Vuelta 2014 Stage 20 *SPOILERS*

frenchfighter
frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
edited September 2014 in Pro race
Hardest stage and climb until last.

profile-20.jpg

Alto de Vilaesteba (6.4 km / avgg. 5.3 %)
Alto de O Lago (8.4 km / avg. 4 %)
Alto de Folgueiras de Aigas (9.7 km / avg. 6.7 %)

finish-20.jpg

Froome will most certainly go all out here and Contador will be all eyes on him.
Contador is the Greatest
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Comments

  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    With 70km raced so far the lead of Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre-Merida), Wout Poels (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), Jerome Coppel (Cofidis), Maxime Mederel (Europcar) is around 5mins.

    Betancur is 3mins off lanterne rouge.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    It be amazing if Froome and Bert could end up seconds apart before the short TT tomorrow
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    'my man' Barguill ill. Shame.
  • SCR Pedro
    SCR Pedro Posts: 912
    Froome will only take time if the Spanish GC men start messing around, which I hope to hell they don't. It gets on my nerves. I like Niemiec. I hope he can stay away, but I can't see it happening.
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  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    5.5mins with 50km to go. Not much to report yet.

    KOM competition. 40 total points today.
    1 Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA 58 pts
    2 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 30
    3 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo 24
    4 Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre-Merida 20
    5 Luis Mas Bonet (Spa) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA 20
    6 Winner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre-Merida 18
    7 Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale 18
    8 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 18
    9 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin Sharp 16
    10 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 15
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Sky taking it up. Gap sub 4 mins. Astana are showing themselves, while JRod and Valv are conspicuous for now.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Poels dropped from break. Ideal Skyman. ;)

    Eurosport's disgraceful commentary forcing me to harm winged beasts or use a dodgy feed. This has ace Yanks. Good chat about psychological effect of a strong train.

    David Millar's last road stage with Garmin.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Ha, switched to that one to hear the difference in styles.

    Sky doing a great job to set Froome up. Break is done for. Rowe seems to have done most the damage and now the Terminator is on the front - breathing this time so definitely giving it some beans.

    Spots of rain.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    This looks well set up. Sky making everyone work hard with 6 riders still there. Saxo with 4 (or maybe 5) riders, Astana and Katusha with riders too. Only 2 Movistars left in there.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    I predict that Froome will make his move with just under 7km to go
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    RichN95 wrote:
    I predict that Froome will make his move with just under 7km to go

    Just after the 18% part? Seems reasonable if the others are flagging and he doesn't start the climb slowly. He certainly has to go early to take back a minute or so unless Contador completely cracks. Good luck to him.

    260-RTR3727I.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    RichN95 wrote:
    I predict that Froome will make his move with just under 7km to go

    Cue amateur statisticians/sport scientists working out whether it should be possible to climb that fast....
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Niemiec and Coppel with 45 secs on a PK led GC bunch. 17km.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    About to make some Higgs bosons out of a monitor, a window and some gravity. The Yanks got pulled :(
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Niemiec goes solo but with 30 odd secs he will get caught.

    Nervous here.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Intermediate sprint coming up and there will be some seconds available.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    edited September 2014
    Froome takes the bonus seconds again (uncontested)

    Niemec about to get caught
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Froome takes two seconds. Just two Sky left ahead of him.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Catch made just after 10km. 20 odd riders left in the GC group.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,436
    RichN95 wrote:
    Froome takes two seconds. Just two Sky left ahead of him.

    Rich says that means he's going to attack :wink:
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    Down to barely a dozen left in the steep part

    Nieve gone already??? Just Deignan left with Froome I think, over 9k left
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    I was worried that Deignan would come up short with his move back to the big league but I think he sure has earned his salary this year.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    In 1km it will only be the top five left.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Damiano Caruso is the new Zubeldia
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Best form of defence is attack. So Alberto takes a swing at Froome, misses, giving Aru some cosmetic dentistry.

    J-Rod scarpers.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Valverde starts to chase. Froome holds station with Contador
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    Valverde chasing, Froome dragging Contador and Aru back to him
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Valve going after J-Rod with a hammer. This is how Nibali would have won the tour.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Purito with about 20 seconds on the other four
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    I wonder where Samu is relative to Martin. Only real chance of a change:

    General Classification after Stage 19
    ESP 1 CONTADOR VELASCO, Alberto (TINKOFF-SAXO) 76:00:40
    GBR 2 FROOME, Christopher (SKY) + 1:19
    ESP 3 VALVERDE BELMONTE, Alejandro (MOVISTAR) + 1:32
    ESP 4 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER, Joaquin (KATUSHA) + 2:29
    ITA 5 ARU, Fabio (ASTANA) + 3:15
    IRL 6 MARTIN, Daniel (GARMIN SHARP) + 6:52
    ESP 7 SANCHEZ GONZALEZ, Samuel (BMC RACING) + 6:59
    FRA 8 BARGUIL, Warren (GIANT-SHIMANO) + 9:12
    ITA 9 CARUSO, Damiano (CANNONDALE) + 9:45
    ESP 10 MORENO FERNANDEZ, Daniel (KATUSHA) + 12:49
    Contador is the Greatest

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