Vuelta al País Vasco 2014 **Spoilers**

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Comments

  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    I predict a week with lots of heavyweight, flowery praise for several Spanish "champions",
    since they should dominate this race.

    Very good call.....
    Best of the rest probably *Costa, Kwiatkowski, Mollema, Betancur and possibly Spilak, Schleck snr and TJVG.

    Not such a good call.
    ......*there are almost no best of the rest..
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    dsoutar wrote:
    dsoutar wrote:
    Ah well, that saves me having to watch the rest of this tour

    Eh? Odd comment given the quality of the racing in the end ...

    What I meant was, all that will happen now is that Saxo Tinkoff will control the rest of the race and with the TT in the bag Contador would have to come off to lose it

    You'll be looking forward to July then?
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    Elissonde comes in2.41 down...
    I wish Barguil was with that lead group.
    Damn, had to go to a meeting and missed the last 20km. How far off the pace was he, FF?
    Saw a rider suspiciously like him come in solo at 3.40. Hoping it wasnt. Camera wasnt doing a great job at making it easy to identify.
    Its worth watching the last 15km.
    Barguil, 33rd at 1-52
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    knedlicky wrote:
    Classy Contador. Very impressive.
    Valverde lost no time in the 7 km between going over the crest and the finish, which is also impressive.
    Does the commentator belong to the Cunego fan club?Pretty ridiculous the commentator comparing the landscape to Yorkshire; it’s nothing like it.

    1 Contador (TCS) 4:05:07
    2 Valverde (MOV) +0:14
    3 Kwiatkowski (OPQ) +0:34
    4 Trofimov (KAT) +0:36
    5 Cunego (LAM) +0:36
    6 Péraud (ALM) +0:36
    7 Nieve (SKY) +0:36
    8 Evans (BMC) +0:36
    9 Kreuziger (TCS) +0:54
    10 Landa (AST) +0:54
    11 Pinot (FDJ) +0:56
    12 Arashiro (EUC) +0:56
    13 Slagter (GRS) +0:56
    14 Poels (OPQ) +0:58
    15 Sanchez (BMC) +0:58
    16 Gesink (BEL) +0:58
    17 van den Broeck (LTB) +0:58
    18 van Garderen (BMC) +0:58


    Jeez, Kirby banging on and on about Cunego's descending skillz :roll:
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,890
    Makes a change from Nibali's descending skills.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    TheBigBean wrote:
    Makes a change from Nibali's descending skills.


    'There's NOBODY who can descend like x'

    followed 5 secs later by

    'Oh, xx can drop like a stone, there's NOBODY like him'



    Poke it, Carlton
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Simon Yates put in an excellent ride - +58s with Gesink, TJVG, Samu, JVDB etc
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Excellent job Yates #1 (his bro lost 16mins). Frank Schleck showing fine (Andy down 10mins). Glad Barguil didnt get hurt too bad - expect fireworks later. Kwaitek is amazing - he rode the front 95% of the time. Glad Peraud is there. Evans looking good in time for the Giro - old pro. Excellent by Nieve - as I expected. Chaves only 2mins down.

    Wonder kid PK....16mins off the pace. Gave up? Zandio 2nd best Sky rider at 4mins. I expect all of them to be in total service for Nieve and to bury themselves inside out like they do for their teammates from the Commonwealth.

    Shame Seb Henao at 16mins - he should have been with Nieve as should have Edmondson. Betancur also with that group - Paris Nice winner eh. Hard to believe Westra was up there challenging Wiggins at PN once.

    18mins gap to the back. That is some serious damage by the boys at the front. GT damage.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    ^ :wink:

    You are a scamp

    But back to serious business....Kwia - impressive as ever.

    Andy S. When do Trek give up on him? Never?
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Thats a tough one for me. There are about 10 riders I have no idea how they have a ride on a pro conti team let alone a PT team. Although Andy slides there sometimes I struggle a lot with what he was. That Giro, those Tours. Amazing spectacle for the fans. Incredible shame. I really really hope he sorts it out but 2 years of me saying this and I will have lost hope at the end of this year.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • josame
    josame Posts: 1,162
    I predict a week with lots of heavyweight, flowery praise for several Spanish "champions",
    since they should dominate this race.

    Very good call.....
    Best of the rest probably *Costa, Kwiatkowski, Mollema, Betancur and possibly Spilak, Schleck snr and TJVG.

    Not such a good call.
    ......*there are almost no best of the rest..

    'Self praise is no praise'
    'Do not compare your bike to others, for always there will be greater and lesser bikes'
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    I think you may have missed the point.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    SPTDW806-661x440.jpg
    SPTDW810-661x440.jpg
    IMG_6575.jpg
    13698685093_063a4312ee_b.jpg
    IMG_6628.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    "It was a day to take chances, because the team worked so much all day and I had good legs. I jumped away, felt strong, and Alberto was the only one who could follow me," Valverde explained on his team's website. "Initially I felt confident, because I was seeing he wasn't doing so well, but he attacked in the end of the climb and it was kind of unexpected for me."

    "There was a strong headwind and I couldn't close the gap. I wasn't thinking he would open such a big gap, but these 15 seconds will count - they're always important in one-week stage races, where everything is down to a few of them."
    Contador is the Greatest
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,647

    Quality read and pics there... thanks dude...
  • poppit
    poppit Posts: 926
    Interesting twitter comment from Michelle Cound

    'Maybe an "ex" doper can win the tour this year, at least he would be qualified to answer all the doping questions'. Not sure who she means though.

    Seems to be kicking off on twitter at the moment.
    Eddy Merckx EMX-3
    Dolan L'Etape
    Cougar Zero Uno
    Genesis Core 50
    Planet X TOR
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    The Bert fans are going MENTAL

    *pulls out a bag of popcorn*
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    The Bert fans are going MENTAL

    *pulls out a bag of popcorn*

    I'm sure that the Clinic will appreciate the new ammunition.
    They have been really struggling of late.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    The Bert fans are going MENTAL

    *pulls out a bag of popcorn*

    On twitter? Dickheads that use abusive language and cause unnecessary stress to people like MC on twitter are not true fans, they are just losers looking for an outlet to vent and fill time.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    The Bert fans are going MENTAL

    *pulls out a bag of popcorn*

    On twitter? Dickheads that use abusive language and cause unnecessary stress to people like MC on twitter are not true fans, they are just losers looking for an outlet to vent and fill time.


    *high five*

    I'll amend 'fans' to 'dickheads*
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    No doubt about it Bertie And Valverde were both impressive yesterday, the former is going to give Froome a run for his money this summer
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    She really doesn't help herself or Froome really does she? I can already see the comments if Froome wins the Tour 'well, if he can do that against dopers what can we deduct' etc. etc.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Joelsim wrote:
    No doubt about it Bertie And Valverde were both impressive yesterday, the former is going to give Froome a run for his money this summer


    Bert - no question.

    Valverde - first part of the season, he peaks for the Ardennes, innit.

    Nibali - not looking hot at the moment. Get more of an indication at Romandie, or more likely the Dauphine.
  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    The Bert fans are going MENTAL

    *pulls out a bag of popcorn*

    On twitter? Dickheads that use abusive language and cause unnecessary stress to people like MC on twitter are not true fans, they are just losers looking for an outlet to vent and fill time.

    Less oxy, more ...
  • poppit
    poppit Posts: 926
    She seems to be getting a lot of vile abuse at the moment. I suppose if you tweet a fair bit and have opinions then you have to be prepared for people to respond, it doesn't mean you have to put up with abuse though. I'd be pretty vocal if it was my other half getting this type of abuse and nasty comments though.
    Eddy Merckx EMX-3
    Dolan L'Etape
    Cougar Zero Uno
    Genesis Core 50
    Planet X TOR
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    poppit wrote:
    Interesting twitter comment from Michelle Cound

    'Maybe an "ex" doper can win the tour this year, at least he would be qualified to answer all the doping questions'. Not sure who she means though.

    Seems to be kicking off on twitter at the moment.

    Not sure who she means either. Could be anyone...
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    poppit wrote:
    She seems to be getting a lot of vile abuse at the moment. I suppose if you tweet a fair bit and have opinions then you have to be prepared for people to respond, it doesn't mean you have to put up with abuse though. I'd be pretty vocal if it was my other half getting this type of abuse and nasty comments though.

    It's a shame when you see that sort of thing. I'm all for a bit of reasoned debate, but calling someone a c*nt isn't very clever.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Less oxy, more ...

    Yeah good one. Unfortunately some people are deserved of a little insult.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Stage 2:
    http://www.steephill.tv/2014/vuelta-al- ... ile-02.jpg

    Could be a sprint, could be a breakaway. Would like to see someone like Gilbert and Costa go HARD with 20km to race.
    With a little less than 20 km to go, the road starts to kick up for about 3.3 km with an average gradient of 3.3 %. None of this should trouble the fast guys, but it will become harder for a break to make it all the way. With 6.5 km to go, there is another uncategorized climb of 2.2 km (average gradient of 3.4 %). The following 3.5 km are downhill. The run-in is fast and the final part is tricky. With about 350 meters to go, the riders go right into a roundabout, an almost 180° corner according to the detailed map in the road book. The final 300 meters are uphill with an average gradient of about 4 %.

    http://www.c-cycling.com/sites/paisvasco14/stage2.html
    Contador is the Greatest