ahead favourite.

    Best GT stage since the 2010 Giro.

    It's my version of Newton's theory in action - 'for every action, there's an equal opposite reaction'. So everytime FF does his insufferably pompous 'True Champion' routine, someone else is going to play the doper card. I'd had a couple of digs myself, but looking at it impartially, he only finished just ahead of Noncentini, who is no world beater. Katusha dropped the ball on this one.

    (I still wouldn't trust Bertie at all though. I like accusations based on a link to a dodgy associate, but it would be nice if just once in hios career he had just one associate who wasn't dodgy)
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  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Blazing, I was thinking similar but then realised that J Rod couldn't be having that much of a stinker as he still put over 2 minutes into a decent sized group containing Froome and (early on at least) Gesink. There were quite a few people working in that group but J Rod still put time into them when being the only person working.

    Agree on Valverde though, Bertie built his lead over a long period and Valverde nearly closed it in less about 10 - 15 kms! I suppose he did have an easy ride sitting on J Rods wheel for a good stiny though.
  • FransJacques
    FransJacques Posts: 2,148
    Wow, that post- stage interview with Contador and the TVE guy was raw. That was raw. Bertie was close to tears the whole time.

    I used to not care much for the guy, but when he hugged Paulhino I was getting emotional...

    He really exorcised a lot of demons today. Good for him, not all aggrieved parties in this world get that kind of satisfaction.

    On to tomorow...
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  • welshmessenger
    welshmessenger Posts: 298
    Well done Alberto I say. Attacking when it's least expected and having the grit to stick it out. Feel for J Rod too though.

    Enjoyed watching the two of them in this Vuelta, proper battle.
  • poppit
    poppit Posts: 926
    Can't watch it, seems like we've gone back to the bad old days, drugs, deals done, etc.
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  • rdt
    rdt Posts: 869
    frenchfighter wrote:
    I don't know why riders don't try these long range attacks more often. They break with the tradition and cause people to panic. It also brings tactics into play and often it can mean that the people are isolated from their team thus causing them to do their work.

    Except..... such long range attacks are very much the "tradition", in the sense of being not uncommon back in old yesteryears.
  • symo
    symo Posts: 1,743
    Un-Bell-Eve-Able.

    That was one attack.
    +++++++++++++++++++++
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  • jerry3571
    jerry3571 Posts: 1,532
    I think AC thanked all his family and friends and Frenchfighter. Think I may have imagined "FF" but we know what he means. Happy days for AC. I thought it was all done and dusted until he did all that.

    Jerry

    PS- I also did say, recently, to FF to get out more on the bike but last night I ended up in the hedge trying to avoid a potential Road Rage incident; also got electric shock from electric fence soooo... keeping it real does have it's flaws. FF has maybe got it right again. :/
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  • alanjay
    alanjay Posts: 363
    poppit wrote:
    Can't watch it, seems like we've gone back to the bad old days, drugs, deals done, etc.

    +1 absolute joke this GT
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Lichtblick wrote:
    rozzer32 wrote:
    Lichtblick wrote:
    rozzer32 wrote:
    J Rod staying in bed on the rest day and not going out for a spin, what a rookie error.

    Uh? I read this earlier, from Rick:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Apparently Contador didn't ride his bike AT ALL on the rest day.

    Really? Thought the whole point of going out on the rest days was to stop your legs going into total recovery mode. Even sky go out on the rest day and we all know how much they love the marginal gains.

    Yep, it's on page 3 of this thread, that's where I found it.

    Rick knows Every Thing.

    I just picked it up from the Sporza commentary while secretly trying to listen to it so I may have got it mixed up. Pretty sure it was Contador they were talking about though.
    _
  • Vino'sGhost
    Vino'sGhost Posts: 4,129
    Proper race today and to the guys complaining about "deals" that's racing grow up and look in awe at the best stage racer for decades.
    bed wetters

    Ave ass kicking effort calves

    Good post race interview watching the true champs body shaking. He gave more to this than the bed wetters could ever comprehend
  • Vino'sGhost
    Vino'sGhost Posts: 4,129
    poppit wrote:
    Can't watch it, seems like we've gone back to the bad old days, drugs, deals done, etc.
    Bed wetting alert
  • Vino'sGhost
    Vino'sGhost Posts: 4,129
    alanjay wrote:
    poppit wrote:
    Can't watch it, seems like we've gone back to the bad old days, drugs, deals done, etc.

    +1 absolute joke this GT
    Another pit swamping guardian reader
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    OK, anyone care to shed some light on this? Looked like a guy dressed as a cow nodding his head up and down?! Steak joke? Or mad spanish guy...
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  • Team4Luke
    Team4Luke Posts: 597
    at what point in km did Conty attack, how far out, or was it timed when spanish telly were not filming his attack ?
    Team4Luke supports Cardiac Risk in the Young
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Team4Luke wrote:
    at what point in km did Conty attack, how far out, or was it timed when spanish telly were not filming his attack ?
    Contador and Tiralongo attacked with 22km to go and Tiralongo dropped off with 13km to go.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,646
    Vino'sGhost wrote:
    Proper race today and to the guys complaining about "deals" that's racing grow up and look in awe at the best stage racer for decades.
    bed wetters

    Ave ass kicking effort calves

    Good post race interview watching the true champs body shaking. He gave more to this than the bed wetters could ever comprehend

    A post straight out of the Lance Armstrong fanboy playbook. Grow up.
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  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    RichN95 wrote:
    Team4Luke wrote:
    at what point in km did Conty attack, how far out, or was it timed when spanish telly were not filming his attack ?
    Contador and Tiralongo attacked with 22km to go and Tiralongo dropped off with 13km to go.

