Vuelta al País Vasco 2014 **Spoilers**

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Comments

  • kamil1891
    kamil1891 Posts: 658
    What a shame. Hills are over and there was no single Cunego's downhill attack...

    I think Kwiatek could have done better, especially given that Valverde out-sprinted him.

    Good win by Swift.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Ben Swift: I am in shock.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Send Swifty to win the red jersey at the Giro.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Sweet baby jesus

    Amazing job by Ben of the Swift
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,182
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Sweet baby jesus

    Amazing job by Ben of the Swift

    This all stems from you & I doubting him pre-MSR.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    For shame.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Mad_Malx wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Sweet baby jesus

    Amazing job by Ben of the Swift

    This all stems from you & I doubting him pre-MSR.


    High 5 for being such motivators! :(:)
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    I wonder if he might be able to do something at Amstel Gold next week.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    RichN95 wrote:
    I wonder if he might be able to do something at Amstel Gold next week.

    I was going to post that earlier, but went for the red jersey instead.

    I think this will be his first year riding it, but it's a race that should suit him well. Maybe one for future years.
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Wow Swift is totally pumped to win that - photo will be great. Must have turned himself inside out to hang with those GC guys.

    I should say so, old boy...
    otp2k3.png
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    RichN95 wrote:
    I wonder if he might be able to do something at Amstel Gold next week.

    Think the puncheurs will be able to get just a big enough gap on the Cauberg. But with the form he has shown today and in Milan-San Remo you wouldn't put it past him.

    After seeing him in the 2012 Vuelta I was one of the people claiming that he wouldn't be able to cut it in high profile races. So fair play to him. Well done Swifty.
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,182
    Milton50 wrote:
    After seeing him in the 2012 Vuelta I was one of the people claiming that he wouldn't be able to cut it in high profile races. So fair play to him. Well done Swifty.

    +1
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    edited April 2014
    Ha Maca, memories.

    -

    Nice to see an in shape Jungels - plucky rider. Decent kits Trek has only recently brought out for the nat champs. No Frank in that group. LLS still short. Gilbert not looking as good as id expect even if he is reasonable - still has his trademark butter pedal stroke when he was in the break.

    -

    Good win and im happy as per my comments but a bit of perspective: he is a pro in his 7th year and has won a sprint against non-sprinters after hanging inside the bunch. The thing though I suppose is it not being expected of him which makes it sweeter. Will post a good photo edit of the celebration later. Swift is basically saving Sky's early season - he has the vast bulk of the team's points.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Milton50 wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    I wonder if he might be able to do something at Amstel Gold next week.

    Think the puncheurs will be able to get just a big enough gap on the Cauberg. But with the form he has shown today and in Milan-San Remo you wouldn't put it past him.

    After seeing him in the 2012 Vuelta I was one of the people claiming that he wouldn't be able to cut it in high profile races. So fair play to him. Well done Swifty.
    I wasn't suggesting that he might win. By 'do something' I meant potential top ten.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Right. I thought it was a bit of a stretch, but after what happened in Milan-San Remo I've decided against making any bold statements about what he can't win. :P
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Ha Maca, memories.

    -

    Nice to see an in shape Jungels - plucky rider. Decent kits Trek has only recently brought out for the nat champs. No Frank in that group. LLS still short. Gilbert not looking as good as id expect even if he is reasonable - still has his trademark butter pedal stroke when he was in the break.

    -

    Good win and im happy as per my comments but a bit of perspective: he is a pro in his 7th year and has won a sprint against non-sprinters after hanging inside the bunch. The thing though I suppose is it not being expected of him which makes it sweeter. Will post a good photo edit of the celebration later. Swift is basically saving Sky's early season - he has the vast bulk of the team's points.

    The sprint wasn't the impressive part. You probably should understand that by now.

    As for "hanging inside the bunch", after two cat 3s, two cat 2s, and a cat 1 (with 4 of those 5 climbs coming inside the final 60k), and including a final climb that featured a Valverde attack that only two climbers could go with, "the bunch" was 20 riders strong.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Yep he was in the top 20% today. Good job as I have said several times. Fyi neo pro Yates was also in that group as was Time Trial Tony (great job he did for Kwiatek).

    Frank in the grupetto as was former Giro winner Hesjedal, Chavez - not good, and Elissonde. Brajkovic also there - he who was previously the only one to go toe to toe up ADHuez with Contador in the Dauphine. Riblon keeps soft pedalling round the course - I guess a beautiful solo win at the Tour every few years is worth a huge amount. Josh of Sky actually came in by himself after the grupetto...I guess he was also severely fatigued from his 1700km so far this year.

    So pleased Yates is not riding for Sky - what a result for fans of the sport. Racer.

    Seb Henao, neo pro who has been mentally affected by the odd removal of his cousin finished only two mins down.

    Nieve unfortunately 9mins down. Such a shame. I guess the effects of doing 75% of the work by himself is showing. No plan B.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    edited April 2014
    Turfle wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Ha Maca, memories.

    -

    Nice to see an in shape Jungels - plucky rider. Decent kits Trek has only recently brought out for the nat champs. No Frank in that group. LLS still short. Gilbert not looking as good as id expect even if he is reasonable - still has his trademark butter pedal stroke when he was in the break.

    -

    Good win and im happy as per my comments but a bit of perspective: he is a pro in his 7th year and has won a sprint against non-sprinters after hanging inside the bunch. The thing though I suppose is it not being expected of him which makes it sweeter. Will post a good photo edit of the celebration later. Swift is basically saving Sky's early season - he has the vast bulk of the team's points.

