Vuelta 2014 Stage 12 *SPOILERS*

dsoutar
dsoutar Posts: 1,746
edited September 2014 in Pro race
profile-12.jpg

Wow !! Loads of interest in this stage then. 15:30 and still nothing on the forum

A rest day for the GC guys. Effectively a crit of 8 x 20km so almost certainly a bunch sprint. NIce non-technical run-in too with a straight drag to the line for the last km.

Probably a fight between Matthews, Degenkolb and Bouhanni but I'm sure there's others who will want to spoil the party, as Carlton might say

Comments

  • Thank god I was beginning to think I would have to put up a thread just so the Vuelta got it's deserved ***SPOILERS*** thread each day!
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    I was just writing pretty much the same thing!

    At the last check there were 70km to go and one sole rider, Krizek (Cannondale) with a lead of 4'50" over the main field.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    edited September 2014
    Repeat of stage 5 of the 2012 Vuelta, when John Degenkolb won the sprint in front of Daniele Bennati and Gianni Meersman with Nacer Bouhanni finishing 4th.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGSA5MxHMT0

    stage12_map.png
  • Laps?
    Odd
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  • emadden
    emadden Posts: 2,431
    What a terrible stage.

    And if Kirby says "pinch point" once more, I will not be responsible for my actions.
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  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Intermediate sprints finish just 600m before the overall finish, probably to avoid a battle between sponsor logos!
  • dsoutar
    dsoutar Posts: 1,746
    Laps?
    Odd

    Not too unlike stage 4 of the Giro that had a run into Bari then 8 laps of the city. Hopefully there won't be any rain like Bari that effectively led to most of the laps being neutralised.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    2 laps/ 42km to go, 3'42" gap.
  • Who was the joker who was saying that this turkey was much more exciting than the Tour?
    Not so much a siesta day, as a coma day.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    33 to go, gap of 3.12

    One Giant and looks like most of FDJ team on the front. Not strung out.
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    Yep, boring stage, and surely the reason why this thread so far has naff all posts in it.
  • Every GT has to have flat boring stages either for the sprinters or transitioning this just happens to be a particularly dull iteration.
    The tour was filled to the brim with boring stages even ones that shouldn't be the only question was, "which domestique will strike it lucky from the break?" or "when will nibs decide to ride away from the rest of the GC contendors?" pretty much from the cobbles on.
  • d_o_g
    d_o_g Posts: 286
    At least a flat, long stage has the ability to be raced super hard and create splits, as we have seen in this years Vuelta, the Tour and that 2013 Tour stage where there were masses of echelons and balls out racing from the gun.

    A crit race in a GT is ridonkulous.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Catch made with 12km to go. Hope everyone stays up :?
  • Typical. The day I bunk off work early....
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  • Bennati on the front from 1.7 to 1km...would be nice if he got in line to sprint.

    The German wins it. Do not like him. Big crash caused a split of 20 at the front.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,154
    I'm glad Bouhanni didn't figure. I would have picked him for PTP and forgot.

    As for Degenkolb. Peter Sagan is supposedly on stupid money ($4m) next year. I reckon you would get almost as good results from Degenkolb at a third of the price.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • The German wins it. Do not like him.

    Is this another of these things where you have your 'personal thoughts' on the matter but are not willing to discuss them?
    Life is unfair, kill yourself or get over it.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,546
    I can see why they have long, flat boring transition stages in GTs - they need to link towns or at least get close enough to the next one to limit the transfer. However, having a boring, flat stage around a 20km circuit makes no sense at all.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    Pross wrote:
    I can see why they have long, flat boring transition stages in GTs - they need to link towns or at least get close enough to the next one to limit the transfer. However, having a boring, flat stage around a 20km circuit makes no sense at all.

    Agreed. Tomorrow's stage should be much better.
  • Hate to say it but having just watched today's highlights I found it rather dull. I know that some people like this type of stage but personally I just didn't get anything from it. Roll on the next stage!
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,194
    Suggestions for any (non TT) GT stages more dull than this one?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,154
    r0bh wrote:
    Suggestions for any (non TT) GT stages more dull than this one?
    Stage 6 of the 2013 Tour was pretty dull. Luis Mate attacked at the start. No-one followed. He lasted for about 40k before deciding he didn't fancy it and sat up. And that was it until Greipel won the sprint. The most exciting thing was the yellow jersey passed from Gerrans to Impey, but even that seemed to be intentional. There wasn't even a crash.
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