    Cyclingnews says he attacked on the Collada la Hoz, which is over 50 km out. TV coverage started with 30 km to go and there were already groups all over the place.
  • rdt
    rdt Posts: 869
    Paul 8v wrote:
    OK, anyone care to shed some light on this? Looked like a guy dressed as a cow nodding his head up and down?! Steak joke? Or mad spanish guy...
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/86701428@N06/7939416468/in/photostream

    Saw that and thought it looked like a bear - assumed it was bears showing people how to undertake non-disruptive GT-based publicity stunts.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    RichN95 wrote:
    Team4Luke wrote:
    at what point in km did Conty attack, how far out, or was it timed when spanish telly were not filming his attack ?
    Contador and Tiralongo attacked with 22km to go and Tiralongo dropped off with 13km to go.

    His initial attack was before that though and prior to TV going live. It was on the first climb wasn't it? Took a small group with him then attacked them, Tiralongo joined him and led him out for the 6 sec bonus and they carried on with Tiralongo apparently having flashbacks to his days as Bertie's domestique and blowing my PTP chances by acting as his engine!
  • edindevon
    edindevon Posts: 325
    Paul 8v wrote:
    OK, anyone care to shed some light on this? Looked like a guy dressed as a cow nodding his head up and down?! Steak joke? Or mad spanish guy...
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/86701428@N06/7939416468/in/photostream

    I saw this on TV and thought he was quite obviously dressed as a bear. I guess there are bears in that region and it was some kind of nod to that fact.
  • mattshrops
    mattshrops Posts: 1,134
    Paul 8v wrote:
    OK, anyone care to shed some light on this? Looked like a guy dressed as a cow nodding his head up and down?! Steak joke? Or mad spanish guy...
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/86701428@N06/7939416468/in/photostream

    I saw that on the tv as he passed it. Thought it was a bear! Now looking at the photo, weeell it looks like a bear. Guess its some sort of demo ala TdF ?? Bloody good costume tho :D
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  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    mattshrops wrote:
    Paul 8v wrote:
    OK, anyone care to shed some light on this? Looked like a guy dressed as a cow nodding his head up and down?! Steak joke? Or mad spanish guy...
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/86701428@N06/7939416468/in/photostream

    I saw that on the tv as he passed it. Thought it was a bear! Now looking at the photo, weeell it looks like a bear. Guess its some sort of demo ala TdF ?? Bloody good costume tho :D

    To be fair I thought it looked like a bear but that didn't male much sense so I assumed it must have been a cow to take the mick out of AC. It was odd how he was all by himself, just hanging out in a bear costume!
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  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Vino'sGhost wrote:
    Proper race today and to the guys complaining about "deals" that's racing grow up and look in awe at the best stage racer for decades.
    bed wetters

    Ave ass kicking effort calves

    Good post race interview watching the true champs body shaking. He gave more to this than the bed wetters could ever comprehend

    A post straight out of the Lance Armstrong fanboy playbook. Grow up.


    The parts that refer to the racing and how deep Contador went today, aren't wrong though.
    One km more and Valverde would have beaten him; Henao, too.
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  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    It's the timing that makes it look bad. I must admit I'd have enjoyed the stage a lot more had it been 3 different riders in those positions.
  • Matt_as
    Matt_as Posts: 84
    There is some absolute sh!t posted on here. The bad old days? Sky are the bad new days!! This is worth watching someone being towed round France for 3 weeks was an utter bore fest.
    Contador wasn't exactly riding like a man off his box on something he was riding like a man putting everything on the line in a well executed tactic and it paying off. He was getting visibly slower nearer the end and Valverde having had a much easier ride in the wheels obviously had more left and a bit more help for a lot of the time Contador was alone. It was a brave move by Contador and proves how much he wanted to win. I am not naive enough to say anyone is clean but this didn't strike me as a ride by someone invincible. He was obviously suffering near the end.
    The thing that surprises me is that he was ever allowed to be out there but thats Katusha's problem and as for why Rodriguez didn't help his team mate work while the gap got bigger I can't figure out, although he was obviously struggling.
    As for the timing and it being after the rest day, maybe Contador realised this stage was a better bet to get away on compared to the stupid steep climbs in the last few days where it is almost impossible to go much faster than anyone else. Or he may also know that Rodrigeuz goes badly after rest days.

    I thought it was great that Wiggins won in France but give me this race any day for entertainment.
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    Turfle wrote:
    I must admit I'd have enjoyed the stage a lot more had it been 3 different riders in those positions.

    +1
  • Team4Luke
    Team4Luke Posts: 597
    so, a long long long way out then !

    A point to consider and I am learning more about what effect drugs can have, is the physical improvements from taking certain drugs remain with you. I'm not an expert and am sure some on here can offer an insight proper. So, if those three today are actually race clean, then we may have seen those effects today. Why is more not said about this publicly. Those today are not the only ones who are race clean yet can still tear off up the road when they see fit.
    What is the true definition of clean ?
    I didn't like what I watched today at all.
    As for the above comments about Sky, well Wiggins had a hell of a lot of team and Froomy help but although not in the TDF this time around are they will they be racing against clean or race clean opposition ? It clearly makes a difference.
    Team4Luke supports Cardiac Risk in the Young
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Just watched the highlights. J-Rod only lost 20s to AC on the final climb. That's reasonably consistent with their relative performances in the TT.

    When the gap grew to 2 minutes AC had two team-mates and Tiralongo working. J-Rod just had Losada. Once AC went alone it was him versus J-Rod as Losada had blown by that point and no-one else in the group was working. When Valverde attacked J-Rod he had two guys up the road and he used them well.
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