    The sprint wasn't the impressive part. You probably should understand that by now.

    As for "hanging inside the bunch", after two cat 3s, two cat 2s, and a cat 1 (with 4 of those 5 climbs coming inside the final 60k), and including a final climb that featured a Valverde attack that only two climbers could go with, "the bunch" was 20 riders strong.


    Exactly. If you understand that, you understand bike racing
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    RichN95 wrote:
    Milton50 wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    I wonder if he might be able to do something at Amstel Gold next week.

    Think the puncheurs will be able to get just a big enough gap on the Cauberg. But with the form he has shown today and in Milan-San Remo you wouldn't put it past him.

    After seeing him in the 2012 Vuelta I was one of the people claiming that he wouldn't be able to cut it in high profile races. So fair play to him. Well done Swifty.
    I wasn't suggesting that he might win. By 'do something' I meant potential top ten.


    He's listed for AGR. It's a youngish team they're sending, with Christian Knees as minder.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,104
    It's starting to look like Swifty could do more if he had the freedom - possibly time to look at pushing the Sky management a bit. I'm another that thinks the Yates brothers made the right choice going elsewhere.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    He's another that is finally moving his full attention to the road and it makes a huge difference. Stannard and possibly Rowe appear to be developing more quickly because they left the track side of things behind far sooner (mainly I assume as they weren't going to make the Olympic team). Same thing is true with the Yates brothers and hopefully Edmonson. Probably a few Aussies in a similar position too.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Pross wrote:
    He's another that is finally moving his full attention to the road and it makes a huge difference. Stannard and possibly Rowe appear to be developing more quickly because they left the track side of things behind far sooner (mainly I assume as they weren't going to make the Olympic team). Same thing is true with the Yates brothers and hopefully Edmonson. Probably a few Aussies in a similar position too.
    And conversely the track side is starting to struggle as British talent is being quickly snapped up by Sky and other teams, which wasn't so much the case when the likes of Thomas & Swift were coming through.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Exactly. If you understand that, you understand bike racing

    Eh. No.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    edited April 2014
    pays_basque_2014_5.jpg

    Swift-wins.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    Catching up with yesterday's stage, that "We know who eat all the pies" comment was a bit off!
    Road
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    Track/Grass Track/Winter bike
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Last 15 riders times (-1 hr)
    106º 48 YATES, Simon Orica Greenedge 16:01
    107º 121 SPILAK, Simon Team Katusha 16:02
    108º 57 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay BMC Racing Team 16:03
    109º 71 PINOT, Thibaut FDJ.fr 16:04
    110º 97 SLAGTER, Tom Jelte Garmin Sharp 16:05
    111º 53 SÁNCHEZ, Samuel BMC Racing Team 16:07
    112º 155 POELS, Wouter Omega Pharma - Quick-Step 16:09
    113º 101 LANDA, Mikel Astana Pro Team 16:11
    114º 154 KWIATKOWSKI, Michal Omega Pharma - Quick-Step 16:13
    115º 128 TROFIMOV, Yury Team Katusha 16:15
    116º 12 PERAUD, Jean-Christophe AG2R La Mondiale 16:17
    117º 51 EVANS, Cadel BMC Racing Team 16:19
    118º 32 CUNEGO, Damiano Lampre - Merida 16:21
    119º 1 VALVERDE, Alejandro Movistar Team 16:23
    120º 21 CONTADOR, Alberto Tinkoff - Saxo 16:25

    Top times so far...pretty slow which is good because it means the hills are making a big difference.
    Meta:
    1. Wellens (Lotto-Belisol) 40:33
    2. Fraile (Caja Rural-RGA) 40:53
    3. Bobridge (Belkin) 40:57
    4. Riblon (AG2R) 41:11
    5. Pate (Sky) 41:12
    6. Koch (Cannondale) 41:14
    7. Vermote (OPQS) 41:32
    8. Kessiakoff (Astana) 42:03
    9. Adam Yates (Orica-GreenEdge) 42:06
    10. Hivert (Belkin) 42:07
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Reminder of GC

    General Classification after Stage 5
    ESP 1 CONTADOR VELASCO, Alberto (TINKOFF-SAXO) 20:30:31
    ESP 2 VALVERDE BELMONTE, Alejandro (MOVISTAR) + 12
    ITA 3 CUNEGO, Damiano (LAMPRE - MERIDA) + 36
    AUS 4 EVANS, Cadel (BMC RACING)
    FRA 5 PERAUD, Jean-Christophe (AG2R LA MONDIALE)
    RUS 6 TROFIMOV, Yury (KATUSHA)
    POL 7 KWIATKOWSKI, Michal (OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP) + 41
    ESP 8 LANDA MEANA, Mikel (ASTANA) + 54
    NED 9 POELS, Wouter (OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP) + 55
    ESP 10 SANCHEZ GONZALEZ, Samuel (BMC RACING) + 56
    NED 11 SLAGTER, Tom Jelte (GARMIN SHARP)
    FRA 12 PINOT, Thibaut (FDJ.fr)

    Hard to know how many are in contention, Bertie and Valv obviously then probably just Cadel and Kwiatowski? Don't know much about Trofimov.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Looks like only Kreuziger and Rory finished for Tinkoff yesterday :roll:

    At the end of stage four, Tinkoff had three riders in the bottom six...
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    ^TJ is at 58 secs. Should definitely move up some spots.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Give me more
    Give me more Posts: 487
    Poels setting off, we're firmly into the business end of GC already. Going to be interesting to see the time gaps come the end.

    Dumoulin sets the fastest time, TTTony should be in soon though.

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