Vuelta 2014 Stage 5 *Spoilers*

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Comments

  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    Gilbert went far far too early. Bouhanni wouldn't have won. Degenkolb out kicked everyone. Job Done....
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Good to see Hofland in 3rd.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    The legend.
    BwDzTtXCcAAWqSC.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    “Two years ago I’ve been disqualified from a stage win at the Tour of Picardy for less than that," he said. "Degenkolb closed me in three times. When I told him after the finish that it wasn’t correct, he said I should have gone on the other side. I’m not happy because he should have been disqualified.”

    "I think I didn’t change my lane. There was enough space on the right side if he was able to pass me. Nacer complained but I didn’t move from left to right. I was trying to avoid somebody to pass me on the right side.

    President of the commissaires' panel Jean-Michel Voets defended his decision.

    “We’ve looked at the tv images three times," he said. "Degenkolb hasn’t contravened the rules. He kept his line but Bouhanni tried to pass where it was impossible. There’s no reason for changing the result.”

    -

    “The team needed more information about, who was behind and who wasn’t, we didn’t know who had been left behind. I think that we managed to leave a few interesting riders behind in the initial part, but then they came back and we wasn’t aware of this. There was a bit of confusion, but well, we tried. We have to be aware and continue to be well placed in the peloton, because anything can happen on stages like this”.

    About Froome’s sprint, where he won two bonus seconds, Contador said he expected it.

    “Yes, we saw him attacking. In the first sprint he tried, but Bouhanni and FDJ pulled him back again. In the second sprint he attacked with his teammate from a bit further away, but it isn’t important in the long run”, Alberto Contador said.

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    "We were paying attention at the front when we were leaving the town in case there were any splits, and they accelerated," Valverde said. "It didn't really surprise us: Tinkoff is a squad that always profits from chances like that, and that was the case.

    "We also took some turns on the front and could happily complete the stage in the main group. All favourites are working hard not to lose any time, not only the two or three names you might think of.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    There was a 5 sec gap in the finish yesterday but none of the riders that mattered gained from it.

    Boonen finished with the best of them as did my boys Chaves and 22 year old heavyweight Barguil
    Rohan lost 2.14
    Hesjedal lost 3.19
    Talansky lost 3.51
    Tekle lost over 11 mins :roll:
    Kudus, Craven, Cunego also lost over 11mins
    Yates, Betancur, Meintjes, Sagan and Arredondo over 13mins
    David 'should have retired last year' Millar came dead last - he should have been burying himself for Hesjedal and Talansky...but maybe he did then blew.

    I expect Arredondo to go firecrackers tomorrow.
    Shame for Hesjedal - he is in great form but got on the wrong side of the split.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • mulletmaster
    mulletmaster Posts: 502
    Surprised by the lack of interest in the race. Arguably the best rider line up of the year and splits all over the place already. It won't be long until the off season and then everyone will be excited about Greipel winning a few stages at the TdU :roll:
    Appreciate the updates as I'm unable to follow live in work these days, cheers.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Of those losing time I guess only Talansky is a significant one. He seemed to have come to the Vuelta with GC ambitions, and after the Dauphine was to be taken seriously. That's all over now.

    Meintjes, Kudus, Berhane and Yates are in their first GT and here to learn and go for stage efforts.
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    mulletmaster wrote:
    Surprised by the lack of interest in the race. Arguably the best rider line up of the year and splits all over the place already. It won't be long until the off season and then everyone will be excited about Greipel winning a few stages at the TdU :roll:
    Appreciate the updates as I'm unable to follow live in work these days, cheers.

    Interest will pick up now we have some climbs. Threads don't reach tipping point of growing until there's lots to argue (sorry, I mean 'debate') about. There hasn't been much to see yet really. I was speaking to someone the other day though who's seen the TDF in person, follows all of that, road cycled for 3 or 4 years, and didn't know what the Vuelta really was :) (I'd wager there are a lot of people out there like this now).

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