Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2018 - Spoiler

ocdupalais
ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
edited March 2018 in Pro race
Stage: 1 - 19 March : Calella, 152.30 km
Stage: 2 - 20 March : Mataró - Valls, 175.60 km
Stage: 3 - 21 March : Sant Cugat del Vallès - Camprodon, 153.20 km
Stage: 4 - 22 March : Llanars - La Molina (Alp), 170.80 km
Stage: 5 - 23 March : Llívia - Vielha Val d'Aran, 212.90 km
Stage: 6 - 24 March : Vielha Val d'Aran - Torrefarrera, 194.20 km
Stage: 7 - 25 March : Barcelona, 154.80 km

13_2018.jpg

I thought this deserves to not languish in the “Sh1t Small Races” thread - there are some quality rides here (as ever) and some monster climbs and gnarly finishes.
I love this part of the season: despite the badlands of Northern Europe still frosty, things are warming up in Spain and Italy. The young bucks trying it on with the old gits in an attempt to make sure their names are considered for the GT squads. So much hope and ambition!*
Talking of grizzled old gits, Valverde has already shown his one way ticket to the knackers yard can sod off for another year by winning a bunch sprint and taking the leader’s jersey...
And talking of hope and ambition crushed, which stage is TJVG going to crash out on....?
There’s Dan Martin on (almost) home soil... the Yates Bros riding together for a change... is Quintana up to much this year or has his GT star faded? There’s Chaves, Aru, Kruijswijk, Bennett, Pinot and Barguil, too... that’s some feat if Valverde can cope with all that.

* which is part of the reason people can get so grumpy when the GTs are anything less than scintillating throughout, I think: unfulfilled expectation being a key component of the upset.
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Comments

  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    It’s a shame that Eurosport have put Kirby on this one; the sound of a sh!t car being revved outside your bedroom on a sunny Spring morning...
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    There’s some discussion as to whether the route changes will benefit Valverde or not...
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/key-sum ... valanches/
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,738
    I often find it difficult to rev myself up for the week long stage races in Spain.
    _
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    OCDuPalais wrote:
    It’s a shame that Eurosport have put Kirby on this one; the sound of a sh!t car being revved outside your bedroom on a sunny Spring morning...
    yep he's ruined it already.
    What's the GC so far ? Missed the end of the this yesterday as my recording got cut off
  • Vino'sGhost
    Vino'sGhost Posts: 4,129
    valverde rocks
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,738
    Vino'sGhost wrote:
    valverde rocks

    Image-1-Ojo-657x492.jpg
    _
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    nah, man not for me. used to like it when purito won it but not now. I admire Valverde for his talent and all that, but he is effectively a vampire that's immune to the sunlight, isn't he?
  • ShutupJens
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    OCDuPalais wrote:
    * which is part of the reason people can get so grumpy when the GTs are anything less than scintillating throughout, I think: unfulfilled expectation being a key component of the upset.

    Hence why the Dauphine is better than the tour. Better racing and just leaves you excited about the big start
  • twotoebenny
    twotoebenny Posts: 1,437
    OCDuPalais wrote:
    There’s some discussion as to whether the route changes will benefit Valverde or not...
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/key-sum ... valanches/

    Valverde was training up there a few days ago and beating Bardets strava segment time! It's a shame so much if the stage has changed.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,815
    OCDuPalais wrote:
    There’s some discussion as to whether the route changes will benefit Valverde or not...
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/key-sum ... valanches/

    Before:
    profile-03.jpg

    After:
    DYwKK6qWsAAnCBB.jpg:large

    No comparison.
    Looks like a boring plod to the final metres and the inevitable Piti win.
    Never mind, there is always the one day of the Three days of De Panne to watch.

    Edit: We now have a red echelon alert in De Panne........
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    Well... I tried to drum up some enthusiasm for this.

    Currently, there’s a break of 3 up the road at 1:30 with De Gendt in, 24km to go.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,815
    OCDuPalais wrote:
    Well... I tried to drum up some enthusiasm for this.

    Currently, there’s a break of 3 up the road at 1:30 with De Gendt in, 24km to go.

    I have it on in the back ground. Headwind means it's like a 70km, slow motion replay.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    Simon Yates lining it out on front of bunch ...De Gendt now on his own with 1:40 - 14.0km to go (uphill, then draggy).
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    Dan Martin, Adam Yates, Pinot attack!
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    Quintana in chase group of 4!
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    Pinot, Matthias Frank, A Yates and Quintana now at 48 secs 9.3km to go...
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    No idea what happened to Dan Martin in long tunnel...
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,738
    Good work OCD.
    _
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    Chase group kicking sh1t out of each other..
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    What are they doing! They just need to roll through... lead jersey group at 1.02
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    De Gendt still has 38secs with 5.6km to go...
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    Tao Geoghan and Kenny Elissonde doing all the chasing in the bunch
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    All still in balance... De Gendt being told by team car to stop mincing about in the 12 ring - put it in the 11!
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    The chase group can’t bring him back...
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    2.2km fo de Gendt ... 28 secs on chase... 43 secs on bunch
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    1km De Gendt - 27 secs he’s got this...
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    Quintana jumps under flame rouge
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    Shut down by Yates
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    De Gendt wins...! Yates 2nd as bunch catches chase group on line...
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,233
    Simon Yates crashed

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