La Vuelta '15 #4 Estepona / Vejer de la Frontera **SPOILERS*

imatfaal

The first long flat stage of La Vuelta - over two hundred km with no categorised mountains; there is a little 178 metre kick up just near the end to spice things up / ruin the legs of the sprinters.





not even the weather seems that exciting - mid 20s and no wind in Gib. With a little climb in the last 5 km it looks well suited to the men of yesterday Degenkolb and Sagan; is Sagan gonna change from second in every stage in the TdF to first at VaE?



That 4th to last km looks pretty punchy - eyeballing it looks like from around 180m climbing in 2000m riding; with only 2km which isn't dead flat after that I think that climb could be decisive.

dish_dash

Looks absolutely thrilling... NOT!

Looks like a punchy sprinter stage, so another one for Sagan, rather than a Purito/Valverde finish though Mikel Conde disagrees.

Richmond Racer 2

zzzzzz

wake me up when there's some lumpy stuff

joelsim

Looks too tough for Degenkolb and Bouhanni. It is 17% in parts on the last climb, average 12% for a km, then a slight descent and then uphill again at 6%.

RichN95.

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19687344#p19687344]Joelsim[/url] wrote:

Looks too tough for Degenkolb and Bouhanni. It is 17% in parts on the last climb, average 12% for a km, then a slight descent and then uphill again at 6%.

They're both quite decent up steep stuff - remember Degenkolb in Qatar for example. The question is whether anyone is willing to really put the hammer down on that bit 4km out. I'm not sure there is. How wide the road is will be a key factor.

RonB

I (and many PTP folk) tipping Sagan on this stage expect him and the team, which for once has no real GC ambitions, to be hungry to keep up a bit of a winning streak before the real steep stuff later in the race. Stage 5, for example, is another where he will be amongst the favourites for the win. After that, well maybe the training plan for Richmond will set in, where he will definitely be on his lonesome.

TheBigBean

Call me controversial, but I quite like a slow build up to a GT.

ocdupalais

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19687364#p19687364]TheBigBean[/url] wrote:

Call me controversial, but I quite like a slow build up to a GT.

I agree - I'm already looking forward to next year's Tour, too...

above_the_cows

Are they going to stop for a glass of sherry?

Richmond Racer 2

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19687368#p19687368]Above The Cows[/url] wrote:

Are they going to stop for a glass of sherry?

RonB

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19687368#p19687368]Above The Cows[/url] wrote:

Are they going to stop for a glass of sherry?

Dunno, but a bottle of Sandeman would've been an ideal choice for the TTT.

joelsim

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19687372#p19687372]RonB[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19687368#p19687368]Above The Cows[/url] wrote:

Are they going to stop for a glass of sherry?

Dunno, but a bottle of Sandeman would've been an ideal choice for the TTT.

They will probably have Nibbles in the car.

RonB

Break for the day. 6 riders are 12' ahead ...

Mickael Delage (FDJ)
Bert Jan Lindeman (LottoNL-Jumbo)
Nikolas Maes (Etixx-Quick Step)
Jimmy Engoulvent (Europcar)
Kristijan Durasek (Lampre-Merida)
Markel Irizar (Trek)

RonB

OGE setting the pace at the front of the peloton. Gap to the break is just over 9 mins with 120km to go.

RonB

TCS closing the gap (slowly) between the breakaway and the peloton to 6 mins, with around 80kms to go.

Live coverage starts on Eurosport soon.

TheBigBean

Break now only has 3 m 20s. 56km to go.

above_the_cows

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19687395#p19687395]Joelsim[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19687372#p19687372]RonB[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19687368#p19687368]Above The Cows[/url] wrote:

Are they going to stop for a glass of sherry?

Dunno, but a bottle of Sandeman would've been an ideal choice for the TTT.

They will probably have Nibbles in the car.

Applause!

imatfaal

TJvG down apparently - but looks fairly tame. One Astana man down as well

rick_chasey

They're all fine. Bmc burning lots of marches getting back.

Talansky down too. Had to wrestle a topless man who tried to mount his bike.

RonB

After getting caught out, it's TTT time for BMC because van Garderen is around a minute behind the peloton with just 25km to go.

Edit - panic over, they're already in with the team cars. No need for sticky bottles.

Richmond Racer 2

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19687543#p19687543]Rick Chasey[/url] wrote:

They're all fine. Bmc burning lots of marches getting back.

Talansky down too. Had to wrestle a topless man who tried to mount his bike.

That was quality

dish_dash

Finish looks fun.

http://twitter.com/IAM_Cycling/status/636170458551975937/video/1

https://twitter.com/IAM_Cycling/status/636170458551975937

TheBigBean

Tinkoff-Saxo on the front with 11.2km to go. All together.

imatfaal

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19687559#p19687559]dish_dash[/url] wrote:

Finish looks fun.

http://twitter.com/IAM_Cycling/status/636170458551975937/video/1

https://twitter.com/IAM_Cycling/status/636170458551975937

So there is one kilometre of nasty winding climb BEFORE the 3km safety zone. Gonna be real wrestling between the GC guys to try to stay safe: lucky it is uphill - would be carnage if it was fast

TheBigBean

Kirby doesn't think they are setting it up for Sagan, so thinks that it may be for Majka. I would disregard that opinion.

TheBigBean

Pozzovivo showing himself - is he racing for the 3km line or the finish line?

TheBigBean

Sky also near the front.

TheBigBean

Tinkoff-Saxo seem to have lost the front.

TheBigBean

Valverde opens it up.

TheBigBean

A Lotto-Soudial rider attacks on the steep incline. Doesn't look like he has the legs.

imatfaal

Climbing - attacks straight away. Damn that looks hard