Vuelta al Pais Vasco 2013 *SPOILERS*

danlikesbikes

So its, for the GC;
Quintana 21:39:35
Porte +23
Henao +34

DeadCalm

powerbookboy wrote:

Peraud has just announced he's a podium contender for the Tour. Good ride, I'm surprised.

I'm not surprised at his ride and had hoped that he'd podium here. I just hope the French press don't heap too much expectation on his shoulders.

blazing_saddles

Collectively, Movistar out-muscled Sky and today's
exceptional ITT results may partially explain yesterday's,
seemingly odd tactic.

powerbookboy

Danlikesbikes wrote:

So its, for the GC;
Quintana 21:39:35
Porte +23
Henao +34

Henao must be very pleased with that ride. Ok, it's a hilly one, but only losing a handfull of seconds to Porte.

I have to admit to being somewhat staggered by Quintana, but I don't really know anything about him.

http://www.cyclinginquisition.com/2012/ ... ntana.html is worth reading, specially the bit about racism suffered by Columbians in the peleton.

knedlicky

powerbookboy wrote:

I have to admit to being somewhat staggered by Quintana, but I don't really know anything about him.

Not a total surprise because Quintana was Columbian TT national champion in his younger days, 2009 I think.

DeadCalm

So, can Quintana be considered to be a genuine tour contender after this?

danlikesbikes

DeadCalm wrote:

So, can Quintana be considered to be a genuine tour contender after this?

Think you'd have to take him seriously based on his performance this last week, however depends on how he holds & builds his form I guess

inkyfingers

Danlikesbikes wrote:

DeadCalm wrote:

So, can Quintana be considered to be a genuine tour contender after this?

Think you'd have to take him seriously based on his performance this last week, however depends on how he holds & builds his form I guess

This was not a typical TdF TT, in a pan flat TT I think it would be a different story.

Can definitely see him being a GT contender in he future though, but at this point I think it's too early to call him a TdF contender.

danlikesbikes

inkyfingers wrote:

Can definitely see him being a GT contender in he future though, but at this point I think it's too early to call him a TdF contender.

Not sure myself, guess it depends on your definition of contender though. For me I'd say he could make it into the top 10 with his performance all things being equal and him retaining his form & on that basis I would have to put him up there.

inkyfingers

Danlikesbikes wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

Can definitely see him being a GT contender in he future though, but at this point I think it's too early to call him a TdF contender.

Not sure myself, guess it depends on your definition of contender though. For me I'd say he could make it into the top 10 with his performance all things being equal and him retaining his form & on that basis I would have to put him up there.

The problem is that we've never seen him ride well over three weeks, winning a one week stage race doesn't mean he can win a GT. To win a GT you need to have great powers of recovery and the ability to conserve your efforts and use them only when absolutely necessary. I'm not saying he can't do it, just that it's too early to label him a serious contender.

danlikesbikes

inkyfingers wrote:

The problem is that we've never seen him ride well over three weeks, winning a one week stage race doesn't mean he can win a GT. To win a GT you need to have great powers of recovery and the ability to conserve your efforts and use them only when absolutely necessary. I'm not saying he can't do it, just that it's too early to label him a serious contender.

Yes but I don't discount him just because we have never seen him in 3 week stage race. Have been plenty of riders who get into the top 10 in the in the big 3 GT races with good 1 week racing behind them but little or no experience of the longer stuff.

DeadCalm

inkyfingers wrote:

Danlikesbikes wrote:

inkyfingers wrote:

Can definitely see him being a GT contender in he future though, but at this point I think it's too early to call him a TdF contender.

Not sure myself, guess it depends on your definition of contender though. For me I'd say he could make it into the top 10 with his performance all things being equal and him retaining his form & on that basis I would have to put him up there.

The problem is that we've never seen him ride well over three weeks, winning a one week stage race doesn't mean he can win a GT. To win a GT you need to have great powers of recovery and the ability to conserve your efforts and use them only when absolutely necessary. I'm not saying he can't do it, just that it's too early to label him a serious contender.

Fair enough. He's probably not a favourite but he can't be written off. He's been the only rider to make an attack of any note stick against the Sky train in the last year or so. At the very least he has just given Sky something to think about.

Squirrelpie

Just got in and to see the result. I am surprised to say the least. I did not see that coming, not at all.
Well I hope a star is born.

iainf72

Squirrelpie wrote:

Just got in and to see the result. I am surprised to say the least. I did not see that coming, not at all.
Well I hope a star is born.

Really?

The guy has been considered the successor to Contador for a little while by some

calvjones

iainf72 wrote:

Squirrelpie wrote:

Just got in and to see the result. I am surprised to say the least. I did not see that coming, not at all.
Well I hope a star is born.

Really?

The guy has been considered the successor to Contador for a little while by some

yeah but didn't his own DS suggest he'd lose several weeks to BW in a flat TT last year?

nevman

I was a bit let down that the two riders who have pulled this race through all the bad times are outflanked on the ITT.Guess we`ve had this conversation before but this was a tough straight race,uphill finishes,lots of climbing,dangerous descents,pinching seconds here and there.So why let it all come down to ITT when it was so close.Can anyone sensibly explain what the ITT has added to the result here?

Squirrelpie

I had no idea he could TT. Its an outstanding result. No way should he be used to drag Valverde up a slope again. This is the man from now on.

Macaloon

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Collectively, Movistar out-muscled Sky and today's
exceptional ITT results may partially explain yesterday's,
seemingly odd tactic.

:oops: In fairness it would have looked different if the scenario included a much fresher Quintana, much improved on PN form. Excellent result. Wasn't enjoying watching top teams with 8 good guys "losing" to 6 guys inc 2 neos.

rick_chasey

Twitter exploding over movistar doping accusations?




No?

DeadCalm

Macaloon wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Collectively, Movistar out-muscled Sky and today's
exceptional ITT results may partially explain yesterday's,
seemingly odd tactic.

:oops: In fairness it would have looked different if the scenario included a much fresher Quintana, much improved on PN form. Excellent result. Wasn't enjoying watching top teams with 8 good guys "losing" to 6 guys inc 2 neos.

Yep, Quintana has made a lot of my posts over the previous few days look pretty stupid.

alihisgreat

Rick Chasey wrote:

Twitter exploding over movistar doping accusations?




No?

He's ridiculously strong for a 23 year old - maybe he's turning into a GC version of Sagan? we'll have to see what he can add to his Palmares.

rick_chasey

It's about time we had some new faces at the sharp end.

iainf72

Rick Chasey wrote:

Twitter exploding over movistar doping accusations?




No?

He's always been good though.

It's not like he's spent 2 years in the last 25% of GC and suddenly is winning races.

afx237vi

Didn't Prudhomme tip him for this year's Tour at the end of last year's race?

iainf72

afx237vi wrote:

Didn't Prudhomme tip him for this year's Tour at the end of last year's race?

He did indeed

rick_chasey

iainf72 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Twitter exploding over movistar doping accusations?




No?

He's always been good though.

It's not like he's spent 2 years in the last 25% of GC and suddenly is winning races.

Give me some credit Iain!

iainf72

Rick Chasey wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Twitter exploding over movistar doping accusations?




No?

He's always been good though.

It's not like he's spent 2 years in the last 25% of GC and suddenly is winning races.

Give me some credit Iain!

I did cobble boy :P

ms_tree

He!He! Harmon was wrong! Said it would be Porte all the way. Love it when the pundits get it wrong.

frenchfighter

Go go Quintana.

It is surprising to see Quintana up there yet this was no standard TT course. I wish they had more of these climber's TTs. The Giro with Di Luca and Menchov was amazing.

Contador off the pace but was not going full gas in that wet.
Alberto Contador ‏@albertocontador 2h
Already finished the Basque Country, today without rhythm during the whole TT. My congratulations to N.Quintana and the @movistar_team

See here for a thread on Quintana:
viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=12867623

Highlight so far was his stage win on stage 6 of the Dauphine - attacked off the front of a Sky train, held them off and descended like fury personified taking a majestic win.


Glad people are getting to like Kiriyenka. Seriously good rider and been so for numerous years although doesn't have too much of a palmares.
This win in Giro 2011 was incredible (pointing to the sky for Tondo):

frenchfighter

Anyone know what the deal is with the different lenses?