Vuelta 2017: Stage 14: Cija - Sierra de La Pandera 175kms *Spoilers*

blazing_saddles

Stage 14: Cija - Sierra de La Pandera 175kms

Map:


Profile:


Climb:


Final Kms:

The_Boy

A route that suits sky, and froome had been strong all race so I see no reason he doesn't take more time here. Even with a gammy knee.

Edit: but I'll go with the break to take the stage win

Pross

Does anyone expect attempts by the top 10 riders to positively gain time today with an even tougher day or will they just ride a steady, hard pace and seen if anyone else cracks? I can't see any meaningful attacks and probably a stage for one of the climbers who have shipped a lot of time already.

Trying to work out the best way to watch today and tomorrow as I no longer have Eurosport in my Sky bundle but want to watch on a big screen.

knedlicky

Pross wrote:

Does anyone expect attempts by the top 10 riders to positively gain time today with an even tougher day or will they just ride a steady, hard pace and seen if anyone else cracks?
I can't see any meaningful attacks and probably a stage for one of the climbers who have shipped a lot of time already..

Your theory suggests a day for Atapuma or Majka, maybe even Bardet. But I think there are a couple of other factors which might mean that isn’t the case.
On the one hand, the profile suits Lopez and Zacharin.
And on the other hand, the more active teams (QST) and riders (Contador, Nibali) will surely want to test Froome to see what condition he’s in with his injuries. And if Froome s able to counter, showing no sign of problems, it might then come down to Lopez, Zacharin, Froome and Nibali.

blazing_saddles

Botd: Villella, Costa, Denifl, Majka, de Clercq, Mate, Konrad, Gougeard, S. Clarke, Vilela have 3'- 45" over the peloton.

NervexProf

Majka and his fellow escapees continue to augment their advantage at the head of the race. They now have five minutes in hand on the peloton, which is still being led by Team Sky.

NervexProf

Rui Costa and company are headed towards Lucena and continue to add small gains to their buffer over the peloton. The gap now stands at 5:45.

bobmcstuff

knedlicky wrote:

Pross wrote:

Does anyone expect attempts by the top 10 riders to positively gain time today with an even tougher day or will they just ride a steady, hard pace and seen if anyone else cracks?
I can't see any meaningful attacks and probably a stage for one of the climbers who have shipped a lot of time already..

Your theory suggests a day for Atapuma or Majka, maybe even Bardet. But I think there are a couple of other factors which might mean that isn’t the case.
On the one hand, the profile suits Lopez and Zacharin.
And on the other hand, the more active teams (QST) and riders (Contador, Nibali) will surely want to test Froome to see what condition he’s in with his injuries. And if Froome s able to counter, showing no sign of problems, it might then come down to Lopez, Zacharin, Froome and Nibali.

That makes sense as the odds on PaddyPower this morning had Majka, Bardet and Froome on equal best odds.

Obviously with Majka in the break his odds will have shortened considerably.

I went for Froome in PTP on the basis I thought if the GC group were going to take the win he will at least place highly. But if someone like Majka or Bardet arrive with the GC group they could nip away and take it as they won't be marked so closely.

blazing_saddles

Live coverage has started and they are on the first climb, which is a 3rd cat.
Going to be a long afternoon by the looks.

silvergrenade

Trek, Bahrain to the front.
Somebody smells blood.
This gonna be epic!

blazing_saddles

Bloody hell. That is ridiculously steep.
A pity Eurosport are on an ad break.

jgsi

At least the 'app' allows for multiple device logins again... watched it thru the town with well behaved townsfolk on the Vuelta 'feed' .

yourpaceormine

Aru looks truly awful on a bike.

yourpaceormine

Majka takes it. Nibs get seconds (3rd bonus +1 on line?)

bobmcstuff

Kirby's commentary is unbelievably shite. I was trying to fix a washing machine while half watching, he was going on about Contador and Nibali attacking but made no mention of Froome, so I assumed Froome had been dropped or wasn't on - I look round and he's right there.

blazing_saddles

Net gain of 4 seconds to Nibali as Froome reverts to his usual Vuelta mode of getting dropped but riding his own race knowing they will come back.
Absolutely pathetic attitude by Contador today: refusing to take a turn from Nibali. Had he been prepared to do a share of the work, both could have benefited.
Lopez now looks the strongest Colombian climber in the race.

bobmcstuff wrote:

Kirby's commentary is unbelievably shite.

At the risk of being called a hater, he is the sole reason why I'm not watching much of the coverage and swapping to Sporza for stage finales.

yourpaceormine

Nope N&F same time. Contador +6, Chavez +26, Aru + 32, lady garden +1:12

blazing_saddles

yourpaceormine wrote:

Nope N&F same time. Contador +6, Chavez +26, Aru + 32, lady garden +1:12

3rd place bonus seconds?

yourpaceormine

Blazing Saddles wrote:

bobmcstuff wrote:

Kirby's commentary is unbelievably shite.

At the risk of being called a hater, he is the sole reason why I'm not watching much of the coverage and swapping to Sporza for stage finales.

I've only really been watching ITV highlights for this very reason. Watched a bit yesterday, fair chunk today (waiting for plaster to go off). Yesterday I made the mistake of not muting the commentary, on mute all day today.

yourpaceormine

Blazing Saddles wrote:

yourpaceormine wrote:

Nope N&F same time. Contador +6, Chavez +26, Aru + 32, lady garden +1:12

3rd place bonus seconds?

Yes, sorry, those are times across the line, and timed from N/F crossing the line.

tim000

#

Rider Name (Country) Team

Result

1 Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe 4:42:10
2 Miguel Angel Lopez (Col) Astana Pro Team 0:00:27
3 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 0:00:31
4 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky
5 Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin
6 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Sunweb
7 Alberto Contador (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:37
8 Wout Poels (Ned) Team Sky 0:00:46
9 Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-Scott 0:00:57
10 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:01:03

kingstonian

yourpaceormine wrote:

Aru looks truly awful on a bike.

I was watching it with my 8 year old son, and even he commented on how terrible he looked

Vino'sGhost

I got moist over this stage today

Vino'sGhost

i think Eurosport commentary is excellent. Miserable tossers

Pross

Froome just letting the others batter themselves and then rides them down with very little effort. Even admitted he has an eye on tomorrow. Poels riding back into form but Moscon unusually not up there, possibly told to save a bit for tomorrow as